Dervish (band)

Dervish
Eurovision Song Contest, 2007
Background information
Origin	County Sligo, Ireland
Genres	Traditional, folk
Years active	1989-present
Labels	Proper Music Distribution, Whirling Discs, Kells Music
Website	http://www.dervish.ie
Members	Catherine "Cathy" Jordan - Vocals, bodhrán and bones Brian McDonagh - Mandola Thomas "Tom" Morrow - Fiddle Michael Holmes - Bouzouki Shane Mitchell - Accordion Liam Kelly - Flute, whistles
Past members	Martin McGinley (founding member) , Shane McAleer

Dervish are a traditional Irish music group from County Sligo, Ireland. They were formed in 1989 by Liam Kelly, Shane Mitchell, Martin McGinley, Brian McDonagh 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 McAleer. Dervish’s first album, “Harmony Hill”, was released in 1993 to critical success. In 1994 their second album, “Playing with Fire”, was released and reached number 1 in the Irish Folk Music and international World/Roots music charts. In 1996 Dervish released “At the End of the Day”, which won the Hot Press Folk Album of the Year Award.

Their fourth album, “Live in Palma”, was recorded in front of a live audience at Palma de Majorca's 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 O'Dowd and All-Ireland Champion fiddle player Tom Morrow from County Leitrim. The seven piece line-up were now Cathy Jordan (vocals, bodhrán, bones), Tom Morrow (fiddle, viola), Shane Mitchell (accordion), Liam Kelly (flute, low whistle), Séamus O'Dowd (guitars, harmonica), Michael Holmes (bouzouki) and Brian McDonagh (mandola, mandolin). Dervish's fifth album, “Midsummer's 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 they 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 to 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. Dervish finished last with five points, awarded to them from the Albanian back up jury because of a failed televote, for their performance of "They Can't Stop The Spring".

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

Boycott of Israel

In the Spring of 2012, Dervish was one of two Irish bands that canceled heavily advertised concerts in Israel citing a cultural boycott of Israel. In a statement published on its website and its Facebook page, Dervish called its original decision to participate in the concerts "completely non-political" and that once the band became aware that "there was a cultural boycott in place," it was not willing to break the boycott. The band also stated "Our decision to withdraw from the concerts reflects our wish to neither endorse nor criticise anyone's political views in this situation."

The band's lead vocalist, Cathy Jordan, stated "I deeply regret any upset caused by all of this...It was far from our intention to stir up all this anger and hatred, when the opposite was what was intended. In hindsight, it was very naive of me to think our motives would not be misunderstood and misrepresented. So much so it started an avalanche of negativity which has made it impossible for us to make the trip regardless of our motives." Jordan added that “Although I was aware of the concerns with our proposed visit to Israel, I wasn’t quite prepared for the extent of the venom directed at us."

Justice Minister Alan Shatter accused the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) of "cyberbullying" Dervish into withdrawing from the concerts, stating that: "The Irish Palestinian Solidarity Group's action in directing its members to 'target' the website of the musical group Dervish in order to intimidate the group into cancelling their planned concerts in Israel is nothing other than cyberbullying...It ignores the constitutional rights of Irish citizens and those who live in this State to get on with their lives, to travel and to perform around the world free from bullying, intimidation and discrimination...It is absolutely understandable that the group, in the face of an 'avalanche of negativity' and 'venom' on social media websites took the decision to cancel their concerts -- but it is a great pity that the bullying tactics of the IPSG worked."

Raymond Deane, an Irish composer of classical music and a member of the IPSC, praised Dervish's decision, stating that:

"I salute you for this courageous and morally correct decision. You will now be subject to massive defamation from Zionists and their fellow-travellers - you should see this as proof that you have made the correct decision, because it will reveal to you the viciousness and mendacity of Israel’s apologists."

Deane also stated that the band that it would have “lost all credibility” if it had played in Israel.

IPSG National co-ordinator Kevin Squires told Irish Times that the organisation had made the band aware of the cultural boycott and had directed its supporters to target its website, although he denied there was any venom directed towards it. On the their website the IPSC "thank[ed] Dervish for refusing to whitewash Israeli apartheid, occupation and war crimes against the Palestinian people.

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

• At the End Of The Day (1996)

1. Touching Cloth (Reels)
2. Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí (Song)
3. Jim Coleman's (Mazurka & Reels)
4. An Spailpín Fánach (Song)
5. Packie Duignan's (Jigs)
6. Lone Shanakyle (Song)
7. Drag Her Round The Road (Reels)
8. Peata Beag (Song)
9. The Trip To Sligo Set (Reels)
10. Sile Ni Ghadhra (Song)
11. The Kilavill Set (Jigs)
12. I Courted A Wee Girl
13. Josefin's Waltz (Dervish & Väsen)
14. Eileen McMahon

• Live in Palma (1997)

1. Packie Duignan's (Jigs)
2. An Spailpín Fánach (Song)
3. Slow Reels
4. Sheila Nee Iyer (Song)
5. The Trip To Sligo (Reels)
6. The Hungry Rock
7. Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí (Song)
8. Molly And Johnny (Song)
9. The Green Mountain
10. I Courted A Wee Girl/Josefin's Waltz (Song)
11. Drag Her Round The Road (Reels)
12. Máire Mhór (Song)
13. I Buried Me Wife And Danced On Top Of Her (Jigs)
14. The Hills Of Greanmore (Song)
15. The World's End (Reels)
16. Peata Beag (Song)
17. Pheigín Mo Chroi (Song)
18. Jim Coleman's
19. Happy Birthday To Felip
20. Edward By Lough Éirn's Shore (Song)
21. Killavil Jigs
22. Allelu Na Gnamha

• Midsummer Night (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 on the Strand
4. The Hills of Greanmore
5. The Worlds End
6. Apples in Winter
7. Peigín mo chroí
8. Josefin's Waltz
9. An Spailpín Fánach
10. The Hungry Rock
11. The Banks of the Sweet Viledee
12. Palmer's Gate
13. Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí
14. Jim Coleman's

• 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

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Brian Kennedy with "Every Song Is a Cry for Love"	Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007	Succeeded by Dustin the Turkey with "Irelande Douze Pointe"