Opera couple launch Cooley Song Academy
Husband and wife Gavan Ring and Nicola Mulligan share a love of music and singing and now they are hoping to help others discover that love too as they launch the Cooley Singing Academy.
The couple, who moved to Carlingford as they wanted to be closer to Nicola’s family, previously ran a similar singing school in Gavan’s native Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.
Now, they want to emulate the success of that venture by offering people the opportunity to avail of singing lessons with experienced teachers at an affordable rate.
Both Gavan and Nicola have sung all over the world in some of the great concert halls and with some of the greatest orchestras and conductors, so they are well placed to bring their experience to a new generation of singers.
Gavan, who this month makes his debut as a tenor as Juan in Massenet’s Don Quichott at the Wexford Opera Festival, will be available for master classes and vocal coaching, while Nicola is the school’s director and principal teacher.
‘I will be assisting Nicola as much as I possibly can and will do a lot of the admin side of things but I do a lot of performing away from home,’ he explains.
Having previously sang as a baritone for the past ten years, Gavan is transitioning from one voice type to another and sang his last role as a baritone in Irish National Opera’s new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute earlier in the year.
The award-winning singer is passionate about bringing high quality singing lessons to people who wouldn’t normally be able to access them on their doorstep. ‘ And often, even if it is on people’s doorsteps it can be quite costly, so we are making these classes affordable, with a flat rate of €15 per half hour.’
Nicola is hoping that the school will be as successful as the one they ran in Cahersiveen, which started out with 20 pupils and grew to 60 students.
‘I absolutely loved teaching and now that our girls are no longer babies, I thought we should start a school here,’ she explains.
The launched the Cooley Singing Academy, which is based in the Foy Centre, Carlingford, two week’s ago, and Nicola is delighted with how things are going so far. ‘It’s a lovely venue and we’ve got a good response.’
She is offering one to one lessons to singers of all age groups and no previous experience is needed.
‘Some students will want to do their grades while others just want to come along and be a better version of themselves and want to sing better in the shower!’ she says.
Lessons will be offered in a range of styles such as classical, musical, trad and pop, and all singers, from beginners to advanced are welcome.
While Nicola is happy to be the ‘stay at home’ parent with their two young daughters Clara and Ava while Gavan is one the road, the couple do get together to sing at venues such as the Glyde Inn, Annagassan.
‘We do a lot of shows in the Glyde Inn and have another one, ‘A Night At the Opera’, coming up in December,’ she says.
Naturally, there is a lot of music in the house, and she says their daughters love to sing. ‘ They are totally fascinated by the piano and if I’m practising at all , they will join in.’
For more information, call 085 7130045 or email cooleysingingacademy@gmail.com.
Glenmore Athletic Club celebrate their 50th anniversary this October and on this coming Friday, October 18, a book detailing the life and times of this great Club will be launched during their celebration night in the Four Seasons Hotel, Carlingford.
This account of the first fifty years of Glenmore AC has been a longstanding project. The book is intended as a living history of a very local initiative. Glenmore AC has been the heartbeat of the community of the big glen since the late 1960s and has over the years reached out to draw in people, runners, athletes and their families from across the wider Cooley Peninsula and beyond.
It is a story of leadership and cando, of comradeship and solidarity, of competition and performance, of challenge and never-say-die, of caring and loving, of remembering and honouring.
There are many actors playing many parts, each in his, her or their own way. We have sought to capture as many of these as possible. The structure of the narrative reflects this ambition.
Chapter One recounts some of the early history of the community at Glenmore, especially since the 1600s, told with great empathy and clarity by local historian, Michael O’Hanlon. It finishes with a wonderfully evocative and sensitive homage to the people and area of Glenmore/ Mullaghbuoy by former Club athlete, Brian O’Reilly, written in 1994 at the time of the cease-fires in Northern Ireland and the promise of a return to peace on our island.
Each of the remaining five chapters chronicles the life and times of Glenmore AC over the five decades since 1969. Each commences with something of a chronology of real events, some of significance at world level, some nationally and some closer to home. These may have shaped the conversational backdrop to weekly training sessions, competition outings and other Club activities. Each chapter paints a picture of life in the wider Cooley Peninsula context.
However, the main part of each chapter-decade relates to the life of the Club itself. This is told in many different voices. We have tried to structure these contributions in ways which capture the spontaneity, the passion, the sense of belonging and purpose. These seem to be common features of those who have been part of the Glenmore AC experience, athletes, organisers and supporters, young and old, since the start-up to the present day. Members took time out to be interviewed and these conversations were faithfully transcribed and extracts are featured throughout the text under the heading ‘In conversation with ...’.
It was a privilege to listen to the stories of members and former members who kindly allowed us into their homes and shared their memories of their time at Glenmore AC. We would like to thank them all for their generosity of spirit and openness.
Some contributors generously provided short ( and not so short) written accounts. A number of these, from current and former athletes, are presented under the heading ‘Born to run’. Where accounts of critical stages in the Club’s development are offered by members and supporters, these are titled ‘For the record ...’. The texts in both of these sections add so much colour and texture to the history of the Club. Their authors are accredited where they appear in each chapter. Once again, our heartfelt thanks. The main sections of the ‘official’ story of the life of the Club, over the five decades, have been drawn from a fairly exhaustive (and exhausting) review of Club minutes, press reports and correspondence by members of the writing and editing team.
Thanks to local initiative, a funding application, and co-operation between Cooley Kickhams Complex and Flexibus, a new 8 seater Accessible Car is heading for the Cooley Peninsula.
The good news came in a recent email when it was confirmed that the new 8 seater wheelchair accessible car was on it’s way and would be at the Cooley Complex for viewing on this coming Thursday, October 17, between the hours of 1pm to 3pm. The main function of the car is to provide accessible transport for people attending hospital, health or social activities. All volunteers and potential passengers are invited to come and view the new vehicle. Flexibus staff will be present to explain the vehicle details, it’s accessibility and how it can be used as part of your community activities.
They will also be looking for volunteers to drive the vehicle and would love to meet interested groups such as nursing homes, care providers and indeed people with family members who would be interested in using the vehicle. They need to ensure that it is fully utilised and will be looking to local people to help spread the news of its availability.
Come along to the Cooley Complex on Thursday to view and be part of this great initiative!
On a perfect day for football Rampart Celtic came up short in the Leinster Senior Cup against Rosslare Rangers.
Having advanced in the FAI Junior Cup last week the North Louth Winter League side, managed by Conor Neacy, were hopeful of once again springing a surprise. Ultimately despite offering a spirited fight against the hosts it was the clinical finishing from the Wexford side that made the difference.
From the early moments of the match Rosslare produced chances with swift passing and movement creating openings in the Rampart defence. A change of tactics saw the back line, marshalled by the ever green Ger Redmond, get a stranglehold on the game but halfway through the first half Mark Furlong pounced to put Rosslare ahead after goalkeeper Aaron Conway could only get his fingers to a cross and the ball fell to the striker.
Forced into chasing the game the tireless work of striker Anto Lines, scorer of both FAI Cup goals, was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty. Lines was arguably too honest when he tried to stay on his feet following contact in the penalty area. Further chances followed but as the half time whistle neared keeping a solid defence was the key concern for the Rampart Celts.
Jason Mulligan’s introduction sparked life into the Rampart midfield in the early moments of the second half with a surging run forward spurned by the home defence with Niall Walsh making a telling impact. Chances followed for the visitors but the game was starting to stretch when Aaron Goff sprung the offside trap to notch a second for the home side.
Suddenly Ramparts had a mountain to climb and with Neacy ringing the changes in the hope that fresh legs would offer a chance of a result. The best chance of a goal came in an old fashioned goalmouth scramble from a set piece. With Mulligan rising above the fullback to bring the ball back across the face the ball fell to Redmond. In unfamiliar territory the centre-half was unlucky to see his effort turned away by Rangers goalkeeper Jack O’Leary.
From that point onwards Rampart tried to break their duck but with their best chances spurned they were caught out in the closing stages when Shane Pettit scored the third and final goal.
A workmanlike performance by the visitors deserved a goal but the difference in quality between the sides saw the stronger side earn the right to advance. For Rampart Celtic their attention will turn to their upcoming FAI Junior Cup match
The Cooley Kickhams Lotto draw took place on Monday night last, October 7.
There was a jackpot of €2,200 on offer but the numbers drawn were not matched and no jackpot winner emerged. The drawn numbers were 4, 13, 16 and 20. The two ‘match three’ winners were; Rose McKevitt c/o Nicholas Rafferty; Aedamar McGrane c/o Nicholas Rafferty.
The jackpot for this week’s draw is €2,400.
The Cooley Kickhams Golf Classic is on 28th October, Bank Holiday Monday, commencing at 11.30 am with a shotgun start.
This year marks the 33rd year of the event. Our Golf Classic is of great benefit to the club with funds raised helping with the upkeep of the club at all levels. We are aware of the constant demands on you for sponsorship, but look forward to your continued support. Full notice of your sponsorship will be given on the appropriate tee.
It is €50 for Tee Sponsorship and €150 to enter a team of 4. The event organisers are Sean Marks 0876781921 or Brian Rafferty 0851684655.
Cooley Kickhams under 16 boys finished a remarkable year by claiming the Dermot O’Brien cup for the second year in a row by beating O’Raghallaighs on a scoreline of 1-15 to 1-9. When added with the league title they won less than six weeks ago, this championship victory capped a perfect unbeaten season for the Peninsula men.
Cooley got off to a great start and raced into a four point lead early in