The Romantic...

Dear Reader –

The first live video from Vicar St…just one word needed…Jamie!

The Big Thing

What a wonderful couple of evenings we had last Wednesday and Thursday to finish off the piano tuition term! More than 120 students played over the course of 9 concerts, watched by their families and friends and hosted by our great crew of teachers. Lots of memorable moments, including the below (full names omitted).

• Cousins K and S singing AND playing.

• Seeing J run to her father’s arms after she made a mistake and then going back to the piano once the concert was over, determined to play it correctly.

• M inspiring many of our younger students with his version of Lana Del Rey’s Radio.

• The many students who surprised us teachers with little additions they had made to their songs themselves since we last heard them.

• L’s Misty - just exquisite.

Oh and we are offering a 4-wk and 6-wk block of summer lessons starting on June 26. Email pianowithkieran@gmail.com if you’re interested.

Where else but Sligo?

Sligo got a mention in the latest novel I read.

Our hero, Cashel Greville Ross, an Englishman who spent the first eight years of his life in Co. Cork, recognised the accent of a homeless urchin on the streets of London as being from Sligo, and hence had sympathy and gave him some change.

A kind of 19th Century Forrest Gump, the lead character in this partly fictional memoir found himself in the thick of some of the key moments in the history of the time - was decorated at the Battle of Waterloo, hung out with poets Byron and Shelley in Pisa, was one of the early settlers in the state of Massachusetts and was the first European to discover what would become known as Lake Victoria, the source of the river Nile.

At the heart of his tale though was a love story - well a few - but one which dominated his life. Raphaella Rezzo was a lady of high society in Italy and they fell in love in their twenties. The life they wished for together never quite happened however and Ross regretted some of his actions for his whole life.

My favourite scene was near the end of the book - they met for the last time in their seventies the day before Ross died and they came to terms with their choices and decisions even though it meant a life (mainly) apart.

And I wondered - how much happier could Ross’ life have been if he had managed to find this peace sooner?

What’s New?

1. THE ROMANTIC: Written by William Boyd and described above - would thoroughly recommend it.

2. MORE NEW MUSIC FROM PADDY KEYES: TTN Graduate Paddy has had a prolific 2024 - listen to his latest song here.

3. THE ROAD TO VICAR ST: This radio documentary, produced by Seamie McManus and Ocean FM, was aired last Friday evening. It will be released as a podcast at a future date - I will be sure to let you know when that happens.

Finally…

While we’re on the topic of men with an interesting life story - here’s Pascal…

Till next time - Kieran.

Making us feel something...

Dear Reader –

May means end-of-year shows, and there were some crackers this month!

The Big Thing

Firstly to go back a few weeks, because in the midst of all the Vicar St madness, I never got to reflect properly on our farewell to the Teenage Theme Night class of 2024 earlier this month.

In the below picture are Flat Out - an all female band (with Fraser, right) allowed in for this one night only! They are Lucy (vocals), Anna (bass), Casey (drums) and Róisín (guitar) and came up with a great arrangement of Aerosmith’s Walk This Way in which each member of the band got to showcase what they can do.

I had a chat with them afterwards and they told me about how the band got together, the various discussions they would have about song choices and the fact that they have a festival gig in Dublin this summer to look forward to!

They told me that only for the Teenage Nights they would never have started playing together. They were extremely grateful for all the opportunities they got over the last few years and expressed that in a heartfelt manner to me. Great people, a credit to themselves and they left me with the sense of a job well done.

Best of luck to all 6th Yrs in their upcoming exams.

Where else but Sligo?

“This process is taking far too lo-o-o-ong…let’s just pick a f***ing song”!

The chorus from one of three original songs performed at the last session of the 2023-24 season of the Music Club. The other two were great in their own way, but this clever sketch brought the house down.
A tongue-in-cheek account of the arguments that can go along with members of the club managing to pick a song together, it was written and performed by David and Tish and was a fitting finale to what was a fantastic season of music.
More than 30 adults performed over the course of the year, some singing in front of others for the first time, and the atmosphere in the room is exactly what it should be and more for these monthly sessions. Thanks to everyone who contributes to this.

We always welcome new members, and if anyone wants to express an early interest for getting involved in the new season this autumn please get in touch.

What’s New?

1. PIANO WITH KIERAN SUMMER CONCERTS: Really looking forward to this Wednesday and Thursday evenings when we get to hear the results of all the hard work put in by all our great piano students this year.

2. PLAY FAIR AND WORK HARD: Or work fair and play hard? Either way there’s something for everyone in this short blog.

3. LCDA: Congrats to Lisa Cooper and everyone involved in last Sunday’s end-of-year showcase in the Hawk’s Well. A special mention to dancer Fionn McMorrow who managed to do what all great artists can - he made us feel.

Finally…

This is just gorgeous (as was the arrangement of it played beautifully by Mary at last week’s Music Club).

Till next time - Kieran.

Backstage stories...

Dear Reader –

I’d be lying if I said that lots had happened between the last letter on Saturday and this morning!
Got the car washed and the grass cut and a few other bits and pieces that had been put on the long finger…

But we did release this video on Saturday night - recorded in the Vicar St Green Room on Thursday afternoon.

The Big Thing

So due to the lack of news I thought I’d tell you a couple of stories from the day out in Dublin on Thursday…

Niamh and I had great craic down the back of the bus for a while with the younger crew. Niamh was in the thick of it all day - I was up the front but got a call to come down and take part in a particular game. As Fraser Gaine said - this is the sort of game that music nerds get up to when they get together.

The game? Pick a song, and sing along wit the track for a while. The track volume gets muted (the track keeps playing) but you have to keep singing. Then you have to see are you still in time when the track volume is raised again. Cue hilarity as very few of the participants managed to do so!

Where else but Sligo?

So much happens on a day like last Thursday that it’s impossible to hear all of the stories. And so I love hearing from people afterwards with little glimpses of what their day looked like.

Jamie Callaghan filled me in on a moment shared by himself and Emily Meades late into the gig.
They were watching Sinéad Conway sing I Will Always Love You and exchanged a look that Jamie said he will always remember. These are my words not his, but I love the image of these two incredible singers listening to a colleague, sharing a moment of awe as they themselves wait to go on and give the audience a similar feeling!

But while these singers will always catch the headlines and get the mentions from the likes of Louise Duffy (and rightly so!), the two groups that keep the show on the road backstage are the young musicians and the choir.
I love these pictures, the first one because it must be the only rest that the teenagers took all day!
And the second pic is just gorgeous - it shows choirmaster Dave Flynn and a selection of our sopranos and altos. These guys have worked so hard over the last few years to improve the standard of the choir, and so many of you commented on how fantastic they sounded on last Thursday. Well done all!

What’s New?

1. THEME NIGHT #35 IN OCTOBER: The theme is yet to be announced, but we have confirmed dates, venues and tickets for Theme Night #35 in October. Get them first here.

2. THE SIMPLE THINGS: Thanks to Michael Rooney for donating me a spare pair of black socks for the gig - I had helpfully arrived with only white ones.

3. MORNING STRUGGLES: Great pic from Steve Rogers and nicely doctored by Marie too!

Finally…

The aforementioned performance…

Till next time - Kieran.

The best one yet!

Dear Reader –

So you are telling me…!
Full Vicar St pictorial report below but first…

The Big Thing

Theme Night #35 - October 2024.

And as always letter readers you get advance notice…

Tickets now on sale for Sligo, Ballyshannon and Roscommon shows in October.

All details here…

Where else but Sligo?

What a day we had on Thursday…
Sligo on tour…with a bit of Donegal, Clare and Tipperary thrown in!

Here are some of Steve Rogers’ pictures from the day - of the journey up, rehearsals, pre-show and then of course the show itself!!

What’s New?

1. ON THE RADIO: RTE Radio One Presenter Louise Duffy was at the show on Thursday and loved it! She gave us a great mention on her show on Friday morning. Listen here (12 mins in)…

2. ON THE TELLY: A reminder that Sinéad Conway and I will be representing Sligo on TV tonight (Saturday). Plus Theme Night regular Cathy Jordan representing Roscommon!
   Songs of Ireland - with Mike Hanrahan and Pat Shortt. RTE One at 8.35pm.

3. ON THE BALL: Love this photo of the younger members of our party having a kickaround in Ballinalack on the way up…

Finally…

We have some videos of the night coming your way, but for now take a moment and have a listen to one of the most beautiful beginning melodies…have a great Saturday everyone!

Till next time - Kieran.

Jessica McCauna

Dear Reader –

The big question after last weekend’s Teenage Theme Nights was….who is Jessica McCauna?!
Pro Murray paints a mysterious picture in this brand new song - and everyone was singing it last weekend..

The Big Thing

Theme Night #34 in Vicar St.
I feel I’ve written enough about it in the last few weeks…so here are a few simple numbers.

• 900+ in the venue

• 75 musicians

• 22 unique performances

• 2 days to go

• 1 chance to see the show

Where else but Sligo?

A massive thank you to the local businesses, individuals and institutions that have helped us on our way by buying VIP tickets, sponsoring musicians, our travel expenses, and even our breakfast the morning after!

It’s a real example of Sligo coming through to make sure this event happened - you can see the size of the list below and that’s not even everyone - some didn’t want to be named. Thank you to all.

Bree's Strandhill
DNG Flanagan Ford
Eason Sligo
Ergo
EJ Menswear
Filans Centra
The Glasshouse Hotel
Hickey Coghill Solicitors
Kevin Egan Cars
Liber Bookshop
Lillies Cocktail Bar
Lyons Cafe
McLynn's Bar
O'Boyle Solicitors
Raftery & Co. Accountants
Sazarac
Shells Sea Side Bakery Cafe
Shoot The Crows
Sligo County Council
Sligo Credit Union
Sligo Park Hotel
Sligo Tourism Development Association
The Snug
Studyclix
Thomas Connolly's
Tiger Print

What’s New?

1. ON THE TELLY: Keep an eye out for Sinéad Conway and I representing Sligo on TV this coming Saturday. Songs of Ireland - with Mike Hanrahan and Pat Shortt. RTE One at 8.35pm.

2. CAREERS FAIR: Thanks to everyone at North West Careers Fest for having me along to talk about my career (still sounds strange to call it that)! It was an extremely well-run and well-attended event, and it was reassuring to see a few familiar teenage faces in what was a packed lecture hall.

3. TEENAGE THEME NIGHT #32: A sign of the busy week that’s in it that there is no mention today of last week’s amazing Unplugged gig in Lillies and only these short few lines on the weekend’s Teenage Theme Nights.
   Two things that stood out for me…firstly each of our tutors, professional band members and production team going above and beyond their core responsibilities to make sure that the teens had a memorable weekend.
   And I love when we see previously quiet and reserved teenagers coming out of themselves to deliver show-stopping performances. Well done to all.

Finally…

From last time out - we miss you Chris!

Till next time - Kieran.

Out of a job!

Dear Reader –

Introducing Beezies - Nicole, Anna and Ellie - three of the stars of the class of 2024.
This is a gorgeous version of Linger, and they have another great arrangement ready for us all at this weekend’s Teenage Theme Night Showcase…

The Big Thing

Speaking of which…M A S S I V E weekend ahead!!!

Songs from the 70s is the theme, and we have almost 100 teens ready to take the stage. The more these shows develop, the smaller the need there is for us professional musicians on stage. I love how the teens are now not only performing out front, but are also taking over the instrumental seats in the band too.

A nice quiet few nights ahead so for myself, Niamh, Eddie, Dave and Tonto!

Please join us - there are so many huge talents in this year’s crew. Tickets here.

Where else but Sligo?

Eoin Troy is the final performer featured this week in our Humans of the Theme Nights series.

Our upcoming Vicar St show is the 34th in the Theme Night series and Eoin will have performed at 32 of them. Some record!

He tells stories here about stealing a go at his brother’s guitars, how moving to Sligo was a huge step for him as a musician and what the Theme Nights mean to him as a performer.

The Humans of the Theme Nights series was conceived, crafted and presented to you from start to finish by Theme Nights producer Joy Feehily. Thanks Joy - I loved reading the stories - I hope you all did too.

What’s New?

1. VICAR ST PREVIEW SHOW: Tomorrow night (Wed) at 8pm upstairs in Lillies. Down to the last few (literally) tickets. Get them here if you’d like a sneak preview of some of next week’s show…

2. QUEEN MEABH SQUARE: It’s officially open! Great reports from a jam-packed Bank Holiday weekend of gigs - congrats to all involved.

3. OLD MARKET ST SWING BAND: I had the pleasure of sitting in with Gerry, Karl, Vinny and Seamie last Friday - and what a gig we had!! Amazing atmosphere in Connolly’s - a full dance floor for most of the two hours and just a wonderful fun gig to play. The lads play there every Friday at 5.30-7.30.

Finally…

From our very first end-of-year Teenage Theme Night Showcase in May 2017 - here’s Gillian Brennan from Corcra with Hopelessly Devoted to You…lots more of this coming this weekend!

Till next time - Kieran.

An Irish icon joining us...

Dear Reader –

It made me so happy to hear this man sing again - what a powerful performance this is.

Georgie was one of the stars of our last trip to Dublin, coining the iconic 'Victor St' phrase. We're really hopeful he can join us this time too...

The Big Thing

Forget January being long, I can’t believe we’re still in April - it’s like the interminable wait for a holiday to arrive, or a big match to come around. Because look at the fun ahead of us in the month of May!

A special unplugged Vicar St preview show in Lillies on May 8, our farewell to the class of 2024 on May 11 and 12, and then the big one in Vicar St on May 16.

Some great news came through on this gig during the week - a national icon (who also happens to play great saxophone) is going to join us on the show, and we also got confirmation that our own national icons Sandy Kelly and Seamie O’Dowd will be there.

Finally, if you’re still on the fence as to whether or not to go to the gig, just watch this. Rory Maitland does a fantastic job of explaining what the show is all about. Thanks to The Sligo Show for having us on…

Oh and if you want tickets to any of the shows, just click on the poster below.

Where else but Sligo?

Sarah Casserley was featured this week in our Humans of the Theme Nights series.

Sarah was the physio to the Sligo GAA team when I played and still my go-to person to fix any creaks or cracks. She famously saved the 4th finger on my right hand after a football landed on top of it and broke a tendon and contrary to some beliefs she wasn’t the person who told me to stop playing football (!) - I managed to make that decision all on my own.

Sarah is a wonderful musician and from what I see we will hopefully be working a lot with her children over the coming years too - some fantastic talent coming up behind her. You can read her story in full here…

What’s New?

1. SLIGO ACADEMY OF MUSIC GALA CONCERT: More May musical fun - on Thurs week the 9th to be exact. Niamh and her gang of teachers do amazing work and this concert is always worth seeing…

2. JIMMY’S WINNING MATCHES: He’s at it again! I remember playing this song at a wedding in Dubai post Donegal’s 2012 win. The father of the groom must have been well connected - he rang the man himself to play our version of the song to him live down the phone…

3. THE CLASS OF 2024: We had our second workshop on Saturday - putting the finishing touches to our setlist of songs from the 70s. Aileen was helping out with performance tips for the teens - including stagecraft, how to really learn lyrics and what to do with your hands when singing!

Finally…

The dog days are over - that’s a beginning surely?!

Till next time - Kieran.

Get out and play!

Dear Reader –

“Ive honestly been singing since I could talk really”.
Great first line to this week’s Humans of the Theme Nights story…read on for more.

The Big Thing

But first, a frantic hour of phone calls took place yesterday afternoon.

We were due to head for Keash for a U-14 league match at 6.45, but around 4.30 the news came through that two of the girls were feeling unwell. Numbers are tight this year and so all of a sudden we had to get on the phone to see who else we could find. Last-minute registrations, shared lifts, cancelled activities, everything was on the table in the bid to fulfil the fixture.

And tempting as it might have been for some to have the evening off and enjoy the sun, I was struck by the determination present among players and parents alike that the game would go ahead.

Because nothing compares to doing it.

And after all the to-ing and fro-ing, the game eventually took place. Our girls lost, but it was worth it. Just to get out and play. Nothing like it.

PS I’m pictured with former teammate Ross Donovan below. Ross’s wife was in charge of yesterday’s opponents and our daughters played against each other on the field. The circle of life!

Where else but Sligo?

Emily Meades was featured this week in our Humans of the Theme Nights series.

For someone so young her back story was really interesting. But it has moved on since…

We had certain plans for Emily on the upcoming show - including a brand new duet with Sinéad Conway on one of our big finale numbers, but she has since informed me that she has been inundated with requests to sing this song after the video we released last week. Is there room for both?!

Time will tell. In the meantime you can read her story in full here…

What’s New?

1. JUST DO IT: I’m not sure that US advertising firm Wieden+Kennedy had the Coolera-Strandhill U-14 girls GAA team in mind when they came up with this famous slogan, but it certainly was applicable in last night’s story. Interestingly, it was inspired by the last words of convicted murderer Gary Kennedy, whose when facing execution simply said ‘Let’s do it’.

2. TRAVEL: Call me old-fashioned, but it still amazes at how someone can be teaching in a classroom somewhere in Ireland at lunchtime and by evening they can be sipping sangria with dinner in Lisbon!

3. 4 YEARS AGO: We were meant to be in Vicar St on April 23 2020. Instead we did this…mad!

Finally…

Not quite sangria, but we’re working on this song for an upcoming show and I’m enjoying it!

Till next time - Kieran.