O’CONNOR FAMILY IN CONCERT
GERRY O’Connor has made it something of a tradition to organise a concert of traditional Irish music around Christmas and this year is no different.
For a number of years he welcomed local musicians who were home for the festive season to join him.
This year, however, he is taking to the stage with family members to raise funds in aid of CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) Ireland, the charity that supports families who have lost a child to Sudden Cardiac Death or Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
‘I have known Tommy Fegan, Chairman of CRY (Ireland) since the 70’s, meeting first at sessions in the famous Dundalk’s Mark’s Bar and we have worked together in the Thomas D’Arcy Magee Foundation,’ says Gerry of his decision to support this charity ‘I was shocked and saddened at the sudden death of his son, Kevin, in 2010. Tommy asked me to play Úr Chnoic Céin Mhic Cáinte at Kevin’s funeral. So, when he initiated a campaign to raise awareness and funds for CRY, my family readily agreed to dedicate the traditional Homecoming Christmas concert to this great charity.’
Gerry says that ‘ the Homecoming concerts affords the opportunity to returning exiles for Louth, Monaghan, Down and Armagh and other border communities to meet up with old friends in a musical, convivial setting between Christmas and the New Year.’
The O’Connor family were very much to the fore of the 2018 All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Drogheda, both behind the scenes and on stage.
Their family concert was one of the highlights of the Fleadh so they decided to recreate it for Dundalk audiences this Christmas.
Gerry, who was presented with a Bardic Award by Comhaltas Ceoiltoiri Eireann at the Fleadh, for his contri- bution to traditional music, will be joined by his talented family, Dónal, Siúbhan, Féilimí and Finnian, his wife Sile Boylan, sister Eilish, brother Peter and Finnian’s girlfriend Grianne Smith.
They will play a selection of music from the Oriel region, including tunes passed down from Gerry’s mother Rose, who was a noted fiddle player, and songs by the late Eithne Ni Ullachain with whom he made a number of recordings as ‘La Lugh’.
Don’t be surprised to see some very special guests jump up on stage to join in the festive fun! This is one not to be missed.
The O’Connor family Homecoming concert takes place on Friday December 28 at 8pm in An Tain Arts Centre.
Tickets for the concert are available from the Box Office at An Tain Arts Centre, ph 9332332 or online at www. antain.ie