DANÚ at Irish EU Presidency launch
The Danú boys and girl answer Europe's call
We arrived in Brussels the day before the gig to settle in and prepare ourselves. Needless to say, most of the preparations were done in some of Brussels' finest restaurants and hostelries. However, it was early to bed at the Hilton to get that all important beauty sleep! Especially for the boys!!
Next day was the big day, all rose at a gentle but sprightly hour to have breakfast, which was then followed by a quick chat about the plan for the day. A quick run through in Donnchadh's room (the biggest and tidiest) to confirm the songs and tune changes etc. Sound check at the Flage was at 5pm and all went smoothly.
Finally, the gig! Not the average Danú audience we must admit, but we did seem to go down well with the various MEPs, Eurocrats and the Irish minister for the arts - John O Donoghue. Seosamh Ó Neachtain from Conamara in the Galway Gaeltacht, provided the sean-nós dancing and was a highlight of the night. The band (and Joe Ó Neachtain) got a standing ovation and a number of big cheers at the end, so it can't have gone too badly. After the concert, we laid into the junket-food - Guinness & Oysters, which were there like ourselves, courtesy of the European Union and unlike some of the band, were intoxicating, salted and full of iron - as opposed to intoxicated, assaulted and full of irony the next day.
(Updated Feb 20th 2004)