Niall Toner Band to take part in '65s for Burma' concert

Thanks to Niall Toner, who reports:

NTB will be playing the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Saturday 19 June 2010, along with Christy Moore, Deirdre Purcell, Keith Donald, and others as part of the '65s for Burma' concert, celebrating the 65th birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi.

NTB will also be doing three nights at Bewley's Cafe in Grafton Street around the same time, and I'll confirm those dates as soon as they are carved in stone.

Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize winner (1992) and Freewoman of Dublin and Galway. The concert will include performances and readings from those Niall mentions plus Eamon Dunphy, Fiachra Trench, Carmel McCreagh, Brendan Graham, Noel Eccles, and more. Tickets €45/€35/€20 from the National Concert Hall box office, by telephone (01 4170000) or on-line.

All proceeds from this concert will go to Burma Action Ireland to aid their continuing efforts to raise awareness for the violent military oppression suffered by the people of Burma.

Keith Donald explains: 'As a member of Burma Action Ireland, I always felt a connection with Aung San Suu Kyi because we are the same age. Then I realised that I knew several people who would also be 65 this year. The idea for a concert to support her and the cause of a free and democratic Burma was then a no-brainer, even for an ould fella! The fact that her birthday falls on a Saturday when there's not much on in the World Cup means that the gods are smiling on this concert!'

Further information on Burma Action Ireland is here. For a deeper insight into the issues in Burma, see Burma VJ, 2010 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature.