Tom Doorley and the Danu

[Steph7]

Hi folks,

Does anyone know why Tom lefts the Danu? Is it just a temporary leaving or are there any other personal decisions on it?

Thanks

[kenny]

If there were "personal decisions", then I don't really see that as anyone here's business. He did get married, and was living in Cape Breton for a while, so that would have made it difficult for him to be touring with a band based in Ireland, I suppose - there's no secret about that.
I was working a few months ago with Cape Breton singer-songwriter Buddy MacDonald, and we were driving around Perthshire when a flute track came on to the CD player. Buddy asked who it was, so I told him Tom Doorley, and remembering that Tom had been in Cape Breton, asked Buddy if he knew him. "Yeah", said Buddy. "He's married to my niece."

My favourite Tom clip :

https://youtu.be/iqWMn6RnWCA

[Steampacket]

Tom Dooley a fine flute player. From a 2013 TED talk: "Following many years on the road touring, Tom is now involved in musical education as a secondary school teacher and as a third level lecturer for the Dublin Institute of Technology conservatory of music and drama. In the past few years Tom has been establishing himself as a composer and conductor."

Tom lived 7-8 years in Cape Breton where he met the lady he was to marry. He has a family and lives in Dublin.

Tom's TED talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J8TNoXELnw

[Steve Bliven]

Tom Dooley a fine flute player.....

So is Tom Doorley. I remember Tom Dooley mostly from his outstanding work with the Kingston Trio back in the 1960s.

Best wishes.

Steve

[maestrosid]

I don't know why Tom Doorley left, but Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, singer and whistle/flute player with the group, recently posted that she is also leaving the band. She played mostly whistle while Tom was in the group, but picked up more flute duties when he left.

[Steph7]

I don't know why Tom Doorley left, but Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, singer and whistle/flute player with the group, recently posted that she is also leaving the band. She played mostly whistle while Tom was in the group, but picked up more flute duties when he left.

Tell me more about that!!
Where have you seen that post?
Thanks

[bradhurley]

I don't know why Tom Doorley left, but Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, singer and whistle/flute player with the group, recently posted that she is also leaving the band. She played mostly whistle while Tom was in the group, but picked up more flute duties when he left.

Tell me more about that!!
Where have you seen that post?
Thanks

on her Facebook page, posted 20 December 2015:

Big changes ahead. I'm just home from a tour of the States, and this was my last as a member of Danú. It has been an amazing 13 years with the band, I have seen every aspect of touring life from playing in folk clubs in the early days, to filling 3,000 seater concert halls and headlining festivals. I am so proud to have spent 2015 celebrating the band's 20 years and touring the album Buan all over the world.
Now it's time for me to stay a little closer to home and my young family. I wish the lads nothing but the best for the future, and I am very much looking forward to what musical adventures might lie ahead for me in the new year and beyond.
Ní feidir leis an gobadán an dá thráigh a fhreastail, so beidh an gobadán seo ar an dtráigh i gCorca Dhuibhne lem iníonacha óga agus m'fhear céile!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, whatever way you celebrate it, hope ye spend it with your loved ones as I will be. Nollaig Shona. Xxx

[Steampacket]

"So is Tom Doorley. I remember Tom Dooley mostly from his outstanding work with the Kingston Trio back in the 1960s. Best wishes. "Steve

Tom Dooley was never a member of the Kingston Trio. A Tom Dula murdered a lady in North Carolina in 1866, and Thomas Land wrote the song called "Tom Dooley" shortly after Dula was hung. Thanks Steve, too late now to correct the spelling of Doorley's name it seems

[Unseen122]

As a former student of Tom's at Dublin Institute of Technology (I started college there in 2007 and he started teaching there in '08; I took flute lessons with him until I graduated in 2011) I perhaps have a bit more insight into this than others may. Having said that; I don't think he would appreciate me going into too much detail on a public forum. The posts by Kenny and (the first one by) Steampacket make it pretty easy to infer why a person might not want to be in an internationally touring band. There are rumors out there saying other things, which I don't want to add fuel to by repeating them, but I have seen no evidence for them to be true. As for whether this is a temporary or permanent thing it isn't quite as simple as that; Tom still preforms with Danu from time to time, usually when they are playing in Ireland, and has appeared as a guest on the last 2 albums. I would doubt that we'll see him as a full time band member again anytime soon but I think we may continue to see him guesting on performances and recordings but I can't say for certain as I never asked specifically and haven't been in contact with him that recently.

Very interesting to hear Muireann has left the group as well; I wonder who we'll see taking the role/s of singer and flute player.

[Viking of Kiev]

Very interesting to hear Muireann has left the group as well; I wonder who we'll see taking the role/s of singer and flute player.

I suppose they should recruit Seamus Begley. He is also a kerryman and seems bold enough.

[Viking of Kiev]

No, Seamus Begley is with Teada.

Nell Ní Chróinin is going to become the lead vocalist for Danú.

Good news indeed It's there on the band's site.

[Brus]

Nell Ní Chróinin is going to become the lead vocalist for Danú.

I hadn't heard of her before, but I found some youtube clips.

It looks like she's not an instrumentalist at all?

[Mr.Gumby]

No, but you'd be hard pressed to find a lovelier singer.

[Brus]

No, but you'd be hard pressed to find a lovelier singer.

I just remembered it being a priority the last time they were hunting for a vocalist (according to the features on their DVD "One Night Stand") that the vocalist also be an instrumentalist.

If Muireann has been fluting more with Tom Doorley gone, are they now fluteless?

[bradhurley]

No, but you'd be hard pressed to find a lovelier singer.

I don't listen to bands normally, but if she's going to sing with Danu, I'll listen to Danu!

She sang with Conal O'Grada et al in the Raw Bar Collective, simply stunning.