Dana supports calls for the establishment of a public holiday in honour of St Colmcille, as she attends a special event in Derry on his Feast Day, June 9 The event, at a new mural honouring Derry's Patron Saint, was organised by the owners of Abbey B&B.
00:00So, Dani, you're here today for the unveiling of this mural. How does it feel as a dairy girl and sort of the Abbey here for the unveiling of the mural to St. Columba?
00:09It's very special. First of all, it's a beautiful mural. And this area is so personal to me because my uncle Andy had a shop on the corner of Frederick Street on Abbey Street.
00:22And my granny, my grandfather, my uncle, my mother lived in Union Street. So as a child, this was the first place we came in Derry when we came back from London.
00:34So I played all around here. And Seamus and his wife, I think they're just a tremendous bonus to Derry and the people who come here, the warmth that they receive.
00:46And I think we've had a growing, I don't know, interest in an understanding of St. Columba. When I was a child, my father played in St. Columba's Brass Band.
00:58So on his feast day, they used to march up to the well, I think it was Holywell Street, that led up to the Long Tower.
01:08And there was bunting and band played and there was always a blessing. And it was a very, very distinct memory for me.
01:15Yes.
01:16And as I've been reading about just recently, I didn't know that this was, you know, this understanding of that revival of this, you know, interest in St. Columba killed.
01:29And I read a beautiful thing he said. He said that every blade of grass in Derry was surrounded by God's splendour.
01:39And he loved Derry so much, he left his heart here. So I think on a day like this, if he loved us so much, we could love him back.
01:49Definitely. And Donegal County Council, I do submit to the government a motion calling for a day, a bank holiday in honour of St. Columba killed.
01:59Is that something that you would support as well? Do you think that's a good idea?
02:01I would absolutely support a special day of celebration for him.
02:07And it would be my wish that unlike some of the parades for our patron saint and even for our patroness, St. Bridget, that you're not allowed to have religious banners.
02:23Okay.
02:24I would hope that we would always respect him as a saint.
02:28Okay. Yes. And how special was it to sing there with the children?
02:31Oh, it was wonderful seeing as I went to St. Eugene's. Yes. And these are all St. Eugene's children. The memories are just flooding back every second and I'm loving every minute of it.
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