The history of Tralee Musical Society at a glance…

TRALEE Musical Society was formed out of the old Tralee Light Opera Society which was a very prominent and popular society in Tralee during the 1950s and 1960s. Some of the past members of the latter felt there was a serious lack of musical theatre in Tralee and from those early beginnings in 1986, Tralee Musical Society was formed and eventually picked up the mantle where today it has proudly earned for itself as being one of the top societies in Ireland.

The seeds were sown in early 1986 when the late Michael Brassil met Peggy Creagh in Castle Street in Tralee. However, chatting soon gave way to lamenting over the lack of a musical society in Tralee and they decided to advertise in The Kerryman looking for people interested in setting up a society. One week later a meeting was held in The Grsand Hotel and was attended by 11 people: Teddy Healy, Noel Keenan, Peggy Creagh, Irene Gould-McGaley, Ena O’Shea, Renee Fitzgibbon, Tom Slattery, Michael Brassil, Harry Milliner, Angela O’Shea and John Kennedy.

Encouraged by the gathering, a second meeting was arranged where this time over 40 people attended and it was on this night that the first committee was formed and Tralee Musical Society was born.

Having done the hard part, it was quickly down to business and the first committee consisted of Tom Slattery (Chairperson), Teddy Healy (Vice Chairperson), along with Irene Gould-McGaley, Peggy Creagh, Michael Brassil and John Kennedy, plus the very important cast members which totalled 66 at that first meeting.

By the time it came to Tralee Musical Society’s first ever show ‘Aladin’, the committee was expanded and included as follows: Tom Slattery, Chairperson, Teddy Healy, Vice-Chairperson, Michael Brassil, Jerry Hurley, Con Hodnett, Peggy Creagh, Irene Gould-McGaley, Renee Fitzgibbon, Gerard Ryan, Aisling O’Sullivan, Angela O Shea and Ursula Cunningham.

Beautiful Game 2016