Biography
Irish-American multi-instrumentalist Danny O'Flaherty, who also works as a vocalist, radio announcer, and songwriter, has broadened the reach of Ireland's ballad traditions. He tours worldwide with his group Celtic Folk, which includes his brother Patrick, and he created space for fellow Irish performers at the Irish Channel Center in New Orleans.
Although classic ballads anchor his sets, O'Flaherty has skillfully written fresh material in the same idiom. Among his original pieces are "The Ballad of the Yellow Ribbons," composed for the American hostages held in Iran, along with "Derby Day in Ireland" and "The Blushing Bride," the latter now frequently featured at wedding receptions. As founder and president of the nonprofit Celtic Nations Heritage Foundation, he has organized an annual celebration of Irish music and art since the early 1990s. The event began in Madisonville, Louisiana, but growing crowds prompted a relocation to Marconi Meadows in New Orleans, where attendance has exceeded 50,000 people each year since 1997.
Although classic ballads anchor his sets, O'Flaherty has skillfully written fresh material in the same idiom. Among his original pieces are "The Ballad of the Yellow Ribbons," composed for the American hostages held in Iran, along with "Derby Day in Ireland" and "The Blushing Bride," the latter now frequently featured at wedding receptions. As founder and president of the nonprofit Celtic Nations Heritage Foundation, he has organized an annual celebration of Irish music and art since the early 1990s. The event began in Madisonville, Louisiana, but growing crowds prompted a relocation to Marconi Meadows in New Orleans, where attendance has exceeded 50,000 people each year since 1997.
Albums
