Dana Rosemary Scallon - Background

Background

Scallon was born in Islington, North London. Her father, who worked as a porter at nearby King's Cross station, was a native of Derry, Northern Ireland; he had relocated his family due to the high unemployment there after the war. Scallon was five when her parents chose to return to Ireland because of the London smog and the harmful effect it had on some of their children; their doctor recommended they return to the cleaner air of Derry. (London had not yet benefited from the Clean Air Act 1956). Rosemary grew up in Derry's Creggan housing estate. In 1967, the family moved to the Bogside, an area overlooked by the historic city walls and including the Rossville Flats complex. Although much admired at the time, these nine-storey apartment blocks were demolished after twenty years.

Her parents were musical – her father played the trumpet in his own dance band, The Imperial All Stars, and her mother was their guest pianist. They had seven children in all: four daughters, including their third-born child Grace who died at eight months from a penicillin allergy, and three sons. Fifth-born and youngest daughter Rosemary won the first talent contest she entered: an all-aged event at St Columb's Hall at the age of six. During her childhood, she was taught to play the piano and violin, taught herself to play the acoustic guitar, sang in the school choir, and at one point considered becoming a ballet teacher. She took part in many more contests and feiseanna (festivals). In the early 1960s she began performing with her sisters, Eileen and Susan in charity concerts organised by their father. Eileen left the trio to become a hairdresser, leaving the others as a duo who managed to secure a summer season at the Portrush Palladium. During this, Decca Records offered them a recording contract (helped by their Aunt Rosaleen and her friend in the music industry), although Susan declined the offer to get married and emigrated to America with her husband. In 1965, the now solo Rosemary Brown took part in a folk music competition at the Embassy Ballroom where she won first prize - a chance to record a demo tape. Tony Johnston, a headmaster and part-time promoter who sponsored the competition, took her under his wing while she undertook her GCE O-levels.

After gaining seven good grades in her exams, Rex Records (Decca) in Dublin received her demo and manager Michael Geoghegan signed her up. Her debut single was "Sixteen", written by Tony Johnston, while the B-side, "Little Girl Blue", was her own composition. It came out on 17 November 1967, but failed to take off, though local TV and radio began to show an interest in her. It was at this time that she adopted the professional name of "Dana", which had been her school nickname. Now studying A-level music and English, she became popular in Dublin's cabaret and folk clubs. Rex Records' Phil Mitton suggested she audition for the Irish National Song Contest, due to take place in February 1969 – a victory would see her compete in the Eurovision Song Contest in Spain on 29 March. With mixed feelings she made it through to the final in Dublin where she sang "Look Around" by Michael Reade (released as her fourth single). Shown live on Irish television, Dana came second.