My readers no doubt have noticed (!) that this blog has been missing for a few weeks. Problem: Laptop decided it wanted to change to Windows 10 instead of 8, and that messed up a lot of things. Also summer (!) weather was against sitting in blogging.

The blog for July 1^st (which did not get published) was to commemorate young Tommy Chesnutt, of The Green, Killybegs, who died aged 21, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1916. Also Paddy Murrin, an uncle of Mary Hegarty and Joey Murrin, who died in that war (5 April 1916); Patrick Hegarty, Granhey, Killybegs, (3 September); and James McCullagh, Aghayeevoge, Killybegs. (27 May 1916). R.I.P.  Several other Killybegs men died in WWI: see my first blog.

 

To get back on track, this report of a children’s concert in the Foresters’ Hall makes easy reading although many of them have passed to their reward:

 

Killybegs Children’s Concert on 3^rd January 1937

The success of the concert was due to the arduous preliminary work of Mrs B. C. Ward, N.T., (and her sister, Imelda Gallagher).   The first item was the opening chorus, An Chuacin Bhinn by Peg Cunningham, Mary Dowds, Katie Murrin, Greta McMenamin, Anna Conwell, Alice Flood, Sarah Gallagher and Joan Cunningham; Johnny Murrin, Josie Ward, Josie Dowds, Seamus McGroarty, Josie Paris, Terence Doherty, and Paddy McMenamin. Feis prizewinners, Little Soldiers by W. Flood, John Murrin, B. McNelis, Hammy Kyles, Liam Conwell, and P. McMenamin, was a treat.

Paidin Fionn, solo, by Anna Conwell, Killybegs, was well received.

Old Black Joe (Darkie song) by Josie Paris, Paddy Dowds, Hammy Kyles, Bernard McNelis, Josie Dowds and Paddy McMenamin, was a scream.

The Garden Gate, song, by Nora Conwell, Killybegs, was loudly applauded. Rallying Song, Bernard McNelis, Paddy McMenamin, Seamus McGroarty, Paddy Dowds, Josie Ward, Frankie Rogers and Francis McNelis, revealed promising talent.

Alice Blue Gown by Anna Conwell and senior girls provided no end of amusement.

Barefoot Days, solo, by Terence Doherty won merited applause.

Tenting Tonight, (action song) by Terence O’Doherty, Frankie Rogers, Josie Ward, Josie Dowds and John Murrin, was of a high standard. Polly Wolly Doodle was pleasantly sung by Kathleen Flood. A cowboy song was rendered in winning style by the senior boy pupils of the Niall Mor School.

Play – The Pensioner, Cast: Peg Cunningham, Lena Cunningham, Seamus McGroarty, and Josie Paris, impressed the audience by their wonderfully true interpretation.

Junior chorus: Samhradh by Veronica Dowds, Nora Conwell, Clare Cunningham, Sally Flood, Bridie Cunningham, Mary McGinn, Mary Molloy, Sheena Cannon, and Kathleen Flood; Sean McMenamin, Con Breslin, Denis Kinsella, Liam Conwell, Seamus Murrin, and Frankie McMenamin. This item charmed the audience. Scout Song, by the Killybegs Catholic Boy Scouts, was worthy of prolonged applause.

Eight Little Mothers, (action song) by Bridie Cunningham, Bridie Murrin, Sally Flood, Mary McGinn, Ethna Fagan, Kathleen Gallagher, M. Molloy, Sheena Cannon, and Clare Cunningham, provoked much laughter.

Model Parliament, (action song): T. Doherty as Mr Speaker; John Murrin as Prime Minister; Paddy McMenamin as Parliamentary Policeman, was enthusiastically received.

Could we but Rule, (action song) by Peg Cunningham, Bridie McGroarty, Bridie Murrin, Greta McMenamin, Nora Conwell, Moira Molloy, Annie Kenny, and Mary O’Donnell was faultlessly performed.

Miss Nora Conwell was heard to advantage in solos, Sky Lark and Mammy Mine.

Gipsies, by Anna Conwell, Nora Conwell, Bridie McGroarty, Sarah Gallagher, Mary Cunningham, and Annie Kenny reflected credit upon themselves and their teacher.

Sailor’s action song and sailor’s hornpipe by Frank Rogers, Josie Dowds, Bernard McNelis, Francis McNelis, Terence Doherty, Josie Ward and John Murrin was a pleasant item. Twenty Miles from Nowhere, Cowboy song: Hammy Kyles, Paddy McMenamin, Paddy Dowds, Frank McNelis, Josie Paris, and Seamus McGroarty, was deservedly applauded.

Dirty Boys (action song) by senior boys and girls of the Niall Mor School gave the audience some side-splitting laughter. Closing chorus, Samhradh, by the first prize-winners of the Donegal Feis last year received a hearty encore.

During the intervals Edward, Patrick and Michael Hegarty (violinists) entertained the audience with selections of Irish traditional music.

B.C. Ward, N.T., and Miss Imelda Gallagher were accompanists. Brian McNelis, N.T., Killybegs, discharged the duties of M.C.

[I assume the Josie Ward above was Surgeon Joey Ward who died in New York in July 2012]