A studious bunch in Arklow
Its been quite a while since I last posted anything but I have been very busy with family matters since before Christmas. We have had births and marriages ( not the same People). I have become a Grandfather and my wife has become a Grandmother at exactly the same time. My youngest daughter got married in India in January so I have been otherwise occupied.
But now we are getting back to normal and the best way to reground was to travel to Arklow Music Festival last Sunday to take our usual part in the sacred Music and the Light Entertainment Competitions. This is our 12th or 13th attendance at Arklow and we have always enjoyed it even if we havent always shone. At the very least we deserve the Best Attendance prize.
We sang beautifully in rehearsal but a little accident kept us out of the winner's enclosure in the Sacred Music. We immediately followed into the Light Entertainment with "Africa" an ANC battle song collected in Sydney and arranged by Donagh and "Blue Moon" the great Rodgers and Hart standard. We were so fired up at that stage that we nearly blew the adjudicators out of their Chairs and they just had to give us the First Prize, the Pat Bonner Cup which we have now won on three occasions.
After that it was back to Enniscorthy for a real old style celebration. Just like the old days.
We are now starting to concentrate on our Summer Project " Harbourings" by Ian Wilson. This has been specially composed as the Artistic Element of an EU Funded Infrastructure Scheme. Now doesent that sound much better then the Carcur Main Drainage Scheme Anthem ? The EU insists that 1% of the budget of these scemes should be assigned to cultural and artistic activities and a very good idea it is too although it sometimes has unexpected results. For example, the dreadful scaffolding Bird which lurks on the right bank of the Slaney piddling soap suds just above the new bridge is the enforced artistic element of that bridge. The fact that it is wrongly placed and has nothing to do with the Artist's vision is important because it becomes an anti artistic and anti cultural icon if it is not treated correctly. The original concept was to place the sculpture in the River between the two bridges where it could use the water plumes to suggest feathers and cover it's ghastly naked skeleton. WCC please take note as I intend to return to decry this monstrosity often
I can't finish without paying a heart felt compliment to Councillor Sean Og Doyle who has fought our corner in the Council for as long as the Choir has existed. He has always supported the Choir as a Community Resource and this has resulted in a generous grant to the Choir from the Art Fund of the Council.
Thanks, Sean.
