Glenamaddy Musical Society

Our Musical Journey

By Bernadette Ganley

The seed for the Glenamaddy Musical Society was first sown at a social in John L. Garvey’s pub in 1994, where we were enjoying an evening of song, recitations and poetry.

John L. and myself, were chatting and commenting on the talent in our parish and the shame it was that it couldn’t be harnessed and utilised for setting up a “Musical Society”.  We shared the idea with Patricia Keady and Catriona Donohoe, who were sitting next to us; they were really enthusiastic about the prospect and felt there was no time like the present for beginning the task.

We set up a committee and began our musical journey.

Our first production, in December 1994 was a Variety Concert produced and directed by Declan Feeney from Kilkerrin.  Subsequent productions were, The Blighted Years and The Spirit of Chridsmas in 1995.  The Blighted Years, a moving story of the great famine was compiled and researched by Mary Mullin, Bríd Walsh, Catriona Donoghue and Bernie Ganley.  The show was directed by Bríd Walsh and musical directors were Mary Jo Fitzpatrick and Mary Mullin.

In 1996, we produced Sounds of Music and The Sea Queen, a story of the life and times of Grainne Uaile.  I had the pleasure of speaking with Anne Chambers and asking her for permission to take a couple of extracts from her book “The White Sea Horse”, she was delighted to facilitate us.  This show was produced by Bríd Walsh and Mary Mullin; musical directors were Mary Jo Fitzpatrick, Mary Mullin and Nuala Forkin.

Our other productions have been:

• Music for Spring and Music for a Winter’s Evening in 1997
• A Night of Irish Music and Oliver in 1998
• Reeling in the Years in 1999 in association with The Kilkerrin Arts Society
• The King and I in 2000
• The Wizard of Oz in 2003
• Oklahoma in 2006
• Celebrating Christmas in 2007
• South Pacific in 2009

The Glenamaddy Musical Society has seen many changes since 1994; some of our dear friends have gone to their eternal reward and we have welcomed many new people to carry the torch into the future.

The society has brought us many hours of fun, laughter, and enjoyment and I hope that it will carry on into the future, when many of us will only be a memory.

May the Glenamaddy Musical Society continue to “follow the yellow brick road”.

Agus go néirigh an bothar linn i gconai.