Don Baker plays Birr benefit concert tomorrow

Don Baker comes to Birr tomorrow night (Saturday, May 23,) to play a benefit concert to help Offaly volunteers raise funds for a charity trip to Haiti. Four local men, including the prominent business-man Stephen Grant, are raising money to travel to the hurricane-torn island next October along with a newly-established charity Haven, and they"re hoping that plenty of locals will turn up tomorrow night to see one of Ireland"s best-loved blues musicians take to the stage. All proceeds raised will go towards their trip. Don became a reality star last summer when he took part in Failte Towers, the RTÉ reality show that had celebrities running a fully-functioning hotel that tried to please genuine guests. The Don proved extremely popular and raised thousands for his chosen charity. Now he"s helping out Haven and the four Offaly men. Expect a gig made up of traditional folk songs and slightly new age contemporary material from the deep-voiced acoustic guitar and harmonica player. Baker"s blues background is never too far away and he"ll be playing many songs from his albums Almost Illegal, Miss You and Rain on the Wind. Stephen Grant, from Grant Engineering along with his son-in-law John Paul Manning and two work colleagues, Peter Darcy and Keith Scully have signed up to be part of Haven"s first Build-it-Week which will take place at Halloween this year in a rural part of north-eastern Haiti. Each of the four has to raise €4,000 in order to make the trip to Haiti and are hoping that the people of Offaly will support them by attending the Don Baker Concert. The gig kicks off at 9pm in Dooley"s Hotel. Tickets are €20.