FolkWorld presents: Danny article by The Mollis:

Danny is back!

Danny Kyle Figure; photo by The Mollis

In the announcement of the Isle of Bute Festival, FolkWorld wrote: "The Isle of Bute Folk Festival was a favourite of the late Danny Kyle; so it would not be a surprise to meet a funny goast guy with a bonnet at some session or the other..."
It is a strange feeling when things like this really happen...

When we arrived in mid July 99 at the Stonehaven Folk Festival (which was another favourite of Danny) and went up to the festival office, there he sat on a chair: this small guy with an ugly tie, smiling happily at us. He looked exactly as he looked like when we saw him the last time, in Tønder 1997. You just waited that he would get up and say "Let's go to the bar", or would shout "Shut up".

Later on Danny was seen again at the late night session hotel of the festival, sitting in the entrance and welcoming those coming in. Everybody was so happy to see him again.

A week later again Danny Kyle, this time at the Isle of Bute Folk Festival, sitting at the entrance of the winter garden, smiling again like being in seventh heaven... Sunday night, he even joined the Peatbog Fairies on stage. The Monday he would go to the pub of his friend Gerry Chamber, The Islander, to join the Danny Kyle singalong, sitting beyond a frame full of Danny pictures... It was just missing that he did not get up and shout the German song "Mein Vater war ein Wandersmann..."

The Peatbog Fairies with Danny Kyle Figure; photo by The MollisWell the Mashie figure of Danny looks really very realistic, and is a great tribute to the great man. Who knows, maybe it even carries Danny's soul...

There are a few nice first stories about the figure. It - or better he - was born just in time for the Killin Festival in June. Afterwards, he was invited to stay until the Stonehaven Festival in the caravan of a nice young woman from Stonehaven. The woman would go every day to see and say hallo to Danny - and the neighbours were already thinking she was mad...

On the ferry trip to Bute, they wanted to charge also the man with the tie in the back of the car, until they were convinced that he did not need to pay... giving the other people in the car the idea to sit next time there without moving...

Welcome back on the festival circuit Danny!


Photo Credit: The Mollis
(1) Danny Kyle Figure; (2) The new Danny with the Peatbog Fairies in Bute 99


To the content of FolkWorld's Danny' Corner

All material published in FolkWorld is © The Author via FolkWorld. Storage for private use is allowed and welcome. Reviews and extracts of up to 200 words may be freely quoted and reproduced, if source and author are acknowledged. For any other reproduction please ask the Editors for permission.


FolkWorld - Home of European Folk Music
FolkWorld Home
Layout & Idea of FolkWorld © The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld