Irish Aires

IA 09/07/05 Charity Recording For O'Flaherty's IE 09/07/05 Danny D Helps Danny O

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http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishinamerica/news/charity-recording-050907.asp Charity Recording For O'Flaherty's By Sean O'Driscoll A Group of internationally known Irish musicians are to record a CD to help the owners of New Orleans' most famous Irish bar. O'Flaherty's Irish Channel, home to the best traditional music sessions in the city, is believed to have suffered severe flooding. The owner, Danny O'Flaherty, is in rural Texas this week with his family this week as they wait to hear for news of loved ones. Tommy Makem, one half of folk legends Makem and Clancy, is likely to record on a tribute album being organized by New York musician Gabriel Donohue. Danny Doyle, a Dublin musician living in Virginia, is organizing a series of fundraising concerts. The O'Flaherty family home was not badly damaged by the floods. Irish American police officers organized an escort to the home on Monday, where Danny picked up equipment he needed to play sessions while waiting out in Texas. O'Flaherty, who organized a curragh boat club in New Orleans, arranged for the boats to be stored in his bar before Katrina hit. However, the family feared looting and arranged to have the boats stored elsewhere before the city center was flooded. The family have moved in to a relative's house in Jasper, Texas but will not have a working house phone until next Thursday. According to Danny Doyle, O'Flaherty can make outgoing calls on his cell phone and had told him that the family are shaken but doing all right. The bar is one of the largest in New Orleans. One part, The Informer, shows GAA sports and hosts traditional sessions, and the Ballad Room, where the curraghs were stored, hosted live music nightly. The bar also has a Celtic gift shop and an upstairs lounge, most of which is believed to have been gutted by the floods. Details of how to help the family are available in the "From The Hob" traditional column in the arts pages of this week's Irish Voice. ****************************************** http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=17066 Danny D Helps Danny O The devastation in New Orleans has wiped out a significant Irish social, cultural and culinary presence in Crescent City Famed establishments such as Pat O'Brien's jazz club and the famed Brennan's restaurant were all caught in the fury of Hurricane Katrina. Another well-known Irish hostelry, O'Flaherty's Irish Channel in the French Quarter was devastated, and in response musicians in the Washington D.C. area are planning a benefit concert next month. O'Flaherty's is owned by County Galway native Danny O'Flaherty. Balladeer Danny Doyle is the main planner behind the "O'Flaherty's New Orleans Rescue Concert" which has been set for Oct. 30. "Because of Hurricane Katrina, Danny O'Flaherty, the internationally acclaimed musician-singer has probably lost his home and most certainly lost his business," Doyle said in an e-mail circular. "Danny and his family are safe and sound, but for the foreseeable future his livelihood is gone," Doyle said. "They were evacuated to Jasper, Texas but Danny managed to get back to New Orleans this week to check his home. He's distraught," Doyle told the Echo. Doyle said that tickets at $25 each for the benefit should be made payable to Danny O'Flaherty. But they should be mailed c/o Danny Doyle, 10836 Moore Drive, Manassas, VA 20111-2925. "I will get them to Danny O'Flaherty right away," Doyle said. The benefit, which Doyle said would feature a number of singers and bands would take place at Ireland's Four Provinces on Connecticut Avenue. Information is available at (202) 244-0860 or from Doyle himself at (703) 361-8884.

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