The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Country music and dancing festival reaches for the stars
THE run-away success of the Brosna Country Music and Dancing Festival of the last couple of years has sown the seeds of continuation and expansion.
The event was held to raise vital funds for the refurbishment and maintenance of the churches in the village and in Knockclarig.
And from the one main and supporting act, on one night only, the 2019 festival is now a two-day, mega-star event. Up to now, Brosna’s claim to festival fame was represented by the Con Curtin Traditional Music Festival, which was founded in 2002. On July 12 and 13, 2019, country stars such as Derek Ryan and Shauna McStravock will be joined by Dingle’s world dancing champion, David Geaney, whose family has strong links with the Brosna area.
Almost immediately after last year’s success, event committee chairman John Murphy confirmed that they were looking forward to doing it all again in 2019.
Derek Ryan is Irish country music’s golden boy, with chart-topping albums; self-written, smash-hit singles; millions of views; box office-busting live tours and, of course, an army of faithful fans around the world.
He is also the holder of two All-Ireland titles in bodhrán and céilí drumming.
Tyrone-born Shauna McStravock is a singer/songwriter and a country music star and now a television personality in recent years.
She is highly regarded as a country music artist and is one of the young and rising stars using the medium of television to promote her career and that of the genre in general.
“It’s not hard to see why TV promoter Phil Mack has decided to put his faith in Shauna, as her natural bubbly nature gives her a likeability factor which is sure to exude on her television show,” the London-based Irish Post newspaper said.
“She has shared the stage with some of the best and brightest names on the country music scene, such as: Daniel O’Donnell, Nathan Carter, Andy Cooney, Philomena Begley, Susan McCann, Derek Ryan to name but a few,” according to ‘The Post’.
The dancing part of the Brosna weekend couldn’t be in better hands – or feet. Dingle native, David Geaney is a five-time world champion dancer and is taking the world by storm again with his Velocity show on Broadway, gaining rave reviews in the process.
After an illustrious competitive career, amassing numerous major titles including All Ireland, European, All-Scotland and Great Britain Championships alongside his five world titles, he has now set his sights on choreographing and performing around the world, which has seen him perform already in Belgium, Prague, the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Canada and the United States.