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Local musicians rock Stateside
29.07.10
Boston band keeps
Inishowen spirits high
by Linda McGrory
INISHOWEN people bound for Boston should note that
there is local band keeping the emigrant spirits
high Stateside.
Formed five years ago, Devri is a rock-trad outfit
comprising lead singer-guitarist and mandolin player
Declan Houton from Malin and Clonmany fiddle player,
Kevin Doherty along with a number of other Irish and
American musicians.
The band has become well known around Boston for
their charity work and have twice played at the
annual 9/11 memorial in Manhattan.
Declan is from Shantla in Malin and, prior to
emigrating, played the local circuit for years with
his brother Leonard.
"That was 10 or 11 years ago and the local bars used
to be jammed. Danny McCarron owned The Keg o Poitin
in Clonmany back then and my cousin Bridie
McLaughlin had the Malin Hotel," explained Declan.
"Both would be packed every Saturday night and we
would have some great nights."
But ten years ago, the local man decided to "give
America a shot". |
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"In April of 2000 I
landed in Boston and I've been here ever since. When
I landed I met up with a mighty accordian player
called Johnny Towey from Mayo, whose mother is
originally from Urris. Johnny was playing in a
session every Sunday in a local bar, so I joined in
and ended up one night filling in for a mandolin
player in a band called Inichicore," added Declan,
who played with Inchicore for five years throughout
the States. Around this time, he also got to know
Kevin Doherty, from Annagh, Clonmany, who he
describes as an "excellent fiddle player". Kevin
also previously played with Colm McDaid from the
Illies. In 2005, Devri was formed by Declan, Kevin,
Tipperary flute player Jerry Murphy, Tralee drummer
Steve O'Callaghan, and two American musicians, Larry
Flint on bass and Chuck Parish on lead guitar.
Declan describes the growing population of Donegal
ex-pats in Boston.
"Boston is a small city and you're always bumping
into someone from Inishowen. There is a big Donegal
population in the city, but I would say 90 per cent
of them are from Inishowen for some reason.
"The same would go for the Donegal Boston GAA Club
here. Most of the boys would be from our area."
He described the night that the terrible news of the
peninsula's horror crash on July 11 reached American
shores.
"Devri were playing in a bar in Dorchester the night
of the terrible car accident at home and as news
filtered in, everyone seemed to know someone
involved. So far, one Mass has been said for them in
Boston, with another coming up in a few weeks." To
find out more about Devri visit
www.devriband.com
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