How to build something great...

Dear Reader –

December is here, and with it a flurry of exciting and original work to tell you about. New songs, books and shows - all in today’s letter.

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Do your future self a favour - when January rolls around you’ll be glad you booked these tickets!

Theme Night #31 - Stories in Song.

Thurs-Sat shows are sold out but we have added an extra date due to popular demand - Wed 18th Jan 2023.

Tickets on sale tomorrow (Wed) at 10am here.

Where else but Sligo?

There are so many things to admire about what Coolera Dramatic Society have done over the years. It’s such a good example of how to build something great.

• This is their 42nd pantomime in 44 years - the recent pandemic being the only reason for it not being 44 in a row. They do 16 shows and could do more given its popularity. And there is no slacking - each show is as good as the night before. It’s an amateur production in name only.

• Longevity like this doesn’t come without a big commitment from a large group of people. But it is a great example of what can be done when that does come about.

• The panto has given an opportunity to perform to so many young talented people in Sligo over the years. Acting, singing, dancing - it has it all, and a large number of local people of all ages have cut their teeth in it over the last four decades.

• The atmosphere is second to none, It’s welcoming, warm and inclusive.

• This is evident in the fantastic team they have built over the years. It’s wonderful when you see the same people giving of their time backstage each year, as well as young people who have been on stage in previous years wanting to come back to help out.

It’s lovely to be back in their company for the next few weeks - they certainly haven’t forgotten how to put on a show. I managed to get a picture with some of the stars after last night’s fun - it’s easy to spot the one who’s not on stage!

What’s New?

1. SLIGO ACADEMY OF MUSIC CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR CONCERT: Niamh Crowley and her gang of teachers do fantastic work all year round with a huge number of Sligo’s young musicians. Their Christmas concert features them all and is always top class. It takes place on Fri 16th Dec in Summerhill College. Still some tickets available here.

2. FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK: Learn to play it on piano here. This video is available to all - and demonstrates three ways to play the song - pick the one that suits your level best.

3. JOE KELLY: Joe is a stalwart of the music scene in Sligo - he ran the Sligo Choral Festival for years, has a beautiful tenor voice and is a great supporter of all things music locally. He is also a cherished member of our music club…and now a published author! It was a real honour to be asked to launch his new book this coming Friday at 3pm in Eason’s. It would be lovely to see some of Joe’s fellow letter readers there.

Finally…

Corcra know how to get things done…AND they can write songs too. They sent me a draft of this one as recently as late Oct - and now barely a month later here it is out there, complete with a feel-good Christmas video! Lovely as always to work with these ladies and congrats to all who worked on this project.

Till next time - Kieran.

Passing on the tradition...

Dear Reader –

A story today of how values get taught from one musician to another…

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

The big news last week was that January’s Theme Night #31 had sold out.

And while it has never been the aim of the theme nights to run for as many shows as possible, I do feel it’s right this time to do a fourth show.

Mainly for you guys - the audience - I heard from many of you in the last week who hadn’t managed to get tickets yet. But it will also mean more performers can get involved, and that we can try a few new and exciting things we have been planning for a while.

And it will be January! The last January theme night we did was Theme Night #14 in 2016 and I remember lots of people telling me then that we should have a theme night every January as it gives performers and audience alike something to which they can look forward in an otherwise quiet month.

So here are the new details…

Theme Night #31 - Stories in Song.

Hawk’s Well Theatre - Jan 18-21 2023.

Tickets for extra date (Jan 18) go on sale next Wed Dec 7 at 10am.

Where else but Sligo?

One of my favourite things about playing with Seamie on Mondays is to ask him where he was playing over the weekend. He could be with anyone anywhere - elsewhere in Ireland, the UK, Europe or sometimes even further afield. He didn’t quite make it back from wherever he was in time this week so Gerry Grennan filled in for last night’s Bree’s session.

And we had a ball! It had been a while since we had done a gig together as just a duo and we certainly won’t leave it as long again.

Gerry is a generous soul. I hear regularly from parents about the great way he has with their children in lessons. Unlike many in Sligo, I never had formal lessons from him. However that doesn’t mean I haven’t learned loads from him along the way. It was Gerry back in 2011 who ignited my love for improvising, and ever since I have tried to learn from the great values he exhibits during gigs - work hard, appreciate your audience and give everyone their time to shine.

He comes from that tradition of passing songs around among the group. Everyone gets a go, but is expected to be able to lead a song. He knows his chords, knows his words and he’ll politely say no if he doesn’t know a song!

Oh and he’ll be in the Theme Night band with us in January - that will be fun!

What’s New?

1. KEN ROHT joined our Theme Night choir for the first time last month. Now he and Dave Flynn have collaborated on a wonderfully witty and wacky Christmas song and are shooting a video for it this Sunday. They need some 15-25 year-old actors/singers to take part. Email opcircus@mac.com if you’re interested.

2. RED ÓG: Malachy Clerkin of The Irish Times wrote this about Red Óg Murphy - the young Sligo footballer who died by suicide last April. One of the best things I have read in a while. His parents sound like amazing people.

3. STARTING NOW: Regular readers will recognise the first picture. Two weeks on and the leaves are gone. Two weeks from now and it’s Dec 13. Two more weeks and Christmas is over and we’re nearly into 2023. But you don’t have to wait until then to start…

Finally…

This is one of Gerry’s staples on a gig. One enthusiastic audience member told us last night that ours was the best version he had ever heard. And it’s not that we don’t believe you but this one’s pretty good too!

Till next time - Kieran.

This is the life!

Dear Reader –

Stories on the brain today…

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

I was meant to be away this week. The trip didn’t work out, and I’m here instead with an empty diary.

So I decided to get stuck into Theme Night #31 - Stories.

Everyone loves a good story, and how better to tell a story than through song? It’s a broad theme, and I especially love this part - where the setlist is blank and all I have are a bunch of ideas and a big rock of potential waiting to be sculpted into a show.

And then I saw that we are sold out. Already - with more than two months to go. Fantastic - a record for us. And I had three thoughts.

• You guys are amazing. Both the audience who come out to see us time and time again and the team of musicians and performers who make it all happen.

• Can we find an extra night in the Hawk’s Well calendar for a fourth show?

• There are 1000+ people out there expecting a great night out in January so we’d better get to work!

As always you will be first to find out about any developments.

Where else but Sligo?

Here’s my favourite story of the week!

I have been working with Jayne, Gillian and Naoise (known collectively as Corcra) since they were 16 and wowing us all in the Teenage Theme Nights. When Seamie O’Dowd first saw them he commented that they were so tight it was like watching three parts of the same clock. I remember saying to them years ago that they should get out there and gig together. They have done many a theme night with us since but Sunday night upstairs in Lillies (what a venue by the way) was their first proper gig.

It was so nice to be asked to play with them, and it was a great night all round. Lovely also to play with Luke (bass) and Sam (cajon, pictured below). And I got a special kick from playing with James McManus and Sean Callaghan (aka Bacon and Cabbage) in the band - as they were contemporaries of the girls from the Teenage Theme Night class of 2017.

The gig went down a treat - I lost count of the amount of encores we did, and there was a great atmosphere in the room. Full of warmth and support - the guys are at the stage where their family and friends still come to all their gigs!

Anyway as mentioned in last week’s letter Corcra will be releasing their self-penned Christmas song in the coming weeks - I’ll be sure to include it in an upcoming letter.

What’s New?

1. SPEAKING OF STORIES…here’s Steve Jobs showing Bill Gates how to tell one.

2. MORE STORIES: Courtesy of The Collaborative Fund, here are a few great (and short) ones. Including the truth about Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech.

3. WHEN A STORY GETS TOLD IN THE NEWSPAPER: I got a lovely surprise when this photo was sent to me last week. Thanks to Theme Night Regular Liam Gannon who detailed the story of Theme Night #30 in such a heartfelt way for last week’s Sligo Champion. Still on the shelves of your local shop until tomorrow.

Finally…

This is one of the songs we did with the gang on Sunday - it’s been in my head since. This is the life folks!

Till next time - Kieran.

The story of a morning...

Dear Reader –

We are the sum of our actions.

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Consistency.

It has come up a lot this week. Trying to be consistent. Encouraging others to be consistent. Finding ways to make consistency easier to achieve.

And then a message from Michael Christie lands in my inbox, letting me know that his band - The Kings Of Cool - have released another song. The Kings of Consistency more like.

Their YouTube channel shows 10 new releases (by my count) in the last 2 years alone - check out their latest offering below.

Where else but Sligo?

This morning. Golden light. ‘Daddy why are you taking a picture of the front garden?’ Drop in an application form for a secondary school for my daughter. Wish a friend a happy birthday. An unexpected car journey with my wife.

Training and a gang of us trying to figure out Ronaldo. Learning panto songs. Stories of parents not getting much sleep with young children. Memories of last night in Bree’s. A new album title for Michael Rooney. A lift home with Scruffy Duffy.

Some great feedback from parents of students. Some not-so-great feedback about what’s needed to fix my car and my keyboard. Inspiration. Chats with friends fighting big battles. Chats with family about nice things happening. We are lucky. Make the most of it.

Decisions to make. Songs to choose. Letter to write. Emails about last week’s letter. Games v Mayo.

My morning. My Sligo. Our Sligo. Our country. Our planet. The millions of interactions that happen each day and the chances we all have to make our communities better places. We are the sum of our actions, our interactions. We can start again each minute. Win the battle in front of your face. Make it better. For you. For us.

What’s New?

1. BREE’S NEWS: Not only was Seamie was back from his travels last night, but he brought with him the legendary bodhrán player John Joe Kelly. Great session, and next Monday will be special too - we will be joined by saxophonist Cathal Roche.

2. DAVID PAICH: This is a great listen - some fantastic stories and insight from Toto’s keyboard player. What a life in music this man has had.

3. EVANNE: I knew that Teenage Theme Night graduate Evanne Kilgallon was making a name for herself as an actress in Dublin. What I didn’t know was that she was writing plays too. So I got a lovely surprise when walking down Dawson St recently and saw this poster. An Lár runs from Nov 28 to Dec 17 in The Glass Mask Theatre, Dublin.

Finally…

Had a great day on Sunday recording a new track with the crew behind this 2021 song and vid. Corcra have new music coming out VERY soon.

Till next time - Kieran.

Local Heroes

Dear Reader –

Today’s letter features local heroes from Sligo to New Jersey, some in their prime and others past it, some celebrated in literature - others in song. But first, something to think about as we approach the end of 2022…

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

As a teacher and a parent, the school term can bring a comforting structure to the year.

And so now that the Hallowe’en break is over, this week brings an opportunity to reflect, to plan, maybe even to begin again in order to make the most of the six-week pre-Christmas block that lies ahead of us. If this is something you like to do, here are a few words that made me think recently…

“You have two essential tasks in life - to be a good person and to pursue an occupation that you love. Everything else is a waste of energy and a squandering of your potential”.

I’d love to hear what that sparks in you.

Where else but Sligo?

Two more quotes for you in this section today.

Firstly - as I heard repeatedly on Saturday night - “Any day you beat Mayo is a good day”!

I unexpectedly ended up in the company of a gang of men who had just represented the Sligo GAA Masters (Over 40s) team and won the Ruddy Cup in a 3 point win over neighbours Mayo. I knew most of them, having played either with or against them over the years, and spending time with them brought back great memories of football days from 15-20 years ago.

And this brings me to the second quote - from Roman philosopher Epictetus - “For this is your duty - to perform well the character assigned you. That selection belongs to another”.

None of us pick the county we play for, or indeed support. It’s down to decisions made (or not made) by previous generations of our families. And so the characters we were assigned were those of Sligo footballers, Sligo supporters. Coming from a small county in the smallest province. Competing each year against bigger neighbours with distinct natural advantages.

But although our medal hauls may not be as plentiful as those of others, and although we generally lose more matches than we win, the stories recounted and laughs had on Saturday night were representative of the power of sport to surpass the result of a game on any given day.

Parts played well. Worth celebrating - win or lose.

What’s New?

1. LOCAL HEROES - A CELEBRATION OF SLIGO SPORT: The above pictures are courtesy of a recently-released book of this title by Sligo journalists Jim and Leo Gray. I attended the book launch a few weeks ago and on the way home I said to my wife how lucky I felt to be included in it. It’s a wonderful celebration of Sligo sport, the beauty of the book for me lying in its scope. Included are lots of famous names, but also many lesser-known sportsmen and women whose achievements in many cases match or even surpass their more celebrated contemporaries. The real heroes in this case however are the authors Jim and Leo Gray, who in the pre-local radio and internet era were the voices of sport in Sligo. This book is a testament to their knowledge, experience, character and writing ability.

2. BREE’S UPDATE: Seamie is still away touring so I was joined last night in Bree’s by my old musical sparring partner Dave Flynn. Dave was playing great stuff and was able for any requests that the Bree’s Monday crew sent our way, including impromptu renditions of The Lovecats and Candy. Seamie will be back next week and every Monday for the month of November. Special guest Cathal Roche will join us on November 21st.

3. BRUCE: A worldwide phenomenon, but also a local hero in his own way - this article is a must-read for any Springsteen or indeed music fans.

Finally…

And this is from the interview that inspired the above article. Springsteen firstly provides great insight and then delivers an incredible performance.

Till next time - Kieran.

When you play the wrong song...

Dear Reader –

Plenty of memorable moments during Teenage Theme Night #27 this weekend, not least when I started into the wrong song! More below…

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Teenage Theme Night #27 was just great. So uplifting! Three shows, brilliant audiences and lots of surprises from a new gang of teenage musicians. Here are a few of my highlights.

Firstly a big shout-out to the Transition Years. Usually for the first show of the year we might have four or five from this age group. Then gradually as the word spreads more get involved. But not this time. More than 30 TYs got involved from the word go and brought so much to the nights.

Special mentions to Mimi who embraced the spirit of the nights and got involved in as many songs as she could - and did a fantastic job. Sean, Ethan, Oscar and Lorcan who absolutely rocked Enter Sandman - the first ever Metallica song on a Teenage Theme Night. And Joseph who stood there calmly as I played the piano intro to a completely different song to the one he had chosen.

I figured this out after about two and a half bars and we all had a good laugh about it. But I wasn’t allowed forget about it, as Orla, one of our new emcees came on straight away afterwards and gave me a good ribbing about it. As she should have! She was brilliant all weekend, as were Clodagh and Saoirse - they fronted the shows with great energy, humour and thought.

It was great to see a new generation of horn players emerge and our 5-piece section did a fantastic job on Don’t Rain On My Parade, as did singer Anna Rose McLoughlin. Always good to see a few bands take part too. And performing my own Mr. Tee with Sam Purcell on the Friday night was special.

Graduates Joe, Mia and Eoin returned and showed the current gang where a bit of extra practice and experience can get you. Joe performing The Angelus was a particular highlight.

A huge thanks to everyone who made it happen. Especially to Dave, Ken and Keith in the band, Joy behind the scenes, Daniel on sound and Patrick in The Model. That’s it for 2022 with the teenagers, but we will have three shows in early 2023. Dates to be confirmed this week - you’ll hear first on our Instagram page.

Where else but Sligo?

My favourite moment of the weekend however happened in rehearsal before the show on Saturday night. There happened to be five new drummers on the show this night. Leo Kennedy was one of them, and he was on stage rehearsing his song - Adele’s Rolling In The Deep - with the band and a few singers, and nailing it.

Leo’s teacher and regular TTN band member Ken McDonald was sitting on one of the audience seats watching Leo with a big smile on his face, but behind Ken was a beautiful sight that I could see but he couldn’t.

The other four drummers (also students of Ken) were waiting for their turn at rehearsal, sitting in various positions behind Ken, each one of them mime-drumming to the song as Leo played it. Separately. With smiles on their faces too.

It was a weekend where our instrumentalists shone every bit as brightly as our singers, and this new cohort of drummers were a big part of it. Am really looking forward to working with them all again in 2023.

What’s New?

1. BREE’S UPDATE: Seamie is away touring across the Atlantic Ocean somewhere and so Gerry Grennan and Brendan Emmett joined me for a spooky Monday session last night. We hope to have regular guests throughout this residency and will keep you up to date with any news here.

2. SISTER ACT: Many of the crew who took part in our recent Musicals Theme Night are part of this upcoming Fun Company production. It runs from Nov 5-11 and tickets are still available here.

3. SO FUNNY SLIGO COMEDY FESTIVAL: Finally for this week, just look at this line-up. Brendan Tierney has been mentioned in these pages before, and is the driving force behind this innovative festival. All the gig details and ways to support the festival are here.

Finally…

The Elton John song I should have played on Saturday night. Not Your Song! Some great footage of an early iteration of Tiny Dancer here.

Till next time - Kieran.

Selfies, scholars and values...

Dear Reader –

This week’s letter brings us from the local all the way to Goran Ivanisevic and Maura O’Connell. But first, news on the first Teenage Theme Night of the new school year.

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

It was the first selfie I ever saw being taken. A new phenomenon (to me anyway) in 2014, I watched as Joe Gorman (centre, below) gathered a gang of fellow performers around him and took a photo of them all with his phone. Teenage Theme Night #1 had just ended, and the post-show buzz is evident in the facial expressions below.

More than eight years later, and the 27th in the series of these shows takes place this weekend. Joe is back to perform in one of our graduate slots, as are Mia O’Regan (2021) and Eoin McDermott (2019). But the real stars (sorry guys!) will be the current crop of teenage musicians.

Over 70 of them will take part, so for the first time since before the pandemic we have had to put on three shows to cater for the demand to perform. And already in rehearsals I can see the familiar patterns. The 6th Years whose new status as the leaders in the show has enabled confidence to blossom seemingly overnight. Meeting the new participants - some immediately ready for the stage, others needing a bit more encouragement. And the surprises that will no doubt be revealed over the weekend - those who come alive on stage, those who reveal character you hadn’t seen before, and those who will surprise even themselves. I can’t wait.

Teenage Theme Night #27. The Model. Fri 28th, Sat 29th and Sun 30th Oct 2022. Tickets still available here.

Where else but Sligo?

I wouldn’t have known that Joe was around for this weekend’s show only that I met him in the foyer of the Hawk’s Well last Sunday at a Sligo Live event to mark the launch of his father’s book.

Tommie Gorman needs no introduction to Sligo people (and lots more beyond). He is a kind of hero to many in this part of the world, not just for his distinguished career as a journalist and broadcaster, but for his generosity of spirit and positive influence on countless Sligo people and institutions over the years. There was huge warmth in the room for him on Sunday.

Tommie thanked us for coming at the start of the show and said that he hoped we would take something away with us from the afternoon’s events. And so I did.

We were treated to wonderful new writing by his brother Michael and our neighbour Maura Gilligan. Regular readers of this letter will know of how much I love Michael Rooney’s music, and so I was thrilled when he and his wife June emerged to play a set of tunes.

And then there was the interview itself, conducted by Ocean FM’s Niall Delaney (who was recognised in turn by Tommie for being the great broadcaster that he is). Insightful questions, impeccable pacing and leaving space for his guest’s personality, stories and values. And if I’m honest, these were my favourite parts of the whole day - hearing Tommie speak so eloquently about reconciliation, love of people and love of place.

What’s New?

1. BREE’S RESIDENCY: Our Monday night residency in Bree’s is up and running as of last night. Thanks to the many letter readers (and others) who came, and I look forward to seeing more of you there over the coming weeks.

2. RESIDENCY CLARIFICATION: Last week’s letter listed some of my previous musical residencies in Sligo. It was not - I repeat not - a list of current residencies (some of you were kind enough last week to congratulate me on my many gigs) - I’m not sure it would be humanly possible to play all those gigs every week - one takes enough out of me!

3. SLIGO LIVE: 2019 Teenage Theme Night graduate Paddy Keyes plays as part of Sligo Live this coming weekend. I enjoyed the below positioning of his gig in the event programme. It reminds me of a July 2001 edition of the Sunday Times, where at the top of the sport section the two lead pictures were of Goran Ivanisevic (in white, about to win Wimbledon the following day) and my good friend and former teammate John McPartland (in black, after we had beaten Kildare in Croke Park the previous day). Best of luck Paddy!

Finally…

Not only did Joe Gorman introduce me to selfies, but also to this beautiful Thom Moore song. He performed it with Nell Kelly at a Teenage Theme Night once upon a time, and it’s sung here by the great Maura O’Connell.

Till next time - Kieran.

A new residency begins...

Dear Reader –

When our residency in Connolly’s finished earlier this year, it was a bit like a long-term relationship coming to an end. I felt I needed time to take stock before jumping into something else. But as of next week, Seamie and I are back in the game.

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Fridays in McGarrigles with The Odd Couple.

Sundays in Tobergal Lane with The Odd Couple and Sinéad.

Thursdays in Fureys with The Odd Couple.

Fridays in Hargadons with Anything Goes.

Mondays in Fureys with Seamie.

Mondays in Connolly’s with Seamie and guests.

Residencies rock. I have been lucky to be a part of some great ones over the years. An opportunity to play regularly, to build up a relationship with audiences, and to get to know great pubs and people. I have missed not having one for the last few months. As have my fingers, ears and mind. So it’s great to be starting something new. With the great Seamie - with whom no gig will ever be the same.

A big thanks to Brees in Strandhill for making it happen. We’ll have guests some weeks, but Seamie and I will kick it off with just the two of us next Monday 24th, and I’m feeling happier about it than the below pic suggests (I must have been worrying for my fingers)!

Where else but Sligo?

I wrote about some Theme Night #30 heroes and highlights last week. Before we park this show, here are a few of my favourite behind the scenes stories…

• Seeing our choir (many of whom took a while to warm to this theme!) get totally stuck in when it came to acting drunk on Master Of The House.

• The sheer energy and joy that Niamh Keaveney and Holly Higgins brought to Ease On Down That Road.

• Conor Bastible was at the back of the stage on Luke Devaney’s keyboard each night when it came to Hello. It was his responsibility to play the doorbells and the buzzer. Watching him crane his entire body so that he could see Kieran Cunnane press the imaginary buzzer and play the note on the keyboard at exactly the right time added to the hilarity of the moment.

• To the lady in the green jumper in Row 2 on Thursday - thank you. Firstly for coming to see our show, and secondly for knowing all the words to every song and singing along with a smile on your face all night!

• Having to be advised (twice) not to introduce the Entr’acte on nights 2 and 3 as I did on Night 1!

• The entire key change at the end of Roxanne was on the shoulders of Jack Courtenay. It was his first theme night and he was exposed. Out on his own. Sing the wrong note and the big encore number is a car crash. No problem to Jack - he nailed it each time.

• Newcomer Mary Gaynor soaking up everything she could backstage before coming on and delivering her song with such calm and poise.

• So many audience members telling me that Paul Maitland should be on Broadway. And he should!

• Finally, Joe Hunt (below) absolutely rocking Pinball Wizard on the Wednesday night rehearsal (it was the first time we heard him) and then 30 seconds later being back at his projections perch at the back of the theatre as if nothing had happened.

What’s New?

1. TN #31 TICKETS: Stories in Song - Jan 19th-21st 2023. The song suggestions are flying in and the tickets are flying out! Fri and Sat shows are now SOLD OUT, just Thursday tickets left. Get them here before they’re gone.

2. ANOTHER STRANDHILL GIG: Seamie, Gerry Grennan and I will be LIVE in The Strand this Friday 21st Oct. Sparks flew the last time we did this gig - here’s hoping for more of the same…

3. GO AHEAD - BUY A PIANO: Speaking of stories, here’s a gorgeous one about a man who decided later in life to put a large piano in his small apartment and hasn’t regretted it once.

Finally…

Keep the suggestions coming for the Theme Night #31 (Stories) setlist please - all are welcome! Here’s another strong contender…

Till next time - Kieran.