Album:

Band History

October '94 / UK Tour / First Gigs in Ireland UK tour continues, including the band's first gigs in Ireland. Maire Brennan (from Clannad) comes to the Dublin show.

November '94 / German/Dutch Tour German/Dutch tour (the band's first). Unfortunately Tim Harries is unavailable due to prior commitments with Steeleye Span so the bass spot on the tour is filled by Luca Genta. Luca is an Italian multi-instrumentalist living in Holland. Dave Bainbridge toured with Luca in a stage production of a musical presentation called 'The Passion' by Adrian Snell back in 1990.

Luca does a great job learning the set and also contributes whistle and recorder on a few tracks.

December '94 / Joanne Awarded 'Best Female Vocalist' German/Dutch tour continues.

Joanne is awarded the Classic Rock Appreciation Society's 'Best Female Vocalist' award for 1994.

A deal is completed with the 'Pony Canyon' label in Japan for distribution there of Iona's first three albums.

April '95 / German Newsletter The April newsletter is the first 'German translation' IONA newsletter to be distributed by our new German Friends of Iona, co-ordinator Andreas Scholz.

June '95 / Gigs in Belfast / Troy Joins Gigs in Belfast and at Glastonbury Festival (Avalon Stage) - premiering some of the 'Morn' material. A 'live' version of 'Heaven's Bright Sun' is recorded during Iona's Glastonbury appearance for an album entitled '25th Anniversary Avalon - Live'. The album was to celebrate 25 years of the Glastonbury festival and proceeds were to be donated to the 'Greenpeace' and 'Free Tibet' campaigns. However we are not sure whether it was ever released. Troy Donockley, who has guested on all the IONA albums and occasionally 'live', becomes a more permanent member, joining the band on tour for the first time.

July '95 / Lindisfarne Live Concert Live concert on Lindisfarne. The BBC film the band in concert on Lindisfarne Island in Northumberland. The event is broadcast a week later as part of a summer series called 'Routes and Rhythms'. This is the fulfillment of a dream as the island and its history have been very significant to the band from the beginning and are particularly relevant to the 'Journey Into The Morn' album. The concert includes the first 'live' performances of some of the 'Morn' pieces. Dave and Joanne are also interviewed on the programme by Caron Keating. The band perform in Rotherham for the Classic Rock Society. The recording part of 'Journey Into The Morn' is completed.

September '95 / David Fitzgerald Reunion The BBC has a great response to the 'Routes and Rhythms' programme on Lindisfarne. The band play two very contrasting gigs in the space of a few days; Bury St. Edmunds Cathedral and Cardiff University students union. At the Bury concert, IONA founder and former member David Fitzgerald does the opening set - playing material from his first solo album 'Columcille' accompanied by Tim Oliver (keys), Andrea Cockerton (vocals/keys) and Dave Bainbridge and Terl Bryant. It is a lovely reunion - the first time that the two Daves and Terl have played a concert together since David's departure from the band in 1992.

November '95 / Joanne Voted 3rd Best Vocalist Play at the 'Christmas Rock Festival' in Erlangen, Germany. Joanne and (former bassist) Nick Beggs both feature in a rock poll in a Latvian music paper! Jo is joint third in the best vocalist category (along with 4 others including Sting!), and Nick is joint second in the bass guitar section.

February '96 / Leeds Irish Centre Gig Re-scheduled UK gigs from December 1995. Highlight is the Leeds Irish Centre gig where 600 people attend and make for a great atmosphere.

March '96 / 'I will give my love an Apple' Recorded Recording of the traditional folk song 'I will give my love an Apple' for the Classic Rock Society's 'Unprogged' CD. Spoor 7 TV festival gig in Holland is broadcast simultaneously on the internet.