What inspired the Irish-Norwegian group named "Secret Garden Duo" to write the hit song "You Raise Me Up"?

Question

I am curious as to who/what inspired the Irish-Norwegian group named "Secret Garden Duo" to write the hit song "You Raise Me Up"? It has been recorded by over 125 artists worldwide and seems to have won huge sales, acclaim and awards to pretty much everyone who has sang it. I've searched all over to find the motivation or reason for writing this song, including on the main website of the artists. I have not found anything explaining where the idea came from, and who are they referring to that "raises them up" to more than they can be? On whose shoulders are they "strong", according to the song? At first thought, it seems to me that this fits in more as a Christian type song (seeing as how it doesn't make a lot of sense to tell another human equal to us that they "raise us up to more than we can be"). But they apparently do not seem to be Christian or "religious" at all, in that sense. They also seem to write mostly instrumental music. Any help with cited references would be helpful.

Answer 1

The popular song lyrics "You Raise Me Up" were written by Irish songwriter and novelist Brendan Graham when he was approached by his friend, Secret Garden's Rolf Lovland. Lovland was inspired by Brendan Graham's bestseller debut novel "The Whitest flower", a story of a young woman in Mayo during the Famine, he wanted him to capture into words something spiritually significant in the melody. Throughout the process of writing this novel Graham wrote songs in dedication to this character.

S. C. Mooney in and essay titled 'Crisis and Culture' says
"At no point in the song is the identity of “you” made clear. What is said of “you” is sufficiently nebulous that literally anyone can make literally anything of it he wishes."

Answer 2

Secret Garden Music Group

Answer 3

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RE:
What inspired the Irish-Norwegian group named "Secret Garden Duo" to write the hit song "You Raise Me Up"?
I am curious as to who/what inspired the Irish-Norwegian group named "Secret Garden Duo" to write the hit song "You Raise Me Up"? It has been recorded by over 125 artists worldwide and seems to have won huge sales, acclaim and awards to pretty much everyone who has sang it....