'I promised myself I would do something for Donegal Hospice after all they did for us'

Don Ponsonby has made a living out of music in Letterkenny and further afield and now he’s going to give something back.

On Monday, August 21, for Don’s 70th birthday, he’s asking for your presence and not your presents for a musical gathering at the Clanree Hotel in Letterkenny, with all donations on the night going to the Donegal Hospice. 

In 2012, his elder brother of one year, Paul, who was 60 and had undergone a triple heart bypass and was hoping against hope for a transplant, spent his final days at Donegal Hospice. Like many in similar suffering positions, Don was taken aback by the compassion and care both Paul and the family had received at the most difficult of times.

Don is about to turn 70 and there will be a significant gathering in Letterkenny on Monday, August 21, to celebrate the milestone.

“I've reached a significant birthday and I am delighted to be able to celebrate my 70th,” he posted this week. “ I welcome you all to attend my birthday bash. There will be various live bands playing a mixture of country and pop music. No presents - only your presence is required. However, any donation would be gratefully accepted towards the Donegal Hospice.” Don has a Revolut account and is welcoming any donations at all to 086-8744746. 

Don was a boy in an era when the transistor radio was sometimes the sole medium of entertainment piped in from outside, there was always a hum of music from the Ponsonbys in  Ros Suile, or as it’s more of than not known, ‘the Oldtown’ on the foot of Letterkenny. 

From a young age, he admits to being “obsessed” with music in general and The Beatles in specific, who had reached a frenzy of stardom. Frankie O’Donnell, a neighbour, lent the record player. One day, so infused were they having heard Eric Clapton on the radio, they thumbed their way to Strabane to see if they could buy a Cream album with great success. 

At home, Don spent his short-trousered years with music in his veins too, with his musical father Terry and big brother Ted. Don watched on as the likes of his cousin Eamon and Brendan Duffy drummed and spent days in the car going to marquees to hear live music. 

At 11, Don, who had been a pupil at the then-mixed Scoil Muire Gan Smál before the christening of Schoil Chomcille, was drumming for the Denver Showand, alongside his brother Ted, who played guitar and keyboard, aunt Ina Walsh on fiddle and banjo and cousins Billy Walsh on guitar and Patricia Walsh, who sang then and would later play bass guitar. 

“I was never formally educated in secondary school,” Don says. “We just played music and that was all we knew. We played all the pop music at the time and in those days doing covers wasn’t always that easy. 

“The Beatles, I remember, released ‘Hello, Goodbye’ in 1967  and we managed to play it on stage in the Fiesta Ballroom, Letterkenny that very same night we heard the song. We learned it from listening to a transistor radio. Everything was a learning curve and it was a lot of fun.”

With acclaimed guitarist Percy Robinson coming on board and others coming and going their spirit stayed the same, even if the band shortened their title to The Rascals in 1973. Don recalls many miles were covered in a cramped van, whether it be to the Highlands of Scotland, Glasgow, Birmingham or London, and closer to home as well.

When that fizzled out - the name of the band was eventually sold on -  Don filled with Killea native Paul Curran and his sister Jackie, remembering a “make it up as you go” first night or two, and also was part of a band called Stray with Sean Sweeney, John Byrne and George Kelly, although nights began to clash with other gigs.

These days, Don is perhaps best known as being part of the Mindbenders, who are 30 years performing this year, initially alongside Diarmaid O’Kane, Paul Curran on bass and vocals, and Gerry Coyle on guitar and vocals. Ally Skeggs played keyboards and was, on departure, replaced by Paul’s son Lee. They’re still on the go, performing at the Quay’s in Galway only last week on Galway Race Week. 

Days were long and nights were longer, though, and it wasn’t always a stage life. Don worked some 23 years in Unifi and as a driving instructor for Swilly Drive, when he realised that it was impossible to continue juggling both, he decided to pack in the day job such was his love for music.

That love will be evident at the Clanree next week, with the show kicking off at 8pm “and not running too late as it’s a Monday night!”. The Mindbenders will be joined by Mark Black, Paul Kelly and Martin Orr for starters. Donations on the night will be gratefully accepted for Donegal Hospice and a raffle will also take place. 

“When Paul was in the Hospice the treatment he received was first class, as was the way the family were treated,” Don adds. “I’m sure others have had similar experiences and from the day I left it after Paul passed, I promised myself I would do something for Donegal Hospice after all they did for us, so let’s hope it’s a good night on Monday.”