Aileach turn back time

Inishowen viewers and music lovers are set for a delightful trip down memory lane this week as a 1977 performance by renowned local band Aileach is to reappear on television. The band, Dinny McLaughlin (White Harrow) Pat McCabe, Bernard Heaney and Brian McRory are “privileged” that their live show at The Embankment, Dublin which was broadcast on RTE in the 70s, has been chosen as one of the top nine and will be shown on TG4 this Sunday night, June 20 at 10pm and repeated the following Friday, June 25 at 8pm. Aileach were and still are hugely popular and travelled extensively at the time. They had a celebrated ‘folk club’ in the Swilly Hotel and the White Strand, now known as the Inishowen Gateway. They are delighted they have been chosen to feature in the re run of the programmes, called ‘An Staitse,’ as one of the top bands to perform at The Embankment and speaking to the Inish Times, Dinny was asked was there much of a change in the group since the 70’s. “Yes,” he quipped, ‘they have lost a lot and I’ve lost nothing – I’m talking about hair!” Now 75 and having recently received the National Award from ‘An Teach Ban Pass It On National Fund For Ireland’ Dinny was asked what he makes of life now. ‘Well,” he said, ”It’s like the seasons of the year, with spring, summer, autumn and winter. The seasons of the human are 20 years growing, 20 years well, 20 years failing and 20 years useless. I’m well into the winter of my seasons and still feel like spring.” Asked if there was anything he would change, Dinny replied “yes, the government!”