February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Last August, the lead singer for the Noel Henry Irish Show Band, suffered a brain aneurysm just a few days after giving birth to her first child, Owen, in Boston. Before she was even discharged from the hospital, she immediately had to undergo emergency brain surgery, followed by months of intensive medical and physical therapy in three different hospitals.
Today she is battling bravely to regain the use of her left side arm and leg, and goes for intensive physical therapy at an outpatient clinic. Her mother and mother-in-law have come out from Derry to help, and a number of friends in the Boston area are caring for Owen as Caroline slowly tries to resume full duties as a new mother, according to her friend Winnie Henry. Caroline’s husband, Eamon, also a Derry native, is on a temporary medical leave from his job at Gillette. He is working to remodel their house in Stoughton to make it wheelchair accessible and to install a first floor bathroom.
Doherty grew up in Derry, attending primary school, high school and the Northwest College of Technology. She toured the U.S. in the 1980s as part of the Long Tower Church Folk Group of Derry City. She immigrated to Boston in 1994, and joined the Noel Henry Band after Henry succumbed to bone cancer. She spent the next decade traveling the Irish-American circuit from Boston to Los Angeles, performing at concert halls and church centers, at festivals and on cruises, at weddings and funerals.
Larry Reynolds Jr., accordionist for the Noel Henry Band, says that his band mate needs the support of the Irish community now more than ever.
“Caroline’s had a tough year, and more than anything she wants to be able to care for Owen, who’s 8 months old now and a great, bubbly laddie,” Reynolds said. “She’s on physical therapy three days a week, and her left arm needs to be in a body harness to keep it in place. She has a long way to go.”
She’ll have help from around the county, as her friends in Cleveland and Boston have organized events to help raise funds for the family.
In Cleveland they’ve scheduled a concert this Saturday, April 23, at the St. Clarence Parish Center, at which the Noel Henry Band will fly in from Boston to perform. The event is being organized by Father Tom Flynn, a leader in the Irish community and a friend of the band for over 25 years. He has known Caroline since she joined the band in 1995, and was the celebrant at her wedding.
“Our hearts went out to Caroline when we heard the news,” Flynn said. “The band has always been popular here in Cleveland, and they usually stay at the rectory when they’re in town; it’s like their second home. We have people coming in from Pittsburgh and Columbus and other parts of the area.
“We hope to have 600 people at the event and expect many more will make contributions,” he said.
In Boston, an event is scheduled for Sunday, May 1, from 2-9 p.m. at Concannon’s Village in Norwood. The Noel Henry Band will perform, along with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, the Irish Express, Andy Healy and the Silver Spears. Local businesses have donated various raffle prizes, including plane tickets to Ireland, weekend getaways, sporting event tickets and other gifts to encourage people to donate.
“Caroline has been a special part of the band for the last 10 years,” said band leader Tommie Henry. “She so easy going, and really fit in well with us after Noel’s death. In fact, it was Noel who heard her sing at the Cape Codder when he was ill and asked that she be his replacement.”
Said Reynolds, “It’s a dire situation, but we need to keep optimistic. We were at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton last weekend, where a lot of people had seen Caroline at mass and assumed she was better. She really needs our help.”
For now, her many fans around the county are being encouraged to send donations for her recovery. They can send donations to The Caroline Doherty Roddy Benefit Fund, c/o Michael Gannon, at 135 Westwood Dr., Whitman, MA 2382 ([617] 462-0910). Donations over $250 can be sent to The Irish Foundation, c/o Tommie and Laurie Henry, 40 Lisa Ave., Plymouth, MA 02360 ([508] 747-5131).
For information on the Cleveland event, call (440) 835-8169. For information on the Boston event, call (508) 747-5131.