DANA Releases Light the Fire in Honor of St. Patrick on Monday, March 13
Canton, Ohio (03/09/2023) – Described as an anthem for today, Light The Fire (St Patrick’s Song), written and recorded by Dana, recalls how St. Patrick lit the fire on the ancient hill of Slane in 433AD, in defiance of King Laoire at Tara.
The song will be released Monday, March 13 in St. Patrick's Center, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, just days before marking the saint’s feast. It will then be launched March 16 at a special concert event in the Knock Shrine Basilica, Co. Mayo, Ireland, near to where St Patrick tended sheep on Croagh Patrick mountain. This celebratory concert can be viewed at www.knockshrine.ie.
Light the Fire will be available on CD and MP3 at www.dsmusicstore.com or can be streamed on Dana’s Spotify channel.
“It was more than just a fire,” said Irish music icon, Dana. “St. Patrick was courageous. It could have cost him his life. Those were dark days. They were oppressive. There was human sacrifice. The fire was symbolic of bringing light and bringing an understanding to what was wrong in those days and changing what was wrong from the darkness into light.”
Inspiration for Light the Fire
The inspiration for the song goes back more than a decade when the idea was first suggested to her by her brother-in-law, the late Fr Kevin Scallon CM. He said, “You know, we need a new hymn to St. Patrick for today. Because the message of St. Patrick does not belong to a past generation and it’s not just for Ireland. It’s a message for today and for the whole world."
Light the Fire was recorded with male voices from the Schola Cantorum in St. Peter’s Cathedral Belfast, along with the Rev. Adrian Dorrian, Vicar of Down Cathedral, Church of Ireland, Downpatrick, and John McGrath, one of the worship/band leaders in Down parish.
Saint Patricks' Center in Downpatrick, is located in the town where St. Patrick is buried and near where the saint built his first church. The Centers' Director Dr Tim Campbell said, “It was here in Downpatrick that St. Patrick began his mission. The Centre is renowned for telling the authentic story of Patrick, the slave who found true freedom and whose message of love and faith continues to echo down the centuries. The song has a great message of hope, and we look forward to sharing it both at home [Ireland] and abroad.”
Background on DANA
DANA, co-writer with her husband Damien of the beloved hymn Lady of Knock, rose to popularity when, as a schoolgirl, she became Ireland's first winner of the famous Eurovision Song contest. Her winning song ''All Kinds of Everything'' became a #1 hit, captivating the continent and opening the door to a highly successful music career.
In the 1990’s, Canton’s own Mother Angelica invited DANA to sing on her Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). She later become a television host on the network with her own popular shows “Say Yes”, ''We are One Body'', ''Back Stage'' and “Dana and Friends”.
At the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver CO, DANA sang her self-composed hit “We Are One Body.” for Pope John Paul II. She would later sing at World Youth Day celebrations in Rome (2000), Toronto (2002) and Sydney (2008) and in NY Yankee Stadium welcoming Pope Benedict on his US visit.
In 1997, she entered politics in her home country, as a candidate for the Irish presidency in 1997 and again in 2011. Scallon was elected as a member of the European Parliament in 1999, where she upheld the Irish Constitutional protection of Life and Family.
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