Grandparents’ Faith Café to Welcome Guest Speaker Dana Scallon
DANA, and her husband Damien Scallon, wrote the beloved hymn “Lady of Knock”. As a schoolgirl in 1970, DANA became Ireland’s first winner of the famous Eurovision Song Contest. Her winning song, ”All Kinds of Everything” was a #1 hit throughout Europe and beyond, opening the door to a highly successful music and television career.
In the 1990s, Mother Angelica invited DANA to sing on her Eternal Word Television Network. Over the coming years, Dana hosted her own popular EWTN shows, “Say Yes”, ”We are One Body”, ”Back Stage” and “Dana and Friends”.
At the opening of the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver CO, DANA sang her self-composed theme song “We Are One Body”. She received a hug and congratulations from Pope Saint John Paul II, a memory she will always treasure. She would go on to sing this song for Pope Saint John Paul II, on six further occasions, as well as in the NY Yankee Stadium celebration, that welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to America. This song remains a youth- anthem throughout the world.
In 1997 and 2011, DANA was nominated as a candidate in the Irish Presidential elections, upholding Irelands’ Constitutional protection of Life and Family. In 1999, DANA was elected as a member of the European Parliament, where she continued this crucial work.
In 2004, she became the first woman to be awarded the highly acclaimed St. Benedict Award, in Subiaco, Italy, for outstanding work in defending Family and Life. She was honored to be personally congratulated by the then Cardinal Ratzinger. Dana was also presented with the ‘Highest Honor’ awarded by the International “Right to Life” Foundation.
In 2024, DANA was deeply honoured to be made a Dame of the Order of Saint Gregory, the highest Papal honour awarded to a lay person.
Dana and Damien live in Galway, Ireland. They married in 1978 and have been blessed with four children and eight grandchildren.
They founded their own music ministry; DS Music, to affirm Catholics in their faith. DS Music releases both Catholic music and prayer albums, such as The Rosary, Divine Mercy and The Stations of the Cross.
For further information on DANA please visit dsmusicstore.com