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Folk legend Danny Doyle dies in America
Danny Doyle, who died in America recently, was regarded as one of Ireland’s foremost ballad and folk singers. The Dubliner came to prominence during the folk boom of the mid- to late-1960s with songs such as Step It Out Mary and Irish Soldier Laddie.
Danny (79) really hit the big time when his recording of Whiskey On A Sunday topped the Irish charts in 1967. Other entries followed culminating with another No I with the Pete St John song, The Rare Ould Times, in 1978.
The 1970s saw a massive surge in country music here in Ireland and Danny made the switch to that scene in 1974 when he launched a new band, Music Box, which he co-fronted with Maxi.
They made their debut in Claremorris Town Hall in April 1974. The band enjoyed decent popularity on the dancehall circuit over the next three years before going their own way in 1977.
Danny left Ireland for America in 1983 and resided there ever since. He performed numerous shows and concerts at clubs and various venues around America while also giving lectures and acclaimed talks on the history of Ireland and the role of writers such as Patrick Kavanagh, William Butler Yeats, Brendan Behan, and others.
He commanded huge respect on the folk circuit and many well-deserved tributes have been paid to him at home and in the USA.
Irish Molly O’ from Bernie
Bernie Heaney from Kildare has chosen an old favourite as her latest single. My Irish Molly O’ enjoyed popularity in the theatre halls of Vaudeville and Broadway in the 1900s where the infectious nature of the song won instant favour with immigrants from Ireland and Scotland.
It gave Clare native Maura O’Connell, who has resided in Nashville for many years, her biggest hit when she recorded it with De Danann in 1981. Bernie Heaney’s new album, How Ya Keepin’, goes on release this week.
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