Moby Surprises Dublin Crowd With Live Cover of 'Father Ted' Cult Classic 'My Lovely Horse'

Electronic music veteran Moby gave Irish concertgoers an unexpected pop-culture treat during his latest European tour stop in Dublin. Taking the stage at the historic Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the American producer delivered a high-octane set that took a wildly entertaining detour into local television heritage. Near the end of his performance, the electronic pioneer paused to honor one of Ireland's most cherished television comedy tracks. Taking the microphone, he playfully proposed that the audience adopt the joke tune as their updated national anthem before diving headfirst into an unexpected rendition.

The track in question was "My Lovely Horse," the iconic novelty anthem immortalized in the legendary British-Irish comedy series *Father Ted*. Video filmed by audience members showed concertgoers happily shouting along to the synth-heavy parody, which originally debuted during the show's second season in 1996. In that famous episode, titled "A Song For Europe," fictional parish priests Father Ted Crilly and Father Dougal McGuire team up to represent their nation in a Eurosong competition. Their hilarious, intentionally dreadful entry ultimately ended up receiving zero points from the judges, cementing the track as an enduring piece of television comedy lore. Behind the scenes, the comedic song was crafted by Neil Hannon, the frontman of Northern Irish pop group The Divine Comedy, alongside *Father Ted* co-creators Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews. Hannon eventually gave the parody track a studio release, featuring it as a B-side on his band's 1999 single "Gin Soaked Boy."

Moby’s cheeky tribute was a highlight in a setlist stacked with massive global hits from his classic albums. Attendees were treated to landmark tracks like "Porcelain," "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?", "Extreme Ways," and "Go," alongside fan favorites such as "Lift Me Up," "Honey," and "Bodyrock." Slipping such a localized, nostalgic gag into a massive stadium-scale electronic show sent the Dublin crowd into a frenzy. It proved that even after nearly three decades, the musical jokes of *Father Ted* still hold massive cultural power across Ireland and beyond.