An Irish musician has recorded a track which will feature Nelson Mandela’s voice, as an accolade to the former South African president.

Mandela recorded a spoken-word vocal for the song which has been written in his honor by John Hughes.

Hughes met the former leader while managing the Irish band the Corrs, who played at a South African Freedom Day concert in London in 2001.

At that concert, Mandela told the assembled crowd, "Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate us and liberate us. It sets people free to dream, it can unite us to sing with one voice.
Such is the value of music."

Impressed by his wisdom, the music manager decided to set Mandela’s words to song.
"I didn't even write down what Mandela had said because I didn't need to. Every word he said stuck in my head,” Hughes said.

"There he was, a man who had spent 27 years as a prisoner of conscience, invoking music as having the power to bring freedom. I wanted the whole world to hear that," Hughes added.

The track also features lyrics translated into 10 different African languages.