IF you were one of the 800 who milled into the Remembered Joys concert at South Court Hotel last November, you’ll know what the fuss is about. For people eager to join this fantastic production of mid west singers and musicians for Limerick Alzheimer Society, the good news is that a larger venue will host the 2009 edition on Sunday November 30 at UCH.
The 1000 seater concert hall is booked “based on the success of last year’s concert,” producer Tony Doyle told Arts page. “We got fantastic reports and requests from people attending to have another and we have the same line up of artists, other than the addition of singer Stephen O’Shea who was laid up last year. We are even talking about doing another CD in the new year”.
To put the unfamiliar reader in the picture, Remembered Joys is the CD to which artists of the calibre of Denis Allen, Tommy Drennan and Johnny Duhan loaned their original tracks and singers and groups such as Derek Moloney, The McCormack Singers and The Limerick Tenors sang – all voluntarily. Proceeds from the CD went and indeed, are still flowing to Limerick Alzheimer Society, a charity desperate to complete its 11-bed respite project at Waterman’s Lodge, Ballina.
“This year we have the choir Seoda on board, The Savoy Orchestra is booked again, Michael Nash, Michael Shortt, John Doyle, Olive O’Brien and Joe Sciacsia,” confirms Tony, who produced the CD as well.
He, many of the performers and LAS committee Gabriel Wallace, Lillian Sullivan, Jo Stack and concert committee of Donal Malone, Joe McNulty and Ray Keane showed up for the concert press launch. Bobby Byrne’s Bar was the generous host and fittingly, the deputy mayor Maria Byrne officiated on October Monday 5 for the shindig.
Charity president Marilyn Sheehan was thrilled with the turn out and sense of expectation as to the November 30, 8pm big night: “Bank of Scotland (Ireland) has given us €3,000 for the production which will cover a lot of our costs. Our sincere thanks to the bank’s Rhona O’Connor, a wonderful woman and our own Joe McNulty who is covering printing costs”.
She also noted that Johnny Duhan travelled from Galway for the Limerick platform last year and subsequently reimbursed his (unsought) expenses to the charity.
Special nod too, to tenor Derek Moloney who took time out from completing his fourth album to support the press gig and headline the concert. Lorcan Murray of RTE lyric fm will be MC on the night and musical director is Bryan Meehan, assisted by Notel Dillon and Peter Hennigan.
€20 tickets at UCH or at LAS Day Centre, Kilmurry Court, Garryowen and at 1 Grattan Street.
Lillian Sullivan with Cllr Maria Byrne, Gabrielle Malone and Jo Stack pictured at the launch of a Concert for Alzheimer Respite Care at Bobby Byrnes Pub. Picture by Don Moloney/Press 22
