The little Northern Ireland town of Derry was founded in the sixth century when the great Irish saint Colmcille/Columba (521-597) built a Christian Monastery. This started the tradition of praising God. Music was also a large part of the culture of Derry. During the day and the night the air was full of old Irish folk songs. 

When Rosemary Brown (Dana’s birth name) was born, music and the love of God surrounded her in her family and in the Derry community. Her family taught her songs long before she knew the true meaning of the words. At six, she won her first competition at St. Columb’s Hall in Derry singing an Irish lullaby that she had learned from her grandmother. Dana’s parents taught their family that God was an essential part of life, and daily prayer was very important. Praying the Rosary together and attending Sunday Mass was a natural family event.

Dana remembers from a early age that God was real a person. "I recall the time I realized the significance of the Crucifixion. I was about seven or eight, attending the Good Friday celebrations. Behind the altar was a beautiful stained glass window depicting the Crucifixion, and as I knelt staring at it, I suddenly realized that this man had really died a terrible death for me. Tears were streaming down my face, but somehow it didn’t matter that people could see my crying. I felt heartbroken." 

One of Dana’s best friends who had a tremendous impact on her life was Sister Imelda, her music teacher. She helped teach Dana "faith is a gift from God and that our life was bought for us by the death of His Son. He only asks for our love in return - and our lives laid down for Him to bring His life to others."

As Dana became noticed for her voice and dancing talents in Europe, she felt the name "Rosemary Brown" was too long to use. After a number of suggestions, the name, "Dana" won as the favorite. The name, Dana is an old Gaelic word meaning "bold" or "mischievous." Later it was discovered that Dana was a queen of a ancient Irish tribe which had been dedicated to music, poetry, and dance. True to the name, Dana made her way into the world of television shows and record albums. In 1969, she was asked to represent Ireland by singing "Look Around" in the Eurovision Song Contest. She won second place. Dana thought that was her chance at making it big. At Christmas time of that year, she was asked to participate in the next competition in March of 1970. Upon accepting this invitation, little did Dana know what was about to occur.

The Eurovision Song Contest was to be on March 21, 1970. A nervous Dana, along with her mother, and grandmother received a blessing from the Bishop of Derry before their departure to Amsterdam. This was a big event and in those days winning EUROVISION carried with it enormous prestige within the music industry, not to mention the potential to sell millions of records. That same year Mary Hopkins sang the British entry and the fact that she recorded for APPLE, the record company owned by THE BEATLES, was well publicized. In addition to this competition, the Spanish entry was sung by Julio Iglesias. Dana was still in school and looked as if she had shown up to take part in a local Irish dancing contest and was completely at variance with the carefully preened competitors from the other leading countries. Against all odds this unknown girl from Derry sang “All Kinds Of Everything” with charm and panache. This unknown individual would was forever to be known as Dana, became the winner of the song contest. After a night of interviews from the press to see who this mystery winner was, Dana finally escaped the madness to go to Mass. The shock of fame hit Dana on her return trip home. Approximately 5,000 people where waiting at the airport to get a glance at their beloved new Irish singing sensation.

“All Kinds Of Everything” became a massive international hit, topping the chart in Great Britain and the Hit Parades throughout Europe for several weeks. The Eurovision song contest proved to be a major springboard to even greater success for the Irish songstress. ItHTTP/1.1 100 Continue opened up many new and exciting opportunities for Dana around Europe and eventually around the world.

In a short time Dana emerged as one of Britain’s most popular singing stars, clocking up record success with a string of hit singles, "Who Put The Lights Out," "Please Tell Him That I Said Hello," "It's Gonna Be A Cold Cold Christmas," "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again," "Something's Cooking In The Kitchen," "Fairytale," and albums such as, "All Kinds Of Everything," "The World Of Dana," "The Girl Is Back," "Have A Nice Day," "Love Songs and Fairytales," and "Everything is Beautiful." During this time she was voted "The Most Popular Girl On Television" by a top selling British television magazine.

Against the norm of the secular music industry, Dana made appearances on Christian programs for radio and television, even if it wasn’t the "in" thing to do. It was her soon-to be husband, Damien Scallon, who helped her get over the fear of Dana speaking in public about her faith. Damien had been "Baptized in the Holy Spirit" and was involved in the Charismatic renewal movement that had been established in the Church. As he told Dana about this renewal of faith, she was still not sure of God’s plan for her. It took a scare that she had cancer of her vocal cords before she knew her life must change, and she must take a stand for her faith. 

Dana and Damien were married on October 5, 1978. On their honeymoon, they wrote their first song together, "Praise the Lord." At the end of the 70’s, Dana was performing at Charismatic conferences. Dana and Damien found that their relationship as a couple began to grow as they wrote songs for Christ. In 1979 inspired by the Holy Father’s visit to Ireland, they wrote a song to Pope John Paul II’s motto " Totus Tuus…Totally Yours." In December of that year, the song hit the charts in Ireland and made it way to the number one spot. 

In the first weeks of January 1980, Dana’s song "Totus Tuus" was still at the number one slot in Ireland and won a silver disc for 25,000 sales. Now the whole idea of a Christian album was becoming possible. They found out in the summer of that year, that Dana was pregnant with their first child. They prayed everyday for the Lord would protect their child and for it to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Further record singles successes followed with "Dream Lover," "I Feel Love Coming On," "You Never Gave Me Your Love," "Little Things Mean A Lot," and albums such as, "If I Give My Heart To You," "Let There Be Light," " and "Dana’s Ireland." During this time, Dana had also had songs featured on many compilation Albums.

In November 1985, Dana broke new ground in her career when her first book, "Dana - An Autobiography," was published by Hodder & Stoughton.

Through a Charismatic Renewal conference in New Orleans, Dana made friends with Sister Bridge Mckenna, a internationally renown speaker on Healing, who in-turn introduced her the Father Harold Cohen. Father Cohen was producing a new religious television series and asked Dana to record some Christian music for him. Dana sang the theme song for "A Closer Walk" and appeared on the series performing two of her own songs. The American audience loved Dana. The show was shown on Eternal Word Television Network, a Catholic network that had just launched into a 24-hour time slot.

During Pope John Paul II's 1987 visit to the United States, Dana was invited to sing "Totus Tuus" at a Youth Rally held in the New Orleans Superdome. "About 80,000 young people gathered to meet him, and I had been allocated a whole half hour with them before his arrival to teach them my song and share my faith...Around the stadium the young people were on their feet, cheering and singing and there was a tremendous sense of unity and love. At last the Pope rose to give the final blessing and his closing word repeated the challenge to say yes to God, for only in laying down our lives for him, promised the Pope, would we find real freedom. Then suddenly I realized he was stepping down from his stage and coming to take my hand. It was a gesture of much grace and humility, and I was deeply moved."

At this time, Dana and Damien decided it was time to move to the United States. Dana’s sister, Susan had moved to the U.S. after her marriage to an American serviceman, and had been begging them to move for years. Damien was offered and accepted a job at EWTN. They also together joined Society for the Protection Of the Unborn Child (SPUC). "It's a cause close to our hearts, feeling as we do that children are a gift from God, as is life itself. We feel that society has a duty to defend its most defenseless member, the unborn, remembering always that there are two victims of abortion. My work gives me a platform from with I can voice the protest against this inhumanity to man, and although I am not a political person I an not afraid to use my position to oppose moral and spiritual violations of God's law."

In 1988, 1989, and 1991 Dana appeared in the Children's "Royal Variety Show," and became a headlining star of concerts, cabaret and pantomimes, culminating in a successful Christmas Season London West End run of ''Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs." UK Summer season, too, has played an important part in Dana's career and she has enjoyed success at major holiday centers throughout England.

The 90’s began with Dana recording music and performing at many conferences. 

In 1992 Dana recorded a television series "SAY YES" which was broadcast on EWTN.

Each program contained a specific topic of discussion such as family life, marriage, or vocation with musical guests. Those who have appeared on "Say Yes" include pianist, Kurt Kaiser; guitarist, Phil Keagy; singer/guitarist, Tony Melendez; Irish tenor, Mark Forrest; award winning, Bruce Carroll and many others.  The series did so well that Mother Angelica, foundress of EWTN, asked Dana to continue the series.

Dana’s biggest joy in her career was at World Youth Day ‘93 in Denver, CO. Dana was in charge of leading 120,000 young people sing to His Holiness, Pope John Paul II the theme song, "We Are One Body" which Dana wrote. Her performance was fed LIVE by satellite to millions in the United States and around the world.

The year 1995 opened with a nationwide concert tour of UK and Ireland. As Dana possesses one of the best-known faces in the country, it inevitably brings with it a host of promotional appearances for television and radio, plus a clutch of newspaper and magazine interviews. Under the stress of promotional appearances, Dana deals with each occurrence with poise and grace. Dana celebrated her silver anniversary of the Eurovision song contest win. Ireland hosted the 1995 contest and Dana, who has never understated her gratitude to the song contest for launching her career, did a television documentary, which celebrated her 25 years in the music industry.

When the Holy Father came to the Northeast United States in October 1995, Dana did a reprise of singing for him in Central Park along side Placido Domingo. Dana was also asked to sing at a Mass during that visit. During the same week, Dana had an engagement to sing for the President of the U.S. and then to England to sing for the Queen. 

1997 was an eventful year for Dana. She began taping a new series entitled "We Are One Body". During this taping she felt called to run for Ireland's presidency. Dana ran for Ireland's President, as a non-party candidate, relating traditional Christian values and morals. ''Some media intellectuals make fun of my candidacy, but I hope, in all humility, that the ordinary God-fearing people of Ireland will not,'' Dana said. ''I am for real.''
Dana was the clear winner in the debates with other candidates. She came in a strong 3rd in the election on Oct. 31st.

Dana served as the Irish representative to the European Parliament before losing reelection in 2004.