Folk That: Songs in the Kyi of Life

As I drift inexorably towards middle age I can increasingly be found banging on about how angry old men are far more effective than angry young men, and a perfect example is coming your way on Saturday June 19 with the announcement of a concert in celebration of the 65th birthday of incarcerated Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi.

The concert, the brainchild of Moving Hearts’ saxophonist Keith Donald, has been called 65s for Burma. Keith explains: ‘As a member of Burma Action Ireland, I always felt a connection with Aung San Suu Kyi because we are the same age. Then I realised that I knew several people who would also be 65 this year. The idea for a concert to support her and the cause of a free and democratic Burma was then a no-brainer, even for an ould fella!”
These pension book-wielding activists are set to include Keith Donald himself, his old Hearts’ colleague Christy Moore, bluegrass legend Niall Toner, Fiachra Trench and Carmel McCreagh, Neil Martin, Noel Eccles and Brendan Graham along with Eamon Dunphy and Deirdre Purcell, who’ll be bringing a more literary bent to the occasion.
It is hoped that the concert will raise public awareness around the ongoing detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the violent and oppressive military rule under which the people of Burma continue to suffer. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a symbol of hope for the Burmese people. In 1990 she was elected by a huge majority to form a civilian government, but was imprisoned by the Burmese military. She has been under house arrest since then.
It’s a truly inspired idea, that notion of the common thread linking us to another human being is one that could easily be exported onto a far bigger stage than that of the National Concert Hall. Imagine this translated into an international context with Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Robert Wyatt and Stephen Stills – all of them born the same year as Aung San Suu Kyi – joining the celebration.
Better still, though, stop being a political inactivist and get yourself a ticket for 65s for Burma.
An itching-to-go Niall Toner is also back on the national airwaves from 11pm on Saturday June 5 when he will be once again spinning all manner of bluegrass, country and roots music on RTÉ Radio 1 and shining light into some neglected corners as Roots Freeway makes its return. Not that we can complain too much about RTÉ’s treatment of bluegrass, as their 2XM digital station is also home to The ‘C’ Word with Miss Paula Flynn every Monday night where you’ll find an hour of Hank Williams era country, early blues, country gospel and folk along with interviews with contemporary musicians.
Proving that – excuse the cliche – you really can’t keep a good man down, Niall, who is currently working on the fourth Niall Toner Band album will also be appearing live at the Greystones Americana and Roots Festival on Sunday June 6, and at the Athy Bluegrass Festival on Saturday July 10. The Greystones weekend also features I Draw Slow and old time band Little Ass Birds while the Athy Bluegrass Festival features not only the Niall Toner Band but also Cork’s Southern Bluegrass Union, Dublin’s Well Enough Alone, High Plains Tradition from Denver, Colorado and local Athy band Woodbine.
The Seamus Ennis Centre in Naul is one of my all time favourite places to see a band so I was shocked to hear that they recently narrowly escaped having to close the door. Recent changes in the fire regulations have meant that they will have to curtail their capacity until they can put in another set of doors. It has already meant the cancellation of some gigs – perversely the full house shows that allow the venue to pursue the vibrant and idiosyncratic booking policy that makes it such a great venue. They are, despite the scare, still open for business and putting on some fantastic shows including Louth husband and wife duo Zoe Conway and John McIntyre on Friday June 4 and Canada’s Po’ Girl on Saturday June 5.