De Dannan (Pre 2009)

Irish traditional group De Dannan (originally Dé Danann) was formed by Frankie Gavin (fiddle), Alec Finn (guitar, bouzouki), Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh (bodhrán) and Charlie Piggott (banjo) as a result of sessions in Hughes's Pub in Spiddal, County Galway, subsequently inviting Dolores Keane (vocals) to join the band. They named themselves Dé Danann after the legendary Irish tribe, Tuatha Dé Danann.

The group released their eponymous debut album Dé Danann in 1975. Keane left to marry John Faulkner in 1977. To fill the vacancy, Dé Danann brought in Johnny Moynihan for the second album Selected Jigs Reels and Songs, (this album has never been released on CD, reportedly because the master tapes were lost). The Mist Covered Mountain featured various older traditional singers, and on Star-Spangled Molly they were joined by Maura O'Connell. For reasons that have never been made clear, they changed the spelling of the group from "Dé Danann" to "De Dannan".

After the departure of Maura, they brought in Mary Black for two albums. Like Maura and Dolores before her, she has gone on to explore country, blues and jazz, hopping backwards and forwards between Nashville and Dublin. After Mary Black, Dolores Keane returned to the fold for two albums. Other singers with the group have included Eleanor Shanley, Jimmy Mc Carthy, Tommy Fleming and Andrew Murray.

On the instrumental side, Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn were the only constant members of the group. Jackie Daly (accordion) later went on to join the group Patrick Street. In 1980 De Dannan had a surprise hit single in Ireland with the Beatles song Hey Jude. As an indication of their diversity, they also recorded Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" (which they jokingly retitled "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba in Galway"), Bohemian Rhapsody, and Jewish klezmer tunes, learned from bluegrass superstar, Andy Statman. Other former De Danann members included accordian players Máirtín O Connor, Aidan Coffey, Luke Daniels and Derek Hickey, bodhrán player Colm Murphy and cellist Adele O Dwyer.

Frankie Gavin & De Dannan (2009 onwards)

Frankie Gavin is one of the genuine legends of Irish music. From his first tv appearance playing the tin-whistle when he was seven, through sixteen albums with the seminal Dé Dannan, seven solo albums, his adventures in the realms of Jazz, Gospel, and Klezmer, to appearances and recordings with such luminaries as Earl Scruggs, Stephane Grapelli, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, and The Rolling Stones, ‘the prince of Irish fiddlers' is one of the outstanding performers of the past thirty years. In the past year alone Frankie Gavin and his band have played support to the Rolling Stones at Slane Castle, performed twice to a full to capacity Croke Park (during national sporting occasions), performed with the U.A.E. Philharmonic Orchestra in Dubai, performed with the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra during a ten week tour of the USA and performed at The White House for President Bush.  

Part of Frankie Gavin's enduring appeal lies in his astounding technical ability and unceasing quest for innovation - musical pieces more commonly associated with the like of the Beatles and George Frideric Handel are now common place in Frankie's repertoire as an Irish musician.  Most pertinent of all is the knack he has for imparting to his audience his own enthusiasm, the sheer joy, the magic of great music-making.

2009 will see Frankie Gavin back on the road and with new De Dannan members. The new line up will feature Frankie Gavin (Fiddle/Flute/Whistles), Damien Mullane (Accordian), Eric Cunningham (Percussion/Flutes/Whistles), Mike Galvin (Bouzouki/Guitar) and Michelle Lally (Vocals). The official launch of the new band took place at an exclusive concert at the 2200 capacity Royal Theatre & Events Centre in Castlebar on August 5th during The World Fleadh festival where many of the former members of the band came together with the new members for a celebration of the bands history. 

'Electrifying' is an adjective that's too often used to describe certain performances but this is one instance where it's absolutely unavoidable. If you've never been lucky enough to see Frankie Gavin perform live, prepare to be... shocked.

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