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 Due to unprecedented demand, based on last year’s very successful “Ageing Thurles Tea Dance,“ this event will see a welcome return once again to the Anner Hotel here in Thurles, Co Tipperary in May 2014. So do come along and celebrate the Bealtaine Festival with us on Wednesday, May 7th, from 2.00p.m. – 5.00 p.m.
(Click on Poster Image left for greater magnification.)
Yes there will be singing, dancing and storytelling; indeed an afternoon of fine entertainment is promised and we welcome the return of musical maestros Mr Dan Taylor and Mr Liam Fanning.
The event is presented by “Successful Ageing Thurles” and is entirely free. Refreshments will be provided and transport can be arranged. To find out more why not contact Ann Marie Brophy at Thurles Library Tel: 0504-29720.
“Successful Ageing Thurles” is committed to promoting the positive aspects of ageing and fully support the Bealtaine Festival, which celebrates creativity as we age. They also organise a week-long programme of events for Positive Ageing Week.
The “Successful Ageing Thurles” committee consists of Garda Chris Verling, Cllr Evelyn Nevin, Mr Michael Wright (Home Instead Senior Care), Ann Marie Brophy (Thurles Library), Catherine Hayes (Golden Years Care Centre), Bob Maher (Society of St Vincent de Paul), Nancy Tynan (Active Retirement) and Rev Fr Pat Coffey.
  
 Photo courtesy J.O’Loughlin. John Enright, Chairman of the Thurles Sarsfields Organising Committee reports:
The third Thurles Sarsfields International Hurling Festival, to be held on Munster hurling final week-end, July 12th and 13th, was officially launched by the Minister of State for Sport and Tourism, Alan Kelly TD at Sarsfields Social Centre, Thurles, on Friday night May 31st last.
Camogie Teams
Glamour has been added to the Tipperary International Hurling Festival with the addition of eight Camogie teams competing for the Helen O’Mara Cup donated by the Thurles Camogie Club in memory of Helen. Helen was a dedicated camogie player from Kilkenny who was club treasurer for many years and a long serving committee member. It is indeed fitting therefore, that our first ever camogie tournament is honoured by her name.
The competing teams are – Indianapolis USA, Na Piarsaig Cork, Kildangan and Roscrea Tipperary, Patrickswell Limerick, Lixnaw Kerry, Feakle/Broadford Clare, and Portlaw Waterford. All are very welcome.
The games will be played in the grounds of St Patrick’s Third level College of Education Thurles, by kind permission of Very Rev Tom Fogarty, College President.
The Cork Connection
There is nearly always a Cork presence in Thurles on Munster Final weekend. Combined with our festival there is great representation, hurling from Kilbrin, home of current Cork Senior star William Egan, and former Cork hurler Jack Field. It will be a Cork take over on Friday night with the road bowling. Saturday will see the biggest GAA club in the North city side, Na Piarsaig, playing Camogie, and as always expecting to win.
North Kerry Hurling
Hurling is endemic in North Kerry. We had Kilmoyley last year who were in hard luck not to take the title, this year we have Ballyduff and Causeway for the Tom Semple Cup and Lixnaw for the Camogie. A Kerry presence on Munster Final Weekend very much adds to the occasion.
Mayo In Force
Hurling Officer, Adrian Hessian, loves his hurling and is bringing two teams from Mayo, Tureen, current Carew Cup Holders, and Castlebar who are trained by Gerry Lane (Noel’s brother) who caused Tipp many headaches in the eighties. Westport are the Michael Cusack Cup Road Bowling holders. There is a strong Mayo presence in Thurles, John Moroney’s wife Maureen is a great Mayo woman and Ger O’Hagen is current Chairman of Thurles Sarsfields Ladies football. It was his home club that sold hurleys to Toureen in the fifties to start hurling in that parish.
The Dub’s Are Coming
Under Kevin Broderick, Raheeney Hurling Club are making history, they are coming to Thurles for the first time for our Munster Final weekend festival. They will join Setanta, the all Irish speaking team, for an assault on the Tom Semple Cup. They are both in serious training for the competition and both expect to win.
The Social Side
With twenty four hurling and Camogie teams from all over, the scene is set for a very pleasant weekend. We are also expecting Thurles people from home and abroad to gather in numbers to be part of the Thurles Sarsfields “Gathering weekend.” There will be a great mix of people from the four provinces, The USA, Great Brittan and our own Diaspora.
The Monks are playing in Sarsfield’s Social Centre on Friday night and Silver Dollar is centre stage on Saturday night. The Sarsfields pubs in town are putting on musical entertainment that will be appropriate for the occasion. A friendly mix of hurling, camogie, camán abú and road bowling will be on display. All are welcome to our Festival which promises great entertainment and above all a great sporting weekend.
So Camán Home for the Hurling.
Opera d’Arte – With Special Guests Phoenix Productions.
Experience all the passions of Opera in one spectacular production.
Opera d’Arte comes to the Source Arts Centre Thurles for one night only, following standing ovations at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, UCH Limerick and Cork Opera House last year.
Opera d’Arte presents a diverse programme of musical masterpieces including selections from La Traviata, Carmen, Cosi Fan Tutte, Die Fledermaus, La bohème, Turandot and The Barber of Seville.
The Production Features A Stellar Line Up Of Some Of Ireland’s Favourite Singers:-
Sandra Oman, Soprano (Opera Ireland, Co-Opera, Opera Holland Park).
Deirdre Masterson, Mezzo-Soprano (Opera Ireland, Wexford Festival Opera, Lyric Opera), Eugene Ginty, Tenor, (Opera Ireland, ENO, Scottish Opera).
Owen Gilhooly, Baritone (Opera Ireland, OTC, Royal Opera House).
Musical Director, David Wray is well known to audiences here in Thurles through his work with Phoenix Productions. For this performance, members of Phoenix Productions will join the principal cast to sing some of the great opera choruses. This is the perfect evening out for both opera buff and opera novice alike!
Date: Saturday 9th March 8.00pm. Tickets: €24 / €22 Concession.
Why not make a night of it and come early to enjoy a meal or bar bites at The Source Café from 7.00pm? Ring Matt Tel: 0504-58858 for more details. The Source Bar will be open from 7.00pm.
For bookings go to www.thesourceartscentre.ie or ring the Box Office on Tel: 0504-90204.
 ESB Electric Ireland 2011 Feis Ceoil Congratulations to the Ursuline Secondary School,Thurles, Co Tipperary on achieving 2nd place in the coveted ‘Alice Yoakley Quirk Cup ‘ at the ESB Electric Ireland 2011 Feis Ceoil.
The School was just narrowly pipped to the post by the Belvedere College Choir who took 1st place this year.
Feis Ceoil was set up in 1896, by the chief representatives of music activity in Ireland under the guidance of Dr. Annie Patterson, to counteract the neglect of music development in this country. Feis Ceoil Association strives to promote excellence in the learning and performance of music across all ages, levels and disciplines. They run an annual festival before Easter each year in Dublin, which comprises almost 200 competitions, attracting over 4,000 participants from all over the island of Ireland. They also run non-competitive events and concerts throughout the rest of the year.
Feis Ceoil occupies a unique position in Irish life. It is an essential element in the musical infrastructure of the country and has made an immeasurable contribution to the study and cultivation of music at all levels in Ireland.
The Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles, has a long tradition of Music in the School and their Music Department has grown and developed over the years, to meet the individual needs of each student. Students have a wide range of instruments to choose from and because the standard of instrumental music is very high, they have recently invested in a Grand Piano.
Tuition is also available in the following instruments:
Strings:- Violin, Viola, Cello, Harp, Guitar and Double Bass.
Wind:- Oboe, Flute, Bassoon, Saxophone and Clarinet.
Percussion:– Timpani, Cymbals, Wood Block and Triangle.
Brass:– Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn and Tuba
To the students and teaching staff at the Ursuline School, go the towns heartiest congratulations and wishes for continued success.
 Jonathan Gleeson as Bill Snibson & Michelle O'Connell as Sally Smith in 'Me and My Girl,' Premier Hall, Thurles from Tuesday April 12th - 16th inc. (Photo G.Willoughby) This morning Thurles Musical Societies PRO and well known Tipperary Star reporter Mr Noel Dundon takes us ‘behind the curtain ‘ to report on the Societies latest production – the hit West End show ‘Me and My Girl.’
This wonderful toe tapping show, in conjunction with the Anner Hotel, runs in the Premier Hall, here in Thurles from Tuesday April 12th – 16th and marks the 60 anniversary of the Society’s first performance back in 1951 – The Yeomen of the Guard.
This is the first time that T.M.S. has embarked upon this musical, with book and lyrics by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose and music by Noel Gay.
The Musical ‘Scene ‘ is set in the late 1930’s in the locations of Hampshire, Mayfair, and Lambeth.
The musical had a most successful original run in the West End in 1937 and very successful revivals in both London and New York in the 1980s. The show stopper, “The Lambeth Walk,” was the subject of a news story in The Times of October 1938 with the headline: “While dictators rage and statesmen talk, all Europe dances — to The Lambeth Walk.”
Indeed, while the Lambeth Walk might well be the main musical number from this light, entertaining show, others are equally as well known and include – Leaning on a Lamppost, The Family Solicitor, The Sun Has Got His Hat On, Once You lose Your Heart and Love Makes the World Go Round, to mention just a few.
Thurles welcomes Tralee native and Rose of Tralee Festival Director, Mr Oliver Hurley as Director of this show – his first venture with T.M.S., although he has a wealth of experience with other musical theatre groups throughout Munster. Oliver is joined in production by pianist Mary Rose McNally as Musical Director, Mary Butler as Assistant to Director, and Trisha McElgunn who takes on the roll as the companies Dance Captain. Tommy Sweeney and Rita Loughnane complete the production team as Stage Manager and Stage Director, while Eidin Sweeney is Costume Mistress. Lighting will be by Gerry Taylor with Star Systems undertaking sound and video production.
The Tale Behind The Musical
It’s 1937 and the Earl of Hareford has died leaving no apparent heir. The family members have gathered, eagerly waiting to hear how the estate will be split. However the family solicitor, Parchester (Geraint Fyler), announces that he has tracked down an heir to both the family fortune and the family seat of Hareford Hall. The unlikely beneficiary is one Bill Snibson (Jonathan Gleeson), a barrow boy from Lambeth.
Maria, Duchess of Dene (Maria McElgunn), decides to turn Bill into a gentleman worthy of the Hareford name, despite the advice of Sir John Tremayne (Brendan Bailey) to simply pay him off. She also tries to get him to marry Lady Jaqueline (Cathy Keane), who is so eager for money and the title, that she breaks off her engagement to the Hon. Gerald Bolingbroke (John Butler). Despite Lady Jaqueline’s advances, Bill is determined to marry his sweetheart from Lambeth, Sally Smith (Michelle O’Connell).
Sally does not want to ruin Bill’s chances and tries to convince Bill that he is too good for her, despite loving him deeply. She even resorts to gatecrashing his party with a group of raucous Lambeth locals. However, everyone joins in and does The Lambeth Walk.
Despite having won over Sir John, Sally decides to leave Hareford and return to Lambeth. After drowning their sorrows, Bill and Sir John hatch separate plans to bring her back. Bill travels to Lambeth to find her but returns empty handed as Sir John has packed her off to a certain speech professor he knows!
The Duchess decides to throw another party but Bill is not in the mood. The Duchess begins to realise how much Sally means to him and, in a reflective mood, accepts Sir John’s proposal of marriage. Jaqueline also recognises her folly and returns to Gerald. With the party in full swing, Sally makes a second uninvited entrance and, displaying her new-found elegance, shows she is a suitable wife for an Earl.
Nothing like a happy ending to lift a little of the woes we are currently going through. Other notable parts are Lord and Lady Battersby ( Pat Hayes and Breda Byrne), Bob Barkin (Finbarr Shelly), Major Domo (Barry Cagney), Constable (Gary Dempsey), Maids (Katie Lawless and Joan Farrell), Charles (Barry Derby) and Lord Jasper (Brian Gleeson).
The opening night of the show is being run as a Charity Night in conjunction with Thurles Lions Club, with the proceeds going towards the Club’s 2011 nominated charity, namely the Order of Malta Building Fund.
Tickets for this special show cost €20 and include a cheese and wine reception along with a number of other surprises.
For the remaining nights, tickets cost just €15 and €12 for adults in the balcony and downstairs; and €10 and €8 concessions for children.
Other concessions are also available by contacting:
Booking Office in Hickey’s Pharmacy in Liberty Square, Thurles, Tel: 0504- 21423. Get in there and book now folks, to be sure of a guaranteed seat and a most enjoyable night out.
Note Your Calender: Show runs Premier Hall, Thurles from Tuesday April 12th – 16th inc.
Thurles.Info, on behalf of Co Tipperary residents everywhere, would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Thurles Musical Society for not just giving us 60 wonderful years of top quality entertainment, but also for their huge achievements in fostering the love of music and stage craft, down through the years here in the Cathedral Town.
Happy Birthday ‘Thurles Musical Society’ and here’s to 60 more successful and enjoyable years .
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