Foley's NYC Pub Welcomes Back 'Danny Boy'

After famously banning the song in favor of other great Irish tunes that often are overlooked because Danny Boy is played so frequently, the pub owner was besieged with emails, phone calls and interview requests from around the world, including Ireland, England, Canada and Australia.

The ban was covered on international TV and radio, and over 800 newspapers and web sites.

At one point, "Danny Boy ban" was the 3rd most emailed story on the Internet and made the home pages of Yahoo!, MSN, AOL and Comcast.

Leading the "Welcome Back Danny" celebration on April 2 at Foley's were Ciaran Sheehan, Phantom of the Opera star and one of Irish America magazine's "Top 100," and Eily Patterson, who played the piano to accompany the song's greatest singer: legendary tenor Frank Patterson. Actor/raconteur Malachy McCourt, who authored the book Danny Boy: The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad, also attended the party.

"I think we made our point in celebrating a wider variety of great Irish songs. It was never our intention to ban it forever," said Clancy.

"I can think of no one more appropriate to lead the first version of Danny Boy at Foley's than Broadway star Ciaran Sheehan and Eily Patterson. I'm glad they have forgiven me for banning the song."

As many Americans were surprised to learn, the melody of Danny Boy comes from a traditional Irish tune called The Derry Air, while the lyrics were written by Frederick Weatherly, a lawyer and songwriter who never set foot in Ireland.

Weatherly's sister-in-law in Colorado sent him the sheet music in 1912, and he adjusted the lyrics. The song has been performed by the likes of Bing Crosby, Eric Clapton (instrumental), The Chieftains, Judy Garland, Frank Patterson, Elvis Presley, and Jackie Wilson, to name a few.

"I think Danny Boy is a beautiful song, but I wouldn't want to hear it 1,000 times in a row.

That's exactly the point we want to make; let's celebrate other great Irish songs," Clancy explained. "I hope we provided the opportunity for Americans to learn just how much the Irish have contributed to the musical landscape."