# Dervish (band)

Dervish is an Irish traditional music group from County Sligo, Ireland which has been described by BBC Radio 3 as "an icon of Irish music". They were formed in 1989 by Liam Kelly, Shane Mitchell, Martin McGinley, Brian McDonagh, and Michael Holmes and have been fronted by singer Cathy Jordan since 1991. They represented Ireland in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, singing a song written by John Waters and Tommy Moran. In 2019 they released an album on the US Rounder Records label called The Great Irish Song Book featuring a selection of classic Irish songs sung by a number of well known singers including Steve Earle, Andrea Corr, Vince Gill, Kate Rusby, Imelda May, Rhiannon Giddens, The Steel Drivers, Brendan Gleeson, Abigail Washburn, and Jamey Johnson. In 2019 they received a lifetime achievement award from the BBC.

## History

The band was originally called The Boys of Sligo; an album under this title, with Martin McGinley on fiddle, and with no vocals, was released by Sound Records (SUN CD1).
In 1991 the band were joined by Roscommon-born singer Cathy Jordan and fiddle player Shane McAleer. Dervish's first album, Harmony Hill, was released in 1993. In 1994 their second album, Playing with Fire, was released. In 1996 Dervish released At the End of the Day.
Their fourth album, Live in Palma, was recorded in front of a live audience in 1997. In 1998 McAleer left the band and was replaced by Sligo musician Séamie O'Dowd and fiddle player Tom Morrow. Dervish's fifth album, Midsummer's Night, was released in 1999. 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.

### Eurovision Song Contest 2007

Dervish performed as the Irish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. They finished last (with five points which were awarded to them by the Albanian back-up jury because of a failed televote), for their performance of "They Can't Stop The Spring".

### 2012 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. The band's lead vocalist, Cathy Jordan, stated "it was very naïve 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." Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter accused the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) of "cyberbullying" Dervish into withdrawing from the concerts. IPSG National co-ordinator Kevin Squires stated that the organization had directed its supporters to target Dervish's website, although he denied Jordan's claim that there was any "venom" directed towards the band.

## Discography

* The Boys of Sligo (1989)
* Paddy's Trip to Scotland/The New Rigged Ship/Larry Redican's Bow
* The Dolphin/The Clapton Jigs
* Thos Byrnes/The Man Of Aran
* Jackson's/The Cliffs of Glencolumbkille
* The Sligo Set: Martin Wynne's/Lad O’Beirne's/McDermott's
* The Raphoe Reel/The Chestnut Tree
* The Boys Of Sligo/Monaghan Twig
* The World's End Set
* Eddie Kelly's Jigs
* Unknown Reel/Return From Camden Town
* The Key Of The Convent/Tommy People's Reel
* The Dancing Bear/Oreaga
* Walsh's Fancy/The Congress/Spoil the Dance
* Harmony Hill (1993)
* Apples in Winter
* Hills of Greenmore
* The Green Fields of Miltown
* Bellaghy Fair
* The Ploughman
* The Green Mountain
* Welcome Poor Paddy Home
* Jig C Jig
* The Fair Maid
* Virginia Set
* A Stór Mo Chroí
* Slides & Reels
* Playing with Fire (1995)
* Buckley's Fancy
* Molly And Johnny
* Last Nights Fun
* Wheels Of The World
* Maire Mor
* I Buried My Wife
* The Hungry Rock
* Cailin Rua
* Ash Plant Set
* Peigin Mo Chroi
* The Game Of Love
* Willie Lennox
* Let Down The Blade
* At the End Of The Day (1996)
* Touching Cloth (Reels)
* Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí (Song)
* Jim Coleman's (Mazurka & Reels)
* An Spailpín Fánach (Song)
* Packie Duignan's (Jigs)
* Lone Shanakyle (Song)
* Drag Her Round The Road (Reels)
* Peata Beag (Song)
* The Trip To Sligo Set (Reels)
* Sile Ni Ghadhra (Song)
* The Kilavill Set (Jigs)
* I Courted A Wee Girl
* Josefin's Waltz (Dervish & Väsen)
* Eileen McMahon
* Live in Palma (1997)
* Packie Duignan's (Jigs)
* An Spailpín Fánach (Song)
* Slow Reels
* Sheila Nee Iyer (Song)
* The Trip To Sligo (Reels)
* The Hungry Rock
* Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí (Song)
* Molly And Johnny (Song)
* The Green Mountain
* I Courted A Wee Girl/Josefin's Waltz (Song)
* Drag Her Round The Road (Reels)
* Máire Mhór (Song)
* I Buried Me Wife and Danced On Top Of Her (Jigs)
* The Hills Of Greanmore (Song)
* The World's End (Reels)
* Peata Beag (Song)
* Pheigín Mo Chroi (Song)
* Jim Coleman's (Muzurka and Reels)
* Happy Birthday To Felip
* Edward by Lough Éirn's Shore (Song)
* Killavil Jigs
* Allelu na Gnamha
* Midsummer's Night (1999)
* Midsummer's Night
* Seán Bháin
* Tenpenny Bit
* The Banks of Sweet Viledee
* Palmer's Gate
* Érin Grá mo Chroí
* Lark on the Strand
* Cairns Hill
* There was a Maid in her Father's Garden
* Abbeyfeale Set
* An T-Úll
* Bold Doherty
* Out on the Road
* Red-haired Mary
* Decade (2001)
* The Kilavill Set
* Molly and Johnny
* The Lark on the Strand
* The Hills of Greanmore
* The Worlds End
* Apples in Winter
* Peigín mo chroí
* Josefin's Waltz
* An Spailpín Fánach
* The Hungry Rock
* The Banks of the Sweet Viledee
* Palmer's Gate
* Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí
* Jim Coleman's
* Spirit (2003)
* John Blessings
* An Rógaire Dubh/Na Ceannabháin Bhána/Páidín O Raifeartaí
* Father Jack
* Fair-Haired Boy
* Siesta Set
* Soldier Laddie
* Beauties of Autumn
* The Lag's Song
* Boots of Spanish Leather
* O'Raghailligh's Grave
* Swallows Tail
* The Cocks Are Crowing
* Whelans: Trounsdells Cross, Whelans
* A Healing Heart (2005)
* I Courted a Wee Girl / Josefin's Waltz
* A Stór Mo Croí
* Boots of Spanish Leather
* Willie Lennox
* Erin Grá mo Chroi
* Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí
* The Fairhaired Boy
* Lone Shanakyle
* I Hope You Still Dance
* Josefin's Waltz
* Travelling Show (2007)
* Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves
* The Coolea Jigs
* My Bride and I
* The Cat She Went A-Hunting
* The Bealtine Set
* Grainne
* Heading Home
* The Queen and The Soldier
* The Masters Return
* Lord Levett
* The Jolly Tinker
* Crucan Na bPaiste
* The Thrush in the Storm (2013)
* The Green Gowned Lass
* Baba Chonraoí
* Maggie's Lilt
* The Lover's Token
* The Rolling Wave
* Shanagolden
* The Corner House
* The Banks of the Clyde
* Handsome Polly-O
* Harp and Shamrock
* Snoring Biddy
* The Thrush in the Storm
* Celebration!! 1989-2014 (2014)
* Midsummer's Night
* Snoring Biddy
* The Coolea Jigs
* Bold Doherty
* Killavil Jigs
* The Ploughman
* Maggie's Lilt
* Cailin Rua
* Packie Duighnan's
* Boots of Spanish leather
* Buckley's Fancy
* Lord Levett
* The Swallow's Tail
* Red Haired Mary
* Welcome Poor Paddy Home
* The Great Irish Song Book (2019)
* The Rambling Irishman
* There's Whiskey in the Jar
* Molly Malone
* The Galway Shawl
* She Moved through the Fair
* The Rocky Road to Dublin
* Down by the Sally Gardens
* On Raglan Road
* Dónal Óg
* The Fields of Athenry
* The May Morning Dew
* The West Coast of Clare
* The Parting Glass