THREE well known Donegal singers have teamed up to record a Christmas single in aid of homeless charity the Peter McVerry Trust.
Mickey Joe Harte and Rory Gallagher have just released their version of the Yazoo classic ‘Only You’. The stripped back rendition of the 1982 hit also features Peadar Coll on fiddle and was recorded at Attica Studios in Termon.
The collaboration was officially launched yesterday but has already attracted substantial airplay across Ireland.
All proceeds from the single will go to the Peter McVerry Trust, an organisation working to help thousands of people out of homelessness in Ireland.
Mickey Joe Harte said, “It was Rory’s suggestion that we record a single to help the homeless and my manager has a link to the Peter McVerry Trust so they were delighted.
“We had lots of ideas for a single of our own but I actually recorded this song some time back for Wild Atlantic Television. Rory liked it and said we should record a version of my version which is what we have done.”
Only You has been chosen as ‘Single of the Week’ by several radio stations in recent days and looks for all the money like being a festive hit.
No stranger to success, Mickey Joe Harte became a household name in 2003 with his Eurovision entry ‘We’ve Got the World Tonight’. It was followed by a number one selling album ‘Sometimes Right, Sometimes Wrong’ while the Lifford man has released several top ten singles and three more albums since.
Rory Gallagher soared to fame with his Irish top ten hit ‘Jimmy’s Winning Matches’, a tune that became the unofficial anthem of Donegal’s GAA heroics in 2012.
As ‘Rory and the Island’, Rory has continually toured Europe and the US.
“This is our first single together but we are planning more and possibly an album together,” said Mickey Joe.
Mickey Joe Harte and Rory and the Island will play two Christmas shows, the first in the Abbey Centre, Ballyshannon, on December 19 and the following night, December 20, in An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny.
A follow up single from Mickey Joe Harte, entitled ‘Under the Milky Way’, is set for release in 2020. Check out www.mickeyjoeharte.com for information and tour details.
To make a donation to the Peter McVerry Trust click here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1583395671800252/
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)