PALACE PLAYERS READY FOR WEEKEND RUN WITH ‘THE WEIR’

The stage is set, the props are in place and all is in readiness for the Palace Players’ opening night of ‘The Weir’ by Conor McPherson on this Friday night at The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth at 8.15pm.

Here is a play that at times will make you want to howl with laughter but don’t be fooled, you will also be challenged to hold the tears back.

Set in a country pub run by Brendan (Dermot Rohan), regulars Jack (Sean Ahern) and Jim (John Murphy) are joined on a rare visit by auctioneer, Finbar Mac (James Lenane) ‘who owns half the town’ and Valerie (Noelle Clarke), a woman from Dublin to whom Finbar has rented a nearby cottage.

Ghost stories are swopped by the lads to entertain Valerie but the tables are soon turned. ‘The Weir’ will run for three nights on this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, (Jan 30, 31 and Feb 1). Tickets (€12.50/10) from The Avondhu office, Fermoy (025-32227), Hyland’s Bookshop, Mitchelstown (025-24528), Cotter’s Bar, Kilworth (025-27109) and from 087-6492514.

SPECIAL CONSENSUS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY

Super Bluegrass group, Special Consensus from the U.S., pay a very welcome return visit to The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth next Monday and Tuesday night.

One of the most popular bands to play the Kilworth venue, bluegrass promoter, John Nyhan says booking has been very busy with many fans booking both nights.

You can book from John on 087-7921771, from the usual outlets or from 087-6492514.

ARDPATRICK PLAY A GREAT LAUGH!

The Hillside Players comedy, ‘Mother Knows Best’ opened in the local community centre on Thursday night of last week. A fine crowd that battled bad weather and braved the elements enjoyed this laugh a minute Jimmy Keary play. Attendances built up over the weekend with full house signs up every night.

The play is set for a great run judging by comments of patrons that attended last weekend. It is a clever piece of writing, an interesting storyline, lovely set and bags of humour.

The play is directed by Brendan Murphy and the strong ten member cast is very experienced and happy to perform. Many of the cast have been here from day one and this is the group’s 16th year producing so many brilliant plays.

The 3-act comedy is set in the McDermott house and is centred on the character Tess McDermott. She is a domineering mother and wife, and a devious individual. Sometimes her schemes work and sometimes they don’t.

Tess tries to set daughter Suzy up with her friend’s son Adrian Bird, a snooty business type, but Suzy has other ideas and has her sights set on an old flame, Nick who, along with his workmate Joe, are decorating the house. Tess does anything she can to break these two up and we see what she’s capable of halfway through. While this is going on, other strange and ludicrous stuff happens under the one roof and is set for great viewing.

The cast are: Annette Crowley, Tom Murphy, Paul Sheehy, Gareth Beechinor, Joe Cusack, Catherine O’Sullivan, Helen O’Sullivan, Hannah Goggin, Nan Fenton, Lorraine O’Connell and director Brendan Murphy. The play continues from Thursday 29 to Sunday, February 1 with curtain each night at 8pm sharp.

Booking, (Wednesday to Sunday) 5–7.30pm to guarantee a seat on (087) 7655771, is advisable. A raffle will be held each night with complimentary refreshments upstairs later on. For more information go to www.ardpatrick.net.

BROADWAY HITS TALLOW WITH ‘SHOWTIME’

The music theatre critic, Joey Carell (Hans van den Bos) takes you on a musical journey through scenes and highlights from the greatest Broadway shows of the 20th. century, amongst others: ‘South Pacific’, ‘West Side Story’, ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.

Also the immortal songs of Gershwin and Cole Porter, like: ‘Someone To Watch Over Me’, ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ and ‘Unforgettable’. The whole show is conceived by Hilary Reynolds and Hans van den Bos and contains spectacular sound and lighting effects.

It is on for one night only in the Tallow Community Centre, Co Waterford on Saturday, 7th February, 2009 at 8.15pm. Tickets (€17.50, concessions €10) are available at Spar, Centra and Daybreak on the Main Street and in the Enterprise Centre on West Street in Tallow or, on the night, at the door.

Ticket includes refreshments – wine and minerals, served at the interval. For reservations and enquiries, please do not hesitate to call Hilary on 087-7924105.

RENOWNED PIPER PADDY KEENAN FOR KILWORTH

Paddy Keenan was born into a travelling family and both his father and grandfather were uillean pipers. Paddy himself took up the pipes at the age of ten, playing his first major concert at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, when he was 14. At 17, having fallen in love with the blues, Paddy left Ireland for England and Europe, where he played blues and rock. Returning to Ireland after a few years, he began playing around Dublin with singer/keyboardist Triona Ni Dhomhnaill and singer/guitarist Micheal O Dhomhnaill.

Fiddler Paddy Glackin then joined the three, and they asked flute player Matt Molloy to play with them shortly thereafter. Next accordion player Tony MacMahon joined the group, and then guitarist Donal Lunny was asked to listen to the six. Liking what he heard, he joined as well, and the loosely-knit band began calling itself ‘Seachtar’, the Irish word for ‘seven’.

Eventually, following a number of changes in personnel, The Bothy Band was born, taking the country by storm in the 1970s.Those fortunate enough to have seen the band live have never forgotten the impression they made. Bothy Band-mate Donal Lunny once described Paddy as ‘the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes’.

Paddy will be joined in Kilworth on Monday, February 9 by Sliabh Notes member, Tommy O’Sullivan who was born in London into a family with their roots deep in the heart of the West Kerry Gaeltacht.

A keen singer, he moved with his family back to West Kerry in 1972. Ten years later, with Ireland in deep recession, Tommy again moved to London. There, amongst the swell of a wave of Irish immigration, he found himself engulfed in a stream of traditional music from all over Ireland.

In 1993, he released his acclaimed debut album ‘Legacy’. Shortly after, Matt Cranitch, Tommy and ‘4 Men and a Dog’ box player Donal Murphy, formed ‘Sliabh Notes’ and they are still together today. See Paddy and Tommy on Monday, Feb 9 in Kilworth.

ANTICIPATING A MIGHTY NIGHT OF CRAIC WITH JON KENNY

The anticipation in a theatre before a Jon Kenny show is palpable - all wondering what antics he is going to get up to. And with Jon Kenny, you really never know. On his last visit, he recalled when Buckley, the local builder, built the ‘extension’.

In Kenny’s eyes, this was the original building boom in Ireland, when people all over the country had the back kitchen built - and all it took for Buckley when it came to costing the job was a butt of a pencil from behind the ear, a few steps to measure it up, and before you knew it, your new back kitchen was on the way.

There’s no one better than Jon Kenny to portray the Irish character and I, for one, will be hoping he gives us another chance to hear all about Buckley the builder when he takes to the stage in Kilworth on Sunday, February 15.

Tickets are going fast so book today on 025-32227 or 087-6492514.