Saw Doctors manager to officially open As Anáil Mayo exhibition

A NEW exhibition, As Anáil - Out of Breath, by Derval Dunford, is opening at Westport Town Hall Theatre this Thursday (5.30 p.m.), during Westival, the Westport arts and music festival.

The breath-based interactive, audio-visual, bilingual exhibition is dedicated to Derval’s late brother John, her third brother to die from lung cancer.

Ollie Jennings, manager of The Saw Doctors, will be performing the official opening on Thursday evening, with some other special guests also popping along.

John Dunford recorded and co-produced the iconic Waterboys Fisherman’s Blues album and masterminded Sharon Shannon’s career.

As a breathwork teacher, Derval’s process of breath, nature and ink became a channel for her grief, and brought her enormous joy.

Inspired by John Moriarty and Manchán Magan, this fusion of mini guided breath practices, Irish titles, and ink images is a unique interoceptive experience of interconnection and peace.

As Anáil is a celebration of life and breath, and the fire and water theme is based on the late John Dunford’s energy. He had the fire inside to make big projects happen, and the water energy to allow them to find their own way, and flow.

John was a member of the De La Salle band who won the Castlebar International Song Contest in 1971. They toured the US the following year.

He went on to record and co-produce The Waterboys Fisherman's Blues album, masterminded Sharon Shannon's career, and worked with De Dannan and Clannad, among others.

Now the Dunford family have produced a debut album for John, featuring a range of talented musicians across the generations. One song features the whole family doing backing vocals, 'Big Strong Man' - John sings and plays the banjo in what was his family party piece. The song was originally recorded for an album made for brother Steve, who died in 2021.

As Anáil runs until November 12.