Offaly to be represented at Carnegie Hall concert

Offaly to be represented at Carnegie Hall concert

THE renowned Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland is currently on a sell-out 17-concert series across Ireland before flying to New York for a landmark concert at the world’s most iconic music mecca, Carnegie Hall, on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th.

Offaly is well represented in this orchestra by Adam Stanley, Shinrone, Aideen O’Halloran, Crinkle and Roisin O’Connor, and this will be a big honour for them.

The concert series celebrates their work and achievements in promoting peace, unity and tolerance on the island of Ireland since their foundation in 1995. Significantly, the concerts will also mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The CBOI is now composed of over 130 exceptionally talented young musicians from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland who travel to Coláiste Chu Chulainn, Dundalk for weekly rehearsals. A further 200 children and teens receive free music tuition through the CBOI’s extraordinary music education programmes. CBOI recently won a ‘National Rural Impact Award’ for their work.

The CBOI is best known in Ireland for their nationwide Peace Proms programme which is a free resource and choral education initiative for primary schools. A staggering 35,000 primary school children from almost 700 schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland form their Children’s Peace Choirs and perform with the orchestra at concerts held across the island in January through March.

The CBOI has had the honour of performing for President Michael D. Higgins and former Presidents of Ireland, and has often represented the Government of Ireland for national and international celebrations including the launch of the Ireland 1916 Commemorations in Dublin; the 400th anniversary of the Flights of the Earls in Rome; and the World Trade Expo in Shanghai where they won the award for ‘Most Outstanding International Performance’. CBOI ensembles have performed for King Charles III during his visit to Ireland in 2017; President Obama at the White House in 2016, President Biden in Carlingford in 2016, and for Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in 2014.

Performances in Ireland and the US will showcase some of the most talented young musicians on our island. Under the direction of internationally acclaimed conductor Maestro Greg Beardsell, the Orchestra led by Dundalk violinist Richie Dunne, will be joined by their massed ‘Children’s Peace Choirs’; all-Ireland champion Uilleann Piper Conal Duffy; award-winning vocalist and song writer Lauren Murphy; world champion Highland Piper Grahame Harris; New Ross and District Pipe Band; the Colmcille the Pipe and Drum Corps from Derry/Londonderry; Ulster Scots dancers from the Michelle Johnston School of Highland Dance in Belfast; Irish dancers from Dance Hall Academy, Swords; the Magill School of Irish Dance, Waterford; the Nolan School of Irish dance Limerick and more. The concert in Carnegie Hall will feature many of the above along with Irish dancers from Rockland county, New York; the multi-award winning 100-strong Fairfield County Children’s Choir from Connecticut, and the Pipe Corps from Xavarian High School, Brooklyn.