Big Night in St Mary's on Saturday

We were back in HQ on last Saturday night for the our first major event of the year namely the Fund Raiser for the Restoration Funds of St Mary's and St Senan's. No pictures to show yet as I am waiting for Rory to send me some of his snaps. It was a huge success and went well as far as the almost sell out audience were concerned (What they dont know wont hurt them.) In fact it went well for us too and we were all delighted with the reponse, particularly to the de Regge pieces which we are preparing for the next big day on the 6th December in Ennis. More of that anon. Back to Saturday night.
The Concert Sub Committee of Annette McCarthy, Eileen McAuley and Sheila Farrell had really pulled out all the stops and the place was packed. Even the ArchDeacon saod he had never seen the place so full. So well done ladies.
We started with the Wexford Youth Orchestra and Wexford Junior Strings under their conductor, the delightful Emily Redmond, whose committment and dedication were obvious in the performance of her charges. With Mark Ennett as their Leader they played with spirit and accuracy and were a joy to hear, so much so that the audience joined in the Radetsky March. They surely have a great future and we all wish them well in their trip to Prague. Not only is Emily all the above but she also sold a HUGE number of tickets and was help up to the rest of us as an example to be followed.
Pianist Mick Hennessy brought his latest combo, Jazzical, a very talentd group which consists of himself and his son John on drums, Conor McCarthy on Bass and Flautist Tanya Fritschi. They played the very popular Suite for Jazz Trio and Flute which was written by Claude Bolling for JP Rampal. Rampal is famous as the man who singlehandedly restored the solo flute to the popularity it had enjoyed in the 18th Century. He was the original man with the legendary Golden Flute which he had bought in three different parts from different people and recombined after many years of seperation. It is said that part of his attraction was the fact that he was a very large man playing a very small flute with great sensitivity. Jazzical did a great job and we look forward to seeing them again in Ennis next Month.
The Choir did three sets, the middle one being a selection of pieces by Ernest de Regge from a Mass which he composed in honour of St Oliver Plunkett. Donagh Wylde our MD has been editing and preparing Regges music for performance and publication after a long period of neglect and this was the first ocasion in 50 years that the music was heard in public. The response was gratifying with the Sanctus getting the biggest Hand of the night. Bodes well for our celebration Mass and Concert in St Flannan's Cathedral in Ennis on the 6th December.
The evening finished traditionally with a knees up in the Bailey where I am reliably informed the the singing went on till 4.00. Very Good.