O'Flaherty holds benefit concert to help Keep Jasper Beautiful

Courtesy photo DANNY O'FLAHERTY will perform Saturday evening, Aug. 18, at the Woman's Civic Club. It's a benefit concert for Keep Jasper Beautiful, and a chance to hear a world reknown Irish folk singer.

Celtic balladeer Danny O'Flaherty will join forces with Keep Jasper Beautiful in a benefit concert Saturday evening, Aug. 18, at the Woman's Civic Club at 156 W. Milam St. in Jasper.

O'Flaherty literally blew into Jasper after Hurricane Katrina closed O'Flaherty's Irish Channel Pub in New Orleans in 2005.

"My wife is from Port Neches and her brother lived in Jasper before moving to Belton," O'Flaherty said.

"My brother-in-law kept his house here in Jasper and it was where we decided to move. My family and I had many different places we could have gone after the hurricane, but we decided to move close to family," O'Flaherty continued.

O'Flaherty travels the world to promote Celtic heritage through "the timeless songs of Galway fisherman and his own contemporary ballads," according to his website, www.dannyoflaherty.com.

O'Flaherty has performed on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and for The National Theater in Washington, DC; for President Ronald Reagan and for Pope John Paul II, at the University of Notre Dame, and for Celtic festivals around the globe.

O'Flaherty regularly performs for the Council for Exceptional Children, who adopted his cowritten song Every Child's a Star as their theme song.

"When I sing Every Child's a Star each year my emotions overwhelm me because I know that the kids behind me, even with their disabilities, are trying to make a difference," said O'Flaherty.

"I want to start with the children, to show them the importance of recycling. With a clean environment they have a positive image of their community. Trash gives a negative image to children," O'Flaherty said.

"Last week when I was in Ireland I was looking for a trash can and it took me awhile to find one. The people there are so used to keeping their trash to themselves, they do not need trash cans, except for selected areas."

O'Flaherty commented on how schools in Ireland make the children keep a 200 yard radius around the school trash free.

"As the schools began to make the children do this they began telling their parents about the school project. Then, they began picking up trash outside of school on their own time," O'Flaherty said.

Keep Jasper Beautiful is the non-profit group who sponsors litter control and recycling efforts throughout Jasper County. KJB is also working on the Arboretum, a beautification project along Sandy Creek in Jasper.

They hope the proceeds from this concert will help purchase a truck to be used to transport materials

that otherwise would clog our landfills to recycling centers outside

the county.

"Danny is a beautiful voice for his native land, but also a man concerned about our environment," said Patty Shaw, KJB coordinator.

KJB is looking for sponsors for the evening. They will receive program credit and tickets for their support.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Jasper Public Library, the Jasper Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce on Milam, or by calling Patty Shaw at 384- 6760. Doors open at 6 p.m. Aug. 18 and the concert begins at 7 p.m.