Civic reception marks centenary of Fermoy Musical Society
“It is important for us however to remember that while the centenary is a milestone, it’s actually not the destination. We, the current members and friends of the society, are the custodians of living history, history that is rich in performance but is also rich in community involvement,” said Tom Beresford, president
of Fermoy Musical Society, as he spoke at last Friday's civic reception afforded to the society, to mark their centenary year.
“To coin a phrase, we the current members of Fermoy Musical Society are standing on the shoulders of giants who nurtured the society through from 1924 to the present day,” he added.
A fitting occasion and location for Fermoy Musical Society's first official engagement in their centenary year, as 100 years ago 'the choral' as it was known, gathered in the nearby courthouse to stage their first production, ‘Trial by Jury’.
The reception, afforded by Fermoy Municipal District in the Town Hall on Friday last, February 23, was originally proposed by Cllr William O’Leary, whose family are deeply ingrained with the local society.
Speaking in testament to the society, Cllr O’Leary explained that when his mother first moved from Cork city to Rathcormac, Fermoy Musical Society was the first organisation she got involved in.
“I know how much it means to her and to us as a family as well. You gave her the confidence to meet people here and subsequently, set up her own drama school. If it wasn’t for Fermoy Musical Society none of that would have ever happened,” he said.
HELPING DEVELOP LIFE SKILLS
President of Fermoy Musical Society (FMS), Tom Beresford, thanked Cork County Council for providing the civic reception and for their support over the years.
FMS contributes to community development in many ways in the town, providing a platform for friendship, a social outlet, a platform for creative talent, etc, while entertaining the masses. The group has seen several successes over the years, from sell-out shows to members going on to pursue their passions for music, theatre, drama professionally, however, Mr Beresford paid particular attention to the less publicised successes of the group.
“Very often I think, some of our biggest successes are some of the ones which you can't see and you can't measure. They’re the ones where friendships have developed, the confidence which individuals gained and the experience of working as part of a team. Small things that can be very important in the overall development of life skills. That’s really one of the things I think this society is good at".
COMMON GOAL
As all elected members of the Fermoy MD commended the group on their notable achievements, many also noted the society's role in improving and maintaining the group for the years to come, which was something Mr Beresford also noted, as he recalled the common trait that the society has maintained over 100 years.
“The centenary is a major milestone for Fermoy Musical Society. We are one of the oldest musical societies in Ireland and it’s something we should be very proud of.
"Fermoy in 1923 was a different place to what it is today. Our first members, while many were deeply divided on politics, they were united over music and musical theatre and brought them together and allowed to develop the society which we have. That’s one of the great things about Fermoy Musical Society, we can bring people together from different walks of life, different views, but you all share a common thing once you get on the stage,” he said.
CENTENARY GALA BALL
The group continued what was a celebratory weekend, as they wined, dined and danced in Rochestown Park Hotel on Saturday night - see coverage elsewhere.