Music « Thurles Information

Phoenix Productions – Come Listen To “The Music Of The Night” In Thurles

Phoenix Productions are this year celebrating their 15th Birthday. Founded initially in 1998 to harness the unbelievable vocal & musical talent emerging amongst the youth of Thurles, this non-profit organization, through the use of professionals in choreography & musical direction, have succeeded in staging one musical production every year since its conception.

Funded only by the sale of tickets, an Arts Council Grant latter administered by Tipperary North County Council and local sponsorship, the Phoenix Productions company will this year undertake its most tasking production yet, the tragic love story that is the 1986 musical “The Phantom of the Opera,” with music by Tipperary resident Baron Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart. (Some lyrics influenced by Jim Steinman, Alan Jay Lerner & Richard Stilgoe.)

Just this year the rights to perform “The Phantom of the Opera” were released to non-professional groups for the very first time.

To give you just a taste of what is to come, listen to the gifted voices of Michael Ball and Sierra Boggess, as they perform possibly one of the best known and loved songs from this amazing musical, hereunder entitled “All I ask of you.” By the way, on Piano for this video performance is composer and impresario of musical theatre, himself, Baron Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Thurles Cast:

Sonny Dwyer (Phantom Erik,); Lucy Tobin (Christine Daaé,); Paul Browne (Raoul, Viscount de Chagny,); Róisín Heenan (Carlotta Giudicelli,); Andrew Whelan (Monsieur Firmin,); Ryan Grace (Monsieur André ), Stephanie Browne (Madame Giry ), Graham Maher (Ubaldo Piangi ), Emily Murphy (Meg Giry ) and Nathan Carroll (Joseph Buquet ).

Corps de Ballet:

Emily Murphy, Aoife Phelan, Irene Slattery, Ann Marie O’ Dwyer, Annie Blake and Billie Kelly.

Production Team:

Gerard O’ Brien (Producer,); Aisling Doyle (Director/Choreographer,); David Wray (Musical Director,); John O’ Donoghue (Set Design,) and Gerry Taylor (Lighting Design,).

Tickets: Cost €15, €20, Concession: €12 (Tickets will go on Sale on July 27th next at West Gate, Thurles, in the shop formally occupied by ‘Blake’s Butchers,’ and more recently ‘Rings and Things.’).

This is one show for music lovers which should not to be missed, so do make arrangements to view the splendour of a Paris Opera House here in the Premier Hall, Thurles and meet face to face a Phantom, shamed by his physical appearance and feared by all. But also experience the strong passion that this Phantom holds for his beautiful protégée Christine Daaé, that despite this physical affliction, even her heart cannot resist.

So “No more talk of darkness,” folks and for at least one night, do come listen to “The music of the night,” here in Thurles, running from August 7th to August 10th 2013.

Wolfe Tones To Headline The Thurles Ryan Gathering This August

Yes it’s been confirmed, Ireland’s greatest story tellers “The Wolfe Tones,” are to headline the Ryan Gathering here in Thurles in August.

Arguably the World’s most popular folk and ballad group ever, The Wolfe Tones will be appearing live in the home of the GAA, at The Factory Nightclub, in Hayes Hotel, Liberty Square, Thurles on Sunday August 25th next.

The Wolfe Tones

Regular visitors to Tipperary & currently celebrating over 49 years on the road, these legendary Dublin balladeers continue to be one of Ireland’s biggest box office attractions, having sold out all prestigious venues, during the past year right across Ireland, the UK, Mainland Europe and the U.S.A.

With the launch of their ‘Child of Destiny,’ Limited Edition DVD / CD’, featuring 17 tracks, 12 of which are brand new compositions from the pen of prolific Wolfe Tones songwriter, Brian Warfield, after 49 years, The Wolfe Tones continue to be the most creative folk group of all time.

The Wolfe Tones have been cheered and applauded wherever they have stopped to perform, whether it has been in Dublin, in the austere Royal Albert Hall in London, in the plush and famous old Olympia in Paris, at the open air folk festivals in Brittany, or in any number of concert halls throughout Germany, Sweden, Holland, Norway and Denmark.

Those of us who have travelled far and wide to see The Tones can tell you that they’re getting better all the time. Fame, throughout the years, has made them perhaps a little plumper and a little better dressed, but they still sing the best songs in the business.

I promise you that this live concert will be a sell out so, to avoid disappointment on the night, get your Tickets from The Source Box Office Tel 0504-90204 or from Hayes Hotel Tel 0504-22122 here in Thurles ASAP.

Eurovision Singer Appears In A Tipperary Court

Former Eurovision singer Mr Chris Doran, who represented Ireland unsuccessfully in the Eurovision Song Contest in Turkey in 2004, was one of seven men and one woman brought before a special sitting of Carrick-on-Suir district court, following a row in Sean Kelly Square shortly after 9.00am in the town on Friday morning last.

The eight accused were named as Bernard Cawley, Woodvale Walk, Fethard, Co Tipperary; Michael Sweeney (Snr) and Michael Sweeney (Jnr), Elm Park, Clonmel Co Tipperary; John Paul and Thomas McCarthy, Pinewood Drive, Clonmel, Co Tipperary; Chris Doran, Tramore, Co Waterford; Lee Ahern, Heywood Close, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and Addey Ahern, Pinewood Drive, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

All eight individuals face one charge each of violence or threatening to use violence & were granted free legal aid by Judge Kevin Staunton, having been remanded on their own bond of €500 each. All have been ordered to appear in court again on July 4th next.

Of the eight accused, seven have addresses in Clonmel & Fethard in County Tipperary and one has an address in Tramore, Co Waterford.

Chris Doran, who won the ‘You’re A Star,‘ competition featured on RTE in 2004 and who represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul that same year with a song written by Westlife’s Brian McFadden, entitled “If My World Stopped Turning,” has been ordered to reside at his own apartment in Tramore and to observe bail conditions including a strict curfew between the hours of 11.00pm & 7.00am nightly.

Subject to a file being prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the court heard that other charges may be pursued in relation to this same incident.

Commander Chris Hadfield Arrives Back To Earth

Over preceding months here on Thurles.Info we have continued to inform our readers when the International Space Station (ISS) was passing over Ireland

Canadian Astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield, whose beautiful 26 year old daughter, Kristin, presently attends Trinity College, Dublin, has bid farewell to the International Space Station, by making a cover version of David Bowie’s Space Oddity & posting numerous photographs, taken from space, of Ireland, as his successful five-month mission comes to an end.

Commander Hadfield, NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn and Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko boarded their Soyuz capsule and undocked from the station at 7:08 p.m. for a planned landing on the Central Asian steppes of Kazakhstan at 10:31 p.m.

We wish you a safe landing & welcome home Commander.

Arch Bar Thurles – Paddy’s Day Marathon Irish Music Session

Eamon O’Dwyer & recording artist Nora Fogarty

The St. Patrick’s Day festival weekend is in full swing here in Thurles, with many events taking place in the Cathedral town. With our major colourful parade taking place on Bank Holiday Monday March 18th, many of you will be wondering where the best entertainment and ‘craic’ is to be found on this St. Paddy’s day, March 17th.

Look no further than The Arch Bar, (Pat Hayes) Liberty Square, here in the centre of town, where a marathon 12 hour Traditional Irish Music Session is taking place, beginning at 12.30pm until 12.30am. Amongst the many artists who will be dropping in over this 12 hour session is top recording artist Nora Fogarty. Here is a song from her album, “One Star Awake” called Caledonia.

To play the song, please click the play button on the right hand side below.[audio:http://www.thurles.info/music/norafogartytrack12.mp3|titles=Caledonia|artists=Nora Fogarty]

This song is for Katie & company in Australia, Maureen, Eileen, Patrick & family (Loughmore connection) in the USA and all the many other ex-pats who are regular daily readers of Thurles.Info and to whom we wish a very special Happy St. Patrick’s day.

The event is being hosted in aid of North Tipperary Hospice/Suir Haven, the Thurles Cancer community based counselling support centre, located on Clongour Road, (Tel: 0504 21197) here in the town. Admission to this marathon Traditional Irish Music session is totally free, but if you would like to drop your loose change into the collection boxes strategically placed around the venue, your donation, however small, will be greatly appreciated.

Do remember this latter counselling support centre, whether one is living with cancer or affected by it, including family, carers and friends, offers emotional support, practical help and information in a safe, positive and confidential environment, free of charge.

If you are a Musician, a Performer or a Singer and you would like to showcase your particular talent why not celebrate St.Patrick by giving a performance of your particular God given talent, at what promises to be a major community event.

Eamon O’Dwyer of TippFM Radio‘s weekly popular specialist programme “Down Your Way,” will be calling in during the event, to chat and record some live music, by those performing.

To all readers & contributors to Thurles Information – A Very Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all.