Irish ensemble Dervish brings the joy of traditional Celtic music to Savannah
Irish traditional ensemble, Dervish, has performed together more than 30 years. From the band’s humble beginnings in the low-slung pubs of County Sligo to sold-out audiences in South America, Asia, and across the United States, the group has garnered accolades abroad and at home. In 2019, the band received a lifetime achievement award from the BBC.
On Saturday, March 30, Dervish debuts at the Savannah Music Festival, with two sets of music at Ships of the Sea Museum, first from 6 to 7 p.m., and then 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The members first met during a series of national, traditional Irish music competitions. From 1989 to 1991, County Sligo hosted informal sessions and competitive events within its many pubs, where founding members Shane Mitchell, Liam Kelly, Brian McDonagh, and Michael Holmes got together forming the group’s core. A couple years later, vocalist Cathy Jordan joined followed by Irish fiddle champion, Tom Morrow.
For Jordan, the band’s early years were exciting, filled with opportunities to meet new people while building a life-long music career.
“It was a great time to be in Sligo and a great time for traditional music,” recalled Jordan. “Before 1989, there weren’t a lot of traditional sessions in Sligo, but after that it became a huge thing where there were sessions every night in lots of different pubs, so that’s when Liam, Brian, Michael, and Shane made a recording sponsored by a local businessman. It was called “The Boys of Sligo.” It was only supposed to be a one-off, but gigs started coming in.”
The unexpected influx opened a door for Jordan to join the ensemble. She’d met the men over a course of trips visiting her sister at a nearby college. The sisters, both devotees of traditional music, often found their way to the reverberant pubs. The newly formed group was certain they needed a singer and offered the spot to Jordan.
“I left all I knew behind in County Longford where I was working and hitchhiked down to Sligo to come and join the circus.” said Jordan. “And I’ve never looked back since. It’s been a great experience.”
Bringing joy in far-flung places with Irish folk songs
For each player in Dervish, the music is, or is based on, songs they grew up with. Jordan credits her parents for instilling her love of Irish music. Born the youngest of seven children, their home was lively with song, and Jordan recalls how making music with her siblings became their family’s hallmark.
“Everyone was encouraged to have a party piece to perform whenever the occasion arose, which were many,” chuckled Jordan. “My father loved to celebrate, and he was always bringing visitors home from America. His sister lived in America, when she and her family came home, it was cause for celebration. But anytime, really, was occasion for celebrating and singing. And I made music my life. The traditional songs connect me to my family and parents, and as a band when we perform them, it rekindles time with them sitting around singing. That connection goes back generations, and it’s been a really special thing to have in my life. The connection to music has given me all of these experiences and taken me around the world.”
In over three decades performing with Dervish, Jordan marvels how diverse cultures embrace the rhythms and melodies of their music. They’ve played in China atop the Great Wall, in expansive Tokyo stadiums, and in South America at “Rockin’ Rio,” one of the world’s largest music festivals. In Rio de Janeiro, one night they performed between Cheryl Crow and Neil Young, the next night between Iron Maiden and Sepultura to crowds upwards of 250,000 people.
“It never ceases to amaze me that the music we learned growing up from our families can bring such joy in such far flung places like Japan, South America and Scandinavia, to people who have no direct connection with Ireland at all,” mused Jordan. “It’s a given that the music would connect with Irish people living abroad, but when you see Japanese people really loving the music and learning how to play it at a very high standard, that’s when it’s all so humbling. It is such a privilege to travel the world and do this. Sometimes, we have to pinch ourselves when things like this happen.”
Though Dervish has played twice before in the Hostess City, the Saturday night performance marks their first ever at the Savannah Music Festival. But it’s the city’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day that captivates Jordan.
“Dervish always loves Savannah,” emphasized Jordan. “This is our third time, and what really gets my attention is, it’s phenomenal how huge St. Patrick’s Day is there and how much Irish culture is embraced. It’s like Christmas, but everything is green. I love Savannah and look forward to meeting some of the people there who really enjoy traditional music.”
If You Go >>
What: Dervish at the Savannah Music Festival
When: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., March 30
Where: North Garden Assembly Room, Ships of the Sea Museum, 41 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Tickets: $42
Info: savannahmusicfestival.org
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Dervish brings the joy of traditional Irish music to Savannah
