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Tue, 3 Nov 1998 06:24:11 EST
U2, Sinead and Ash Turn Out for Bombing Victim Tribute Album
Nothing can repair the damage caused from the most devastating bombing in
Northern Ireland's recent history, but affected citizens can find some solace
in efforts to alleviate the pain. To date, more than $1.5 million has been
raised for the Omagh bombing victims; the leaders of Ireland's peace
discussions -- John Hume and David Trimble -- were recently named as this
year's Nobel Peace Prize recipients; and, now, the biggest names in Irish
music -- U2, Sinead O'Connor, Boyzone, Van Morrison and Ash among them -- have
come together to contribute songs to an Omagh tribute album.
Set for a November 30 release in the U.K. and Ireland, Across the Bridge of
Hope features a plethora of artists who have donated their songs and time to
this memorial for the victims of the Aug. 15 bombing. Some previously released
songs on the collection include U2's "Please," Boyzone's "Words," Ash's "I'm
Gonna Fall," the Corrs' "What Can I Do?" and the Divine Comedy's "Sunrise." In
addition, new age artist Enya contributed a new version on "Silent Night," and
Van Morrison recorded a special acoustic version of "The Healing Game," which
features the Chieftains' Paddy Moloney.
O'Connor contributes the album's first single -- an adaptation of Abba's
lighthearted "Chiquitita." "She took what was a pop piece and brought it down-
tempo to the place where you realize what a fantastic song it is," says Ross
Graham, the album's coordinator, from his Belfast, Northern Ireland, office.
Graham said that numerous English and American artists wanted to take part in
the project, however, the Northern Irish businessman decided to showcase only
Irish artists for integrity's sake. "The songs [from English musicians] didn't
seem to be close enough emotionally to the context of the record," Graham
says. "[American artist] James Taylor sent in a song called 'From Belfast to
Boston' that was written about Northern Ireland and the Irish question: How
can we resolve the conflict and animosity between the two communities?"
Taylor's song was initially considered for the compilation, but the organizers
decided it belongs on a special U.S. version of Across the Bridge of Hope,
tentatively set for a St. Patrick's Day (March 17, 1999) release. Nanci
Griffith also discussed donating a song to the U.S. collection, Graham says.
The album is further augmented by two poems read by actor Liam Neeson. Seamus
Heaney, Ireland's Nobel Laureate in Poetry, handpicked the first, "The Cure at
Troy." The second poem, from which the album borrows its name, was penned by
twelve-year-old Sean McLaughlin shortly before he was killed by in the
bombing. It reads: "Orange and green it does not matter/United now, don't
shatter our dream/Scatter the seeds of peace over our land/So we can travel,
hand in hand/Across the bridge of hope."
All proceeds from the album will benefit the Omagh Memorial Trust, which was
created to assist the families of the bomb's victims as well as any future
memorials and related charities.
ARI BENDERSKY (November 2, 1998)
deseree
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