Clann Lir Comhaltas host fleadh fundraiser and honour long serving member
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Pauline Granahan (secretary) made the presentation to PJ.Image 2 of 12
Committee members on Friday evening (back) Noel O’Neill, Peter Earley, Thady Burke, Sinéad Fitzpatrick, Seamus McDermott, PJ Kennedy and Richard Hogan; (front) Hilary Keogh, Tona Gaffney, Siobhan Masterson, Pauline Granahan, Mairead Kiernan.Image 3 of 12
Thady Burke presented Margaret Kennedy with a bouquet of flowers.Image 4 of 12
Fr Oliver Skelly, Fr Patrick Moore and Fr Marius Cojan at Friday’s trad session.Image 5 of 12
Robert Kennedy, PJ Kennedy, David Kennedy, Margaret Kennedy, Ciaran Kennedy, Mia Kennedy, Yvonne Kennedy, Ryan Kennedy and Caroline Boyce at the Castle Varagh Hotel.Image 6 of 12
Caroline Kiernan and Cliff Gorren from Finea.Image 7 of 12
Sinead Fagan from Castlepollard and Sandra Heslin from Finea.Image 8 of 12
Aideen, Roisin and Aoife Granahan from Ringtown.Image 9 of 12
Mel Dunleavy, Collette Dunleavey and Joan Meares, Coole.Image 10 of 12
Rachel, Paula and Ben Bruton from Whitehall.Image 11 of 12
Alice, Kevin, Katie and Jack Brady from Coole.Image 12 of 12
Moyra Fraser, Willie Penrose, Mick Foster and Joe Connaire in Castlepollard on Friday.The Castlepollard Clann Lir Comhaltas group took advantage of the fundraising event for this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann on Friday night to also honour an long serving member.
Thady Bourke, chairperson of the branch, explained to the Westmeath Examiner in the Castle Varagh Hotel on the eventing the background and their plans.
“We’re making a presentation to Peter Kennedy, who has been involved with the Comhaltas Clann Lir group in Castlepollard for 40 or 50 years, to acknowledge his work and his interest in promoting the Irish language, the music and everything about Irish culture.”
Thady said PJ teaches young children and adults in music: “He’s very dedicated, money is not in issue, he’d do it for free – he just wants to promote Irish music the best he can.”
The local group opened the night on the stage, and then there was a surprise presentation to PJ, and his wife and family.
Thady said: “On behalf of the Clann Lir group I’d like to thank, first of all, the committee, for organising this event to make it such a success for PJ; also to thank to the surprise guests – people that PJ has known down through the years; and we also would like to thank the Westmeath fleadh committee for supporting the event here tonight (trad musicians from across the county played on the evening).” Among the visiting performers were the Lough Lene set dancers.
Thady concluded: “So I’d like to thank everybody for helping out in this.”