Offaly country music stars to sing for peace in Ukraine

A line-up of country music stars, including recent  Hot Country TV awards  Award winners  Larissa Trmey from Kilbeggan, Alex Roe from Clara,  and  Aishling Rafferty (who also won  Glór Tíre 2022), plus Eurovision legend  Charlie McGettiganand Glór Tíre judge  Caitriona O'Sullivan are on their way to the  Tuar Ard Arts Centre in Moate this week. 

The talented array of entertainers, which also includes  P.J. Murrihy, Dave Lawlor, and  Ger O'Brien, will perform at the  Voices for Peace  concert this coming Thursday night, April 14th, with proceeds going to the Irish Red Cross in aid of Ukraine. 

The event, which is being held in association with the Tuar Ard and which will see the Sunday World's  Eddie Rowley  as MC for the night, has been initiated by singer/songwriter Larissa Tormey, who was recently honoured with the  Music Without Borders  award at the annual Hot Country TV Awards Concert. Larissa has also just been nominated by  Hot Press  magazine in their  Ground-Breaking Female Artist of 2021  category, sharing that spotlight with Imelda May, Denise Chaila, Sinead O' Connor, and CMAT, to name but a few. 

Speaking about the  Voices For Peace  concert, midlands based Larissa explained why this was something she felt compelled to do...

"As a writer, and as a performer - and even just as a human-being - positivity is so important. Being able to find ways to connect with people, and to express and share different feelings and emotions that we all understand. Just from a human point of view, it's so hard to see what's happening right now in Ukraine. But from an artist's point of view, you start to think, well what can I do? What can I do that might help in even some small way? And the answer is to call for peace, and to sing for peace, because that's what we all want to see." 

Larissa continued,  "I'm so grateful to everybody involved in this project for lending their support. All of the artists on the bill, Eddie Rowley who is coming down to MC, Nolan Sound who have been brilliant as well, and of course the wonderful team at the Tuar Ard. I hope people will come along on the night and support us, because this night is all about trying to raise some funds that can be directed to where it's most needed right now by the Irish Red Cross. I know we all feel incredibly helpless at the moment, but this is something positive that we can all do. This is a way that we can connect with each other and remind ourselves again that we are all just people, with so many things in common. And we all want peace in this world." 

~ The  Voices for Peae  concert takes place on Thursday, April 14, at the Tuar Ard Arts Centre in Moate. Doors open at 7.15pm, with the show beginning at 8pm.  Proceeds from the night will be donated to the Irish Red Cross in aid of Ukraine.  Tickets, which are just €20, are available from the Tuar Ard box-office on 090-6482042 (no booking fee), online at  www.tuarard.ie  (booking fee applies), or from Trax in the Bridge Centre, Tullamore, or Tormey Butchers, Tullamore.