Dervish

Dervish
Dervish
Background information
Origin	County Sligo, Ireland
Genres	Traditional, folk
Years active	1989-present
Website	http://www.dervish.ie
Members
Cathy Jordan - Vocals, bodhrán and bones Brian McDonagh - Mandola Tom Morrow - Fiddle Michael Holmes - Bouzouki Shane Mitchell - Accordion Liam Kelly - Flute, whistles

Dervish are a traditional Irish music group from County Sligo, Ireland. They were formed in 1989 by Liam Kelly, Shane Mitchell, Martin Mc Ginley, Brian Mc Donagh and Michael Holmes. The band was originally formed to record an album of local music which was later released as The Boys of Sligo. They later formed Dervish. The name was chosen as it relates to groups of spiritual people who are enraptured by music.

History

In 1991 the band were joined by Roscommon born singer Cathy Jordan and all Ireland champion fiddle player Shane Mc Aleer. Dervish’s first album, Harmony Hill was released in 1992 to critical success. In 1994 their second album was released. “Playing with Fire”. The album reached number 1 in the Irish Folk Music Charts and World/Roots music charts internationally. In 1996 Dervish released “At the End of the Day", which won the Hot Press Folk Album of the Year Award.

Dervish concert performances are characterised by a myriad of tones and moods ranging from high energy tunes, played with fluidity and intuitiveness, to beautifully measured songs, from charming lyrics of life and love, to inspiring melodies that lift audiences from their seats. All the elements are drawn together by Cathy Jordan¹s masterful stage-presence. Her stories to the songs and her interaction with the audience draws people into the music in a way very few performers can achieve.

Their fourth album, “Live in Palma¹ was recorded in front of a live audience at Palma de Majorca¹s “Theatre Principal” in April 1997 and received critical acclaim. In the same year the readers of Irish Music Magazine awarded Dervish Best Overall Trad/Folk Band of the Year. In 1998 Shane McAleer left the band and was replaced by well known Sligo musician, Séamus O¹Dowd with a distinct Sligo style fiddle playing and All Ireland Champion fiddle player Tom Morrow from Co. Leitrim. This seven piece line were now Cathy Jordan (vocals, bodhrán, bones), Tom Morrow (fiddle, viola), Shane Mitchell accordion), Liam Kelly (flute, low whistle), Séamus O¹Dowd (guitars, harmonica), Michael Holmes (bouzouki) and Brian Mc Donagh (mandola, mandolin). The fifth album from the group, Midsummer¹s Night”, released in 1999 was voted Irish Trad Album of the Year.

In 2001, Dervish released “Decade” a compilation of tracks from their first five albums. In 2003 Dervish released “Spirit” followed by “A Healing Heart” in 2006. In 2003 Sligo City Council bestowed the freedom of the borough of Sligo on the band for their international artistic achievements and their dedication and promotion of their local heritage.

In 2005 The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Mr Bertie Ahern invited Dervish to accompany him on an Irish trade mission to China. In 2006 Dervish accompanied Irish President Mary McAleese on her State Visits to Latvia and Lithuania and performed a special concert in the Great Hall of Latvia Society House in Riga for President McAleese and President Vike-Freiberga of Latvia. On 24 May they will give a concert in Vilnius in honour of President Adamkus of Lithuania.

On November 14, 2006, the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ announced that Dervish were to perform the Irish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007.^[1] Dervish finished last with five points, awarded to them from the Albanian back up jury due to a failed televote, for their performance of "They Can't Stop The Spring"^[2].

In October 2007 Dervish released “Travelling Show” partly produced by John Reynolds.

Discography

• The Boys of Sligo (1989)

1. The Donegal Set
2. The Dolphin/The Clapton Jigs
3. Thos Byrnes/The Man Of Aran
4. Jackson's/The Cliffs of Glencolumbkile
5. The Sligo Set
6. The Raphoe/The Chestnut Tree
7. The Boys Of Sligo/Monaghan Twig
8. The World's End Set
9. Eddie Kelly's Jigs
10. Unknown/Return From Camden Town
11. The Key Of The Convent/Tommy People's
12. The Dancing Bear/Oreaga
13. Walsh's Fancy/The Congress/Spoil The Dance

• Harmony Hill (1993)

1. Apples in Winter
2. Hills of Greenmore
3. Fields of Milltown
4. Bellaghy Fair
5. The Ploughman
6. The Green Mountain
7. Welcome Poor Paddy
8. Jig C Jig
9. The Fair Maid
10. Virginia Set
11. A Stor Mo Chroi
12. Slides and Reels

• Playing with fire (1995)

1. Buckley's Fancy
2. Molly And Johnny
3. Last Nights Fun
4. Wheels Of The World
5. Maire Mor
6. I Buried My Wife
7. The Hungry Rock
8. Cailin Rua
9. Ash Plant Set
10. Peigin Mo Chroi
11. The Game Of Love
12. Willie Lennox
13. Let Down The Blade

• End Of The Day (1996)

1. Touching Cloth
2. Ar Eirinn Ni Neosfainn
3. Jim Coleman's Set
4. An Spailpin Fanach
5. Packie Duignan's
6. Lone Shanakyle
7. Drag Her Round The Road
8. Peata Beag
9. Trip To Sligo
10. Sheila Nee Iyer
11. Kilavill Set
12. I Courted A Wee Girl
13. Josefin's Waltz
14. Eileen McMahon

• Live in Palma (1997)

1. Packie Duigan's
2. Spailpin Fanach
3. Slow Reels
4. Sheila Nee Iyer
5. The Trip To Sligo
6. The Hungry Rock
7. Ar Eirinn Ni Neosfainn
8. Molly and Johnny
9. The Green Mountain
10. I Courted A Wee Girl
11. Round The Road
12. Maire Mhor
13. I Buried Me Wife
14. Hills Of Greanmore
15. Worlds End
16. Peata Beag
17. Pheigin Mo Chroi
18. Jim Coleman's
19. Happy Birthday
20. Lough Eirn's Shore
21. Killavil Jigs
22. Allellu Na Gamhna

• Midsummer Nights (1999)

1. Midsummer's Night
2. Sean Bhain
3. Tenpenny Bit
4. Sweet Viledee
5. Palmer's Gate
6. Erin Gra mo Chroi
7. Lark on the Strand
8. Cairns Hill
9. Maid Father's Garden
10. Abbeyfeale Set
11. An T-Uil
12. Bold Doherty
13. Out on the Road
14. Red Haired Mary

• Decade (2001)

1. The Kilavill Set
2. Molly and Johnny
3. The Lark in the Strand
4. The Hills of Greanmore
5. The Worlds End
6. Apples in Winter
7. Peigin mo Chroi
8. Josefins Waltz
9. An Spailpin Fanach
10. The Hungry Rock
11. Sweet Viledee
12. Palmer's Gate
13. Ar Eirinn Ni Neosfainn
14. Jim Colemans

• Spirit (2003)

1. John Blessings
2. An Rógaire Dubh/Na Ceannabháin Bhána/Páidín O Raifeartaí
3. Father Jack
4. The Fair-Haired Boy
5. Siesta Set
6. The Soldier Laddie
7. Beauties of Autumn
8. The Lag's Song
9. Boots of Spanish Leather
10. O'Raghailligh’s Grave
11. Swallows Tail
12. The Cocks Are Crowing
13. Whelans (Jigs) Trounsdells Cross

A Healing Heart (2005)

1. I Courted a Wee Girl / Josefin's Waltz
2. A Stór Mo Croí
3. Boots of Spanish Leather
4. Willie Lennox
5. Erin Grá mo Chroi
6. Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí
7. The Fairhaired Boy
8. Lone Shanakyle
9. I Hope You Still Dance
10. Josefin's Waltz

• Travelling Show (2007)

1. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves
2. The Coolea Jigs
3. My Bride and I
4. The Cat Went A-Hunting
5. The Bealtine Set
6. Grainne
7. Heading Home
8. The Queen and The Soldier
9. The Masters Return
10. Lord Levett
11. The Jolly Tinker
12. Crucan Na bPaiste

External links

• Official Website - Dervish.ie
• Video of song "They Can't Stop The Spring"

References