Generations unite as CTG marks CCÉ branch’s milestone 40th anniversary milestone

The village of Castletown Geoghegan came alive with music, song, and community spirit last weekend as celebrations were held to mark a major milestone, the 40th anniversary of the local Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann branch.

Over the course of three days of events, generations came together to celebrate four decades of preserving and promoting Irish traditional music, song, dance, storytelling, and the Irish language. The weekend was both a heartfelt tribute to the past and a celebration of a living tradition that continues to thrive today.

The weekend of celebration opened with a lively concert in St Michael’s Parish Church, where a host of local and renowned musicians took to the stage. A large and enthusiastic crowd gathered from across the midlands to enjoy the quality entertainment provided by the Castletown Geoghegan CCÉ performance group, a special set by Westmeath CCÉ members, and the evening’s headline act, the 2024 Leinster Senior Céilí Band champions, the Árd Eiscir Céilí Band from Co. Offaly.

The concert began showcasing both the future and the foundation of the branch, where the talented local musicians, singers and storytellers took centre stage. The next generation delivered spirited performances that reflected the growing involvement of young musicians, while founding members of the 1985 committee returned to the spotlight in truly meaningful and moving moments.

Dick Stokes shared an original song written especially for the occasion, followed by Davy Joe Fallon’s own composition, The Still House Reel. Then to rapturous applause, Christy Dalton, at 93 years young, brought the house down with his much-loved sean-nós dancing, a powerful reminder of the living legacy at the heart of the branch.

Kicking off the second half of the evening’s entertainment were the Westmeath U-12 Céilí Band champions, the Tristernagh Céilí Band from Ballynacargy CCÉ. Their polished jig and reel set the tone perfectly, with their youthful energy bringing a smile to everyone gathered in the church.

They were followed by musicians from neighbouring branches, who came together in a wonderful display of camaraderie and musicianship to perform several lively sets of tunes. Adding to the energy, Sharleen Doyle took to the floor with a fantastic display of sean nós dancing.

Bringing the night to a rousing close was the headline act, The Ard Eiscir Céilí Band. Hailing from the faithful county of Offaly, they delivered a dynamic and flawless set that showcased their signature regional style. Known for their exceptional talent, the band members are not only accomplished multi-instrumentalists, singers, and dancers but are All-Ireland champions in various categories of music, song and dance. Their performance on Friday evening was nothing short of exceptional.

Among the members is band leader James Hogan, who played an important role in the Castletown Geoghegan branch for several years. As a most accomplished button accordion tutor, James mentored many young musicians who have gone on to become outstanding box players in their own right.

The concert was streamed live online, allowing friends of the branch from near and far who couldn’t attend in person to take part in the celebrations virtually. For those who missed this memorable occasion, the full performance is still available to watch on YouTube.

Saturday night saw a packed house at the singing session in Ned Claffey’s, with standing room only left in the seomra ceol. Led by Dick Stokes, over 20 singers took their turn to share songs, stories, and heartfelt moments. While singing took centre stage there was storytelling too as Vincent Pierce had the crowd in stitches thanks to his brilliantly told and hilariously delivered tales. It was an evening steeped in rich tradition, with everyone present praising the outstanding entertainment.

Sunday morning Mass was held in remembrance of the deceased members of the local Comhaltas branch, as well as a celebration of the talent and cultural heritage it embodies.

Music from the performance group beautifully set the tone for this heartfelt occasion of reflection and tribute.

The memorable weekend concluded on Sunday afternoon in St Michael’s Hall with a special event honouring the founding officers of the 1985 committee. It was this visionary group that laid the foundation for the branch’s remarkable forty-year journey.

Once again, music was provided by the young musicians as friends and family gathered to celebrate the origins of the branch. Enda Seery, Chairperson of Castletown Geoghegan CCÉ, and Siobhán Ní Chonaráin from Comhaltas head office presented plaques to the eight founding officers that included Davy Joe Fallon, Dick Stokes, Christy Dalton, Maura Dalton, Johnny Corrigan and Gerry Daly.

Representatives accepted the awards on behalf of John Cowley and Ned Masterson, who have since sadly passed away.

To close a memorable weekend of craic agus ceol, the sun shone warmly over Castletown as a lively session took place outside Ned Claffey’s, bringing the celebrations of forty years of the branch’s legacy to a joyous close.

Chairperson Enda Seery described the weekend as a brilliant celebration of “everything that is good about Comhaltas”, praising the vibrant atmosphere that filled the village throughout the weekend.

“It was a great success - from our concert in the church on Friday, to the singing session on Saturday night, to our Mass Sunday morning, to our presentation to our founding officers on Sunday afternoon, and then finishing with a great outdoor session on Sunday evening.

“I would like to sincerely thank all of the venues that we used, and to thank Father Barry Condron for the use of the church, Paul and Debbie Claffey for the use of Ned Claffey’s pub, and to the Castletown Geoghegan Hall Committee for the use of St Michael’s Hall.

Reflecting on the festivities, Enda added, “everything went really well, and we even had the good weather as well”.

“I would like to thank everyone who came along and we look forward to many more events down through the years with Castletown Geoghegan Comhaltas,” he concluded.