New album featuring work of late Athy musician

Milestone was originally recorded over 20 years ago

A new album featuring the work of the late Athy musician Dave Donohue has just been released. 

Donohoe was often found at the heart of many a traditional session around Ireland - from early days at Clancy's Athy to the good old days of Harcourt Sessions in Dublin, to Galway’s Tigh Cóilí and Crane Bar and the infamous Thomastown Trad Fest in Kilkenny.

Although Dave's ambitions were never to pursue the life of a professional musician, he was a master of bringing friends and strangers together through stories and song, and in 2001 close friend Tony Davoran convinced Dave to record a collection of songs he loved.

About Milestone

Milestone was originally recorded in Hollywood, Co. Wicklow over twenty years ago with a wonderful host of friends and musicians including Niamh Parsons, Eamonn de Barra, Mick Kinsella and many more.

A new journey for Milestone 

After losing Dave suddenly to a heart attack in 2021, musician and friend Frankie Lane reached out to Dave’s wife Jadzia Kaminska, with an idea to raise awareness about heart health and heart attacks through music and song.

On Valentine’s day 2022 Counter Attack was born - an online campaign which saw many musicians, including Sharon Shannon, John Spillane, Susan O Neill and Fiachna O Braonáin, contributing a song and lending their voices to inspire greater consciousness, conversation and action.

Following the campaign, Jadzia and daughters Kasia and Liadain, established Keep Her Lit Folk and Trad festival in Dave’s memory, in Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny.

The Counter Attack concert became a fixture of this festival, continuing to spread awareness through free open air live concerts.

This special edition re-release of Milestone to vinyl is a continuation of these efforts to remember and celebrate Dave and raise awareness of heart health through music. All proceeds of this limited run of vinyl will go towards the Counter Attack campaign. All purchases made on Bandcamp Friday - 6th December - will see Bandcamp fees being waived.

“We cherish every tune, song and story that Dave brought into all our lives and Milestone is a collection of some of his favourite songs to sing from his eclectic collection of traditional and contemporary folk songs,” said Jadzia.

Praise for Milestone: 

"What I notice most about Dave Donohoe and this new recording is that he simply loves to sing. He has a passion and sings from the heart. It's infectious!" - Excerpt from a tribute by Mairéad Ni Mhaonaigh.

"Freed from the strain of trying to be heard above pub din, Dave’s voice displays a new level of subtlety and sensitivity here" - Hotpress Magazine, original album review