David Dwane
Encyclopedia
David Dwane is a well-known figure in the music industry in the North West of Ireland
. David is from Ballina, County Mayo
, and has been active in promoting new musical talent in the area since 2000. From his teenage days in Ballyhaunis
the talent began to show. He excelled in playing the piano
and the (friary) church organ, introducing a whole new and welcome dimension to the 'religious' world of a town in South East Mayo.
. The concert in Ballina Town Hall included a guest appearance by an up-and-coming Irish tenor
called Frank Patterson
, who later featured in John Huston
's final film The Dead and Michael Collins
by Neil Jordan
.
Also in the 1970s David was musical director of the award-winning Mayo-based innovative musical group the Moy Theatre Group, founded by Padraic Mitchell. Among the shows David was involved with were the first Mayo production of Jesus Christ Superstar
, as well as Oliver!
and West Side Story
. The group also participated in the national Tops of the Town competition over a number of years, frequently taking awards at regional level. David organised the annual summer Band Showcase in Mayo during the 2000s, aimed at providing new bands with an opportunity to showcase their talent to an audience of their peers. He also ran the nationwide Premier Band Challenge in 2002 and 2003.
David also owns and runs David Dwane Recording Studio (formerly known as DwanSound Recording Studio) in Ballina where he has engineered and produced music for bands and solo artists from around the west and beyond.
He has played on the pub and hotel circuit during the 1980s and 1990s in County Mayo
and County Sligo as a member of local bands and as a solo artist. In the 1990s he did a stint as pianist in Frogs Piano Bar at Downhill Hotel, Ballina.
(IMRO), and has written a number of songs, including "Gentle Moy", "To Mary Robinson", "Ballina
Beat", "The Old Schoolhouse", and "Feeling Lonely".
David co-wrote two songs with Meath lyricist Eddie Maguire that featured on the 1996 album Songs for Meath, released to celebrate the achievements of Meath's Gaelic football
team. One song from that album - "The Lovely Hill of Tara" was performed live by Sean O'Farrell on the RTÉ One
television show Up for the Match
. The second song on the Song for Meath album was "Shannon River", sung by Joe Murray.
for five years in the late 1970s. Prior to this he was Cub Leader in the 4th Mayo Scout Unit, Ballyhaunis
.
, and is a director of the newspaper. He is also a director of MidWest Radio
, which holds the independent local radio franchise for County Mayo. He wrote the weekly Entertainment news for the Western People, a leading west of Ireland newspaper, from 1984 to 2007, one of the longest-running weekly entertainment columns by the same writer of any Irish regional newspaper. His grandfather, also called David Dwane, was a writer. Dwane snr. wrote the first biography of his schoolfriend Éamon de Valera
, called The Early Life of Éamon de Valera, as well as the fantasy novel Gypsy Merlini in Redgate, and was a regular contributor to national newspapers.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. David is from Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
, and has been active in promoting new musical talent in the area since 2000. From his teenage days in Ballyhaunis
Ballyhaunis
Ballyhaunis is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line connecting Dublin to Westport and Ballina....
the talent began to show. He excelled in playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and the (friary) church organ, introducing a whole new and welcome dimension to the 'religious' world of a town in South East Mayo.
Music industry
In the late 1970s - as a young man in his early twenties - he headed up the first Ballina Music Festival. He was responsible for the debut performance in Ballina by the RTÉ Light Orchestra, later to become the RTÉ Concert OrchestraRTÉ Concert Orchestra
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra is one of the two full time professional orchestras in Ireland that are part of RTÉ, the national broadcasting station. Since its formation as the Radio Éireann Light Orchestra in 1948, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, has grown from a small studio-based recording group to...
. The concert in Ballina Town Hall included a guest appearance by an up-and-coming Irish tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
called Frank Patterson
Frank Patterson
Frank Patterson was an internationally renowned Irish tenor following in the tradition of singers such as Count John McCormack and Josef Locke. He was known as "Ireland's Golden Tenor".- Early life :...
, who later featured in John Huston
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
's final film The Dead and Michael Collins
Michael Collins (film)
Michael Collins is a 1996 historical biopic written and directed by Neil Jordan and starring Liam Neeson as General Michael Collins, the Irish patriot and revolutionary who died in the Irish Civil War. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival....
by Neil Jordan
Neil Jordan
Neil Patrick Jordan is an Irish filmmaker and novelist. He won an Academy Award for The Crying Game.- Early life :...
.
Also in the 1970s David was musical director of the award-winning Mayo-based innovative musical group the Moy Theatre Group, founded by Padraic Mitchell. Among the shows David was involved with were the first Mayo production of Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
, as well as Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
and West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
. The group also participated in the national Tops of the Town competition over a number of years, frequently taking awards at regional level. David organised the annual summer Band Showcase in Mayo during the 2000s, aimed at providing new bands with an opportunity to showcase their talent to an audience of their peers. He also ran the nationwide Premier Band Challenge in 2002 and 2003.
David also owns and runs David Dwane Recording Studio (formerly known as DwanSound Recording Studio) in Ballina where he has engineered and produced music for bands and solo artists from around the west and beyond.
He has played on the pub and hotel circuit during the 1980s and 1990s in County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
and County Sligo as a member of local bands and as a solo artist. In the 1990s he did a stint as pianist in Frogs Piano Bar at Downhill Hotel, Ballina.
Songwriter
David is a member of the Irish Music Rights OrganisationIrish Music Rights Organisation
Irish Music Rights Organisation is the collecting society for songwriters, composers and music publishers of Ireland. Its role is to act as an agent for its members in order to collect license fees whenever their musical works are performed in public, broadcast or transmitted, and to pay out...
(IMRO), and has written a number of songs, including "Gentle Moy", "To Mary Robinson", "Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
Beat", "The Old Schoolhouse", and "Feeling Lonely".
David co-wrote two songs with Meath lyricist Eddie Maguire that featured on the 1996 album Songs for Meath, released to celebrate the achievements of Meath's Gaelic football
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
team. One song from that album - "The Lovely Hill of Tara" was performed live by Sean O'Farrell on the RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
television show Up for the Match
Up for the Match
Up for the Match is an Irish Gaelic games-themed variety show currently hosted by Des Cahill and Gráinne Seoige. The show is broadcast live in two editions each year on RTÉ One on the eve of the respective All-Ireland hurling and football finals...
. The second song on the Song for Meath album was "Shannon River", sung by Joe Murray.
Youth Work
David was involved with the Scout movement in Mayo for many years. He was Scout Leader in the 5th Mayo Scout Unit, BallinaBallina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
for five years in the late 1970s. Prior to this he was Cub Leader in the 4th Mayo Scout Unit, Ballyhaunis
Ballyhaunis
Ballyhaunis is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line connecting Dublin to Westport and Ballina....
.
Writer
David is also property and business writer with the Western PeopleWestern People
The Western People is a weekly local newspaper published in Ballina, County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland, it was first published in 1883. The paper is now owned by Cork-based Thomas Crosbie Holdings...
, and is a director of the newspaper. He is also a director of MidWest Radio
MidWest Radio
Midwest Radio is a local Irish radio station based in County Mayo, Ireland. Officially opened in 1989 , its current studios are located on Clare Street, Ballyhaunis...
, which holds the independent local radio franchise for County Mayo. He wrote the weekly Entertainment news for the Western People, a leading west of Ireland newspaper, from 1984 to 2007, one of the longest-running weekly entertainment columns by the same writer of any Irish regional newspaper. His grandfather, also called David Dwane, was a writer. Dwane snr. wrote the first biography of his schoolfriend Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
, called The Early Life of Éamon de Valera, as well as the fantasy novel Gypsy Merlini in Redgate, and was a regular contributor to national newspapers.