The County Derry town of Limavady is laying claim to the Irish song 'Danny Boy' – and wants to play it all day every day.
Campaigners want the song played year-round in Limavady to celebrate the song’s historic links with the area.
The Derry Journal newspaper reports that the campaign, to coincide with Derry’s status as City of Culture in 2013, is gaining momentum.
The Derry City of Culture organizers have put out an international appeal for new versions of the 'Danny Boy' tune to be posted on YouTube.
The paper reports that already millions of links to 'Danny Boy' are readily available on the internet.
Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Bing Crosby and Roy Orbison are just some of the music industry legends who have recorded the song while Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney has also sang 'Danny Boy' in public.
Local Sinn Fein Councillor Anne Brolly wants the song, in its many versions, aired daily in Limavady.
She told the Journal: “Danny Boy is the most inclusive tune in the world. No matter where you go people know it.”
Not afraid to put her money where her mouth is, Colr Brolly has even recorded her own version of the song with her husband Frances.
Reaction to the proposal, first mooted by Brolly and the now retired SDLP councillor Michael Carten two years ago, has been mixed according to the paper.
But Brolly has reacted to those who have suggested a daily dose of 'Danny Boy' will make a mockery of Limavady.
The former winner of the singing medal at the All-Ireland fleadh, Brolly added: “There are too many councillors giving reasons why we shouldn’t do it, but it’s for three minutes, once a day.
“When I was in Africa and when they heard I was Irish, they started to hum the tune! The question is, who hasn’t sung 'Danny Boy'?
“We would have no shortage of artists if we were to play it 365 days of the year. No-one has what we have - 'Danny Boy'. Derry would love to have it and Donegal too, but it’s ours and we must do something with it!”
A spokesperson for the local Council said they are investigating the costs of the proposal.
“We are looking forward to future discussions with the City of Culture Company and Derry City Council on their draft programme of events,” said the spokesperson.
“Obviously with Limavady being the home of 'Danny Boy', the 2013 City Of Culture programme provides a great opportunity to ensure that 'Danny Boy' receives the international recognition it deserves.
“We look forward to working with both bodies in delivering a programme of events over the next 12-18 months which reflects the history and culture of the wider North West region.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.howareya | May 14, 2012, 05:53 PM EDT
Murph46....I don't believe you are allowed to take rental cars over on the ferry. Check with the agency if you are considering that. As fiddlinvet said, it is probably cheaper to fly Easyjet...Ryanair etc. if you get one of their cheapie specials. Go online and check them out.
allan07 | May 14, 2012, 03:51 PM EDT
@Bythebay I know Limavady well I often stop on the way to Portrush. Of Course if you ask anyone walking up the High Street in Limavady they would call Danny Boy the "Londonderry Air". The tune in 1855 was by a Jane Ross from Limavady. Of course as sure as eggs are eggs Limavady is in County Londonderry Northern Ireland. (Not just Ireland as the editor states). What does he know? He probably has never been to Limavady, Northern Ireland. The editor is just a bigot and a fool!
IrelandNorth | May 14, 2012, 07:15 AM EDT
The original historic name of An Dóire/Derry (city and county) merely had a prefix subsequently addended to it by the victorious loyalist citizens who granting it to the varied merchants of the City of London, capitol of England, in exchange for canons to support the protestant King William III of the Dutch House of Orange, to resist the Siege of the city by Catholic King James II of England & Wales (aka King James IV of Scotland - making him King James III (?) of Britian). I expect the debt has long since been repayed as to alleviate such a cumbersome and time wasting appellation. Retired Ulster/northern Ireland boxer from County Monagahan used Danny Boy instead of Abhrann na bhFiann/Soldiers Song, being of mixed marriage. Murph46! Wouldn't recommend singing Amhrann na bhFiann in a Shankill Road pub - or the Sash My Father wore in a Bogside bar - unless you're tired of living, of course!
mfinucane | May 14, 2012, 01:08 AM EDT
thats a place i'll never visit.i hate that song
BrianO | May 13, 2012, 09:46 PM EDT
Cillowen, the national anthem is sung widely if not well but proudly.
BrianO | May 13, 2012, 07:44 PM EDT
Danny Boy is an old Irish song made up of an extremely old tune “The Londonderry Air” retrofit with lyrics from an Englishman Fredrick Weatherly in 1910, re-worked in 1911. The tune caught on in canada and the U.S as it coincided with arise in folk music. For those that are interested there was a CD produced a few years back called "The Danny Boy Collection" which was made of different versions of just danny boy, It actually was pretty good,
MegK311 | May 13, 2012, 07:20 PM EDT
I love Oh Danny Boy or the Londonderry Air or whatever you want to call it. It is a beautiful piece of mucic and today as I think of my mother I remember that it was her favrite song. I love to listen to it but the idea of playing it 24x7x365 I think would make people very tired of it after awhile. So I hope they decide not to do that. Happy Mothers Day.
Murph46 | May 13, 2012, 07:18 PM EDT
Thank you fiddlinvet!Didn't know of Easy-jet or some other choices!
seanomelb | May 13, 2012, 06:24 PM EDT
bythebay can go to Limavady county Derry and hum it.Far better she bore the good people there than bore us on this site
fiddlinvet | May 13, 2012, 06:18 PM EDT
@Murph46 If you own the car it costs you to take the ferry. If you are renting a car in Belfast...hm it might be cheaper to take the ferry on foot or ask someone to take you with them in their car, if they pay by car load up to 5 passengers, and rent a car in Scotland or Wales. You can take the ferry from Larne to Scotland. or fly Easy-jet for peanuts to Glasgow and then rent a car. Weigh up the price of taking the car on the ferry (plus rental, if it isn;t your own) vs the price of renting a car in Scotland for whatever amount of days you need it.
fiddlinvet | May 13, 2012, 06:05 PM EDT
@Murph46 If you own the car it costs you to take the ferry. If you are renting a car in Belfast...hm it might be cheaper to take the ferry on foot or ask someone to take you with them in their car, if they pay by car load up to 5 passengers, and rent a car in Scotland or Wales. You can take the ferry from Larne to Scotland. or fly Easy-jet for peanuts to Glasgow and then rent a car. Weigh up the price of taking the car on the ferry (plus rental, if it isn;t your own) vs the price of renting a car in Scotland for whatever amount of days you need it.
fiddlinvet | May 13, 2012, 05:58 PM EDT
Ireland is the whole Island. Sinn Fein has nothing to do with this. I call it Derry (Dhoire Colmcille--original name before it was anglicized), you call it Londonderry. If it makes you happier to sow seeds of discourse, be my guest. UK authorities can call it what they like. Ireland is an Island. There are 32 counties in Ireland, of which 26 are part of the Republic of Ireland and 6 are part of what the UK calls Northern Ireland. Fact , and it has nothing to do with Sinn Fein, or loyalist parties for that matter. And guess what, you apparently have no clue about music, or you would know that traditional musicians never call it Londonderry Air, and they could give a f**k about Sinn Fein. So you can go back into your hate-filled hole and sulk.
Murph46 | May 13, 2012, 05:32 PM EDT
By... while you are at it ,tell me easiest way to get from Belfast to Scotland-Coming in Sept.-Doing N.I.,Scotland ,Wales ,England.I will be driving ,can you recommend a car ferry?Or is it better to re-rent car in Scotland?
Bythebay | May 13, 2012, 05:20 PM EDT
The town is in Northern Ireland, not Ireland. It's part of the United Kingdom.
Bythebay | May 13, 2012, 05:19 PM EDT
Londonderry Air and Derry Air are one and the same. Derry Air is the name demanded by Sinn Fein in the Londonderry-Derry name dispute. Londonderry is a county in Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. Londonderry is the city within the county. UK authorities refer to both by their official name of Londonderry.
fiddlinvet | May 13, 2012, 04:36 PM EDT
I don't know if the "Londonderry Air" is the same as the Derry Air. Anyway...where is "London"derry? @pounder , I think you are right, the words were written by an English lawyer, Frederic Edward Weatherly (1848-1929)
pounder | May 13, 2012, 04:28 PM EDT
Wasn't Danny Boy written by a Brit,in Britain?
Bythebay | May 13, 2012, 03:56 PM EDT
Londonderry Air is the victory song of Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games.
fiddlinvet | May 13, 2012, 03:10 PM EDT
Well, actually the tune to the words is the "Derry Air". The words are American. So the song is a concoction (and if they play the damn thing all day there, they will lose a lot of inhabitants)..... The Derry Air, however, is a beautiful air. Unfortunately the punters want the song....which is why a lot of Irish trad musicians claim they "don't have it".
johnnymac12 | May 13, 2012, 01:53 PM EDT
As a former Limavady resident the song Danny Boy has absolutely nothing to do with the City of Culture Company, The City of Londonderry Council or Donegal for that matter. It is being used by sinn fein councillor anne brolly and husband frances and retired sdlp councillor michael carten to try and get more support for the terrorist supporters party. I am sure the vast majority of Limavady residents do not want to hear the tune being played 24/7/365. What a despicable, preposterous idea, to try and further alienate the mixed local communities.
pilib04 | May 13, 2012, 12:00 PM EDT
Anne is correct when she notes that Danny Boy is internationally connected to Ireland. It has been recorded in about the same number of languages as Kevin Barry, 200 . Anne and Francis also have the lifetime creds to make such a proposal. Of course, the final arbiter are the people of Limavady. My only question is, Isn't this old news? Why are we getting so many recycled "news" articles lately?
Murph46 | May 13, 2012, 10:40 AM EDT
Not even my favorite Irish song- Four Green Fields
el rubio | May 13, 2012, 08:35 AM EDT
Could be worse. At least they didn't pick "Sexy and I Know It!"