All-Ireland champions have toes tapping at Frank Gavigan concert

All-Ireland award winning musicians from near and far graced the stage of Milltown Community Centre last Friday night for the annual Frank Gavigan Memorial Concert. Compère was Martin Donoghue from Shannonside radio. Radio na Gaeltachta recorded the concert, its presenter Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha also took to the stage.

The main driving force behind this event is local maestro Mick Foster, who performed with the “high powered” Rathconrath Ceili Band, whose members boast a huge collection of awards.

Martin Donoghue said he was lucky enough to have been taught by the late great Frank Gavigan. He played a few tunes on the button accordion, accompanied by Moyra Fraser, who accompanied many of the acts on keyboard

First up were sisters Aoife and Anna Dunleavy from Ballynacargy. Aoife won two All-Ireland U12 titles, on the banjo and mandolin, at this year’s Fleadh Cheoil and Anna was among the medal winners at the 2022 fleadh. Aoife paid tribute to her teacher Joe Connaire, who was in the audience.

Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha is also an all-Ireland champion. She applauded Aoife and Anna on a great performance. On flute, she played a couple of jigs followed by two hornpipes on tin whistle, which set feet tapping as the tempo moved up several notches. Two of the tunes were ones she learned from Tom McHale, “a great whistle player from these parts”.

Michaela Hogg sang Érin Grá Mo Chroí, a sean-nós song that earned her a Senior Scór All-Ireland, followed by Grace, in which the audience enthusiastically joined.

Former U12 accordion champion, now Connacht champion, Melissa Clarke, dedicated some of her tunes to Joe Geraghty and Noel Heduan. First up after the break were the Trad Babes – sisters Mary Conroy and Anne Conroy Burke and Eileen O’Brien, who revealed her close links to Milltown.

“My mother’s family, the Seerys are from down the road. I went to visit the graves earlier with my cousin Eamon Seery and then to a lovely Mass said by Fr Fitzsimons,” Eileen remarked.

Matt Murphy from Wexford assured the audience that there was a bed in Wexford for everyone for next year’s fleadh – “it’s just a matter of finding it”. He gave moving renditions of I Wish I had Someone to Love and Boolavogue.

The Rathconrath Ceili Band rounded off the night with a selection of roof raising tunes. Among the members were Mick Foster, Moyra Fraser, Eamon Seery, Noel Battle, Paddy and Liz Maguire, Willie Kavanagh, Aidan and Maeve Flood, Siobhán Ní Chonaráin and Aine Ni Raghallaigh.

Among those who worked behind the scenes to make Friday’s concert such a success were Tom Lynn, stage manager, who also got the hall ready, Pat Igoe, Eddie Somers and Paddy Gavigan on duty in the car park, Margaret Igoe (née Gavigan) and Billy Lynn on the door, Noel Heduan who recorded the event, Betty Walsh (née Gavigan), Vonnie Geraghty, chairperson of the Frank Gavigan CCÉ branch, Carmel Somers, Claire Donoghue, Marian Eivers, Sandra and Aidan Flood, Phil Jackson and others.