Local musicians centre stage for opening night of Comhaltas 75-year celebration
'It’s the year of celebrating 75 years' was the message ringing out from Friday night’s concert as a Mayo-based band joined Westmeath musicians, marking the beginning of a weekend of celebrations for Comhaltas in Mullingar.
Around 300 people filled Mullingar Arts Centre for a night of traditional Irish music, song and dance, featuring some of the county’s finest Comhaltas musicians, alongside the renowned Ox Mountain Quartet from Mayo and Sligo.
As the curtain-raiser to the weekend’s celebrations, the concert showcased the wealth of talent across the eight Comhaltas branches in Westmeath.
Opening the show was a group of more than 50 senior musicians from branches across the county, who came together to perform a suite of music arranged by Enda Seery.
The performance also featured dancing from Rose Carey, while sets from Ballynacargy CCÉ and the prizewinning O-35 set from Bunbrosna, who took a third place at this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, added to the opening half of the concert.
Grúpa Naomh Odhrán, the successful senior Grúpa Cheoil from Ballynacargy CCÉ, brought the first half to a close with the eight-minute performance they presented at this year’s Fleadh Cheoil competitions.
Under the tutelage of Áine Ní Raghallaigh and her son Caomhán, this year’s All-Ireland senior concertina champion, the group delivered a brilliant performance.
The second half brought the arrival of the Ox Mountain Quartet, Siobhán O’Donnell on vocals and bodhrán, Stephen Doherty on flute and accordion, David Doocey on fiddle and Patrick Doocey on guitar, who delivered an entertaining mix of traditional and contemporary music.
Their lively combination of songs and tunes had toes tapping throughout the Arts Centre and provided a fitting start to the 75th anniversary celebrations of Comhaltas.
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