DANA to Perform Light the Fire in Honor of St. Patrick in United States
DANA will be performing her new hymn on CatholicTV in a special program and then live in St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the week of St. Patrick’s Feast Day celebration. 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 of faith, hope and love on the ancient hill of Slane in Ireland in 433AD.
“My hope is that this song and the movement it inspired, continues to light fires of faith, hope, and love in a world that needs it so badly,” said DANA.
The song was released a year ago on March 13, 2023, in St. Patrick's Centre, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, just days before marking the saint’s feast. Since then, the song has filled the hearts of the faithful around the world. Light the Fire is available on CD and MP3 at www.dsmusicstore.com or can be streamed on DANA’s Spotify channel.
“It's truly amazing how this song is touching peoples' hearts,” said DANA. “It's being called an ‘anthem for today’ and it has led to a movement which began with our Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, successor to St. Patrick, lighting the fire of faith, hope and love on the ancient hill of Slane, Ireland.”
In August of last year, thousands attended a Light the Fire event on the Hill of Slane, to publicly pray and celebrate the Catholic faith. Since then, DANA has shared this song at powerful Light the Fire parish missions, Rosary rallies, Youth events and other faith gatherings in Europe and America
“In lighting that 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 that St Patrick lit on the Hill of Slane, brought Faith to Ireland and from there, it spread throughout the world. That fire of Faith, Hope and Love is so needed in our hearts, our families, and our world today.”
Upcoming Light the Fire Events
March 14, 2024
DANA will perform in the Irish Heritage Concert at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. The concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. and will include the Cathedral choir, Tony DeMarco (fiddle), and Atlantic Wave: traditional Irish music at https://saintpatrickscathedral.org/live.
March 15, 2024
CatholicTV will air DANA's performance of "Light the FIre" from their studios in Watertown, Massachusetts followed by her interview at 10:30 a.m. e.s.t. and again at 8:00 p.m. e.s.t. at https://www.catholictv.org/watch-live.html.
March 16, 2024
DANA will perform Light the Fire, at the request of Cardinal Dolan, at 8.30 am morning mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral. This mass commences the start of New York's' St Patrick's Day celebrations at https://saintpatrickscathedral.org/live.
CatholicTV will air DANA's performance of "Light the FIre" from their studios in Watertown, Massachusetts followed by her interview at 5:30 p.m. e.s.t. at https://www.catholictv.org/watch-live.html.
March 17, 2024 - Feast of St. Patrick
DANA will perform Light the Fire, at the request of Cardinal Dolan, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 10:15 a.m. Mass at https://saintpatrickscathedral.org/live.
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 St. Patrick is a saint for today. His message 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 in Ireland with traditional musicians, along with the beautiful voices of the boys of Schola Cantorum, St. Peter’s Cathedral Belfast, the Rev. Adrian Dorrian, Vicar of Down Cathedral, Church of Ireland, Downpatrick, who was the voice of St. Patrick and other Irish singers including her brother Gerry Brown.
###
