SINGING royalty Dana launched the St Patrick’s celebrations in Co. Down over the weekend – where she shared personal stories of her family’s experience of emigration.
The former Eurovision Song Contest winner, whose full name is Dana Rosemary Scanlon, gave a special concert at the St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick on March 15.
The two-hour show featured songs and stories from her career, as well as the new songs she has penned in honour of St Patrick and St Brigid.
Dana took to the stage at the St Patrick's Centre in Co. Down over the weekendDana, who shot to fame in 1970 when she won the Eurovision with the song All Kinds of Everything, went on to enjoy a successful career as a singer before turning to politics where she was a member of European Parliament for the Connacht-Ulster constituency from 1999 to 2004.
She gave an emotional rendition of her Eurovision song during the concert, for which she was accompanied by her brother Gerry on the keyboard, telling the audience at the St Patrick Centre, “this is our song”.
Dana's nephew (left) and brother Gerry were also at the concertThe gig also included Dana’s take on the Johnny Cash hit, A Thing Called Love and even saw her take to the guitar for the likes of The Leaving of Liverpool, by The Dubliners.
That tune led the singer to tell her own family’s emigration story, which saw her great grandfather leave her family in Derry to go and work in Liverpool, never to return.
Dana explained that she later learned he had started another family - and discovered years later that the wardrobe woman she worked with while performing in a pantomime in Southport, was actually his daughter.
“That’s an extraordinary thing,” she said, adding with a smile: “But that’s our secret.”
Dana shared personal stories of her family's experience of emigration during the gigShe also sang one of her most famous songs, Our Lady of Knock which was co-written by her husband Damien Scallon.
The star admitted to the audience that she had no idea how widespread the song had become until a man she met in the US told her it was his favourite Irish song - although he had no idea she had written it.
“Never underestimate what God can do,” she said.
Following the concert, St Patrick’s Centre director Tim Campbell said he was “delighted” to welcome Dana, who grew up in Derry, back to Downpatrick.
“She is a great friend of The Saint Patrick Centre and this was a wonderful way to launch our Saint Patrick’s weekend,” he said.
Events contnue at the St Patrick's Centre throughout the day today, click here for further information.
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