Edward Joseph (Eddie) Friel was born in Belfast in 1962. He is a B. Mus. Honours graduate who in 1986 started his professional career as a music teacher. After one year he decided to pursue his talents as a musician and composer. local piano bars at home as well as in Canada and Europe, where he travelled for a year. He has toured with Van Morrison as a piano player and features extensively on Van Morrison's album 'Hymns to the Silence'.
In 1995 he represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Dreamin' however the song finished a disappointing 14th place, Norway won the contest breaking the three years Ireland staged the contest.