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The Oireachtas Festival in Dungarvan,Co.Waterford in November 1994 was
the first place where the first members of Danu met up. Benny McCarthy, Donal
Clancy and Donnchadh Gough from Co.Waterford with Dubliner Daire Bracken were
invited at this time to the renowned festival in France,Lorient Inter-celtic
Festival. The band was named Danu after the Celtic Goddess
by a good friend Trisha Hutton This was the simple beginning to what was to
become one of the most important Traditional Irish ensembles of recent years.
In Lorient the band became an instant success and they were immediately
invited to return in 1996, this time brothers Tom and Eamonn Doorley from
Dublin joined the group. Danu won La Boulee Des Korrigan in 1996, an award
for the best new band of the festival,a prestigious award previously won by
bands such as Clannad,The Bothy Band and many others. In November 1996 the
band started a studio recording and released their debut album in March 1997 to
coinside with a debut tour in the USA. This album featured Carthach Mac Craith
on vocals. This recording generated a lot of publicity and interest in Danu.
The bands high energy performance quickly became much sought after by the
festival circuit and in August 1997 they made their first of many appearances
at Denmarks Tonder Folk Festival. The band were also now developing a strong following in the US and in 1999
they signed to the US based Shanachie record label.The much
anticipated second record by Danu was released in 2000 entitled Think before
you think,debuting three new members of the band Jesse Smith, Noel Ryan and
Ciaran O Gealbhain.In 2002 Danu released All things considered which saw Donegal fiddler Oisin McAuley take over as the
band fiddler from Jesse Smith.In 2003 the band released The Road less
traveled,this album introduced the first female member of the band,Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh from Dunquin in County Kerry and welcomed the return
of founder member Donal Clancy. In 2004 Danu released an album featuring solo
performances by its members, the album was called Up in the Air.Danu were invited to perform at the launch of Irelands
EU presidency ceremony in January 2004 in Brussels. The band also performed in
India as part of the Irish governments trade delegation in January 2005.In
early 2006 Danu boasted six successful album releases when an album
called When All is Said and Done hit the shelves.The band also recorded a live performance in
one of Irelands favourite venues,Vicar St in Dublin, the Dvd of this show was released in 2006 aptly titled One
Night Stand.Danu has gathered dozens
of awards over the years, hundreds of 5 star live and album reviews and
performed on over a thousand stages.
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