Ripping into an Irish jig, from left, are Billy Moran with a button accordion, Dean Cady-Ellis, Irish drum, Tony Harrigan, button accordion, Hank de Groot, fiddle, Theo Lewis, tin whistle, Warren Mars, guitar and Norman Long, mandolin.
YOU could have been forgiven for thinking it was St Patrick's Day in Koroit last night. "Irish and Proud" proclaimed the T-shirt slogan of a woman at the Koroit Hotel and summed up the feeling of many in the town as they drank, sang, played and danced to an Irish theme. It was opening night of the fourth annual Koroit Irish Festival.The town's streets were decorated in Ireland's green, orange and white and leprechauns and shamrocks adorned the shop fronts and pubs.The festival's only international act, UK duo Lisa Fitzgibbons and Jane Griffiths, opened the proceedings with a concert at the Koroit theatre. Vocalist Lisa Fitzgibbons told an audience of young and old the women were excited to be performing at the Koroit festival. "We heard this was an intimate, local gathering. They're the best," she said. Earlier yesterday pupils from Koroit's two primary schools enjoyed a concert by local act Flint - The Celtic Sensation. A small gathering in the back room of the Koroit Hotel heard local and visiting poets recite their own and the work of others. Vera Brady, of Koroit, recited a poem entitled Me Ma, which her son Anthony wrote while living in Ireland. Those gathered for the poetry night received a sneak preview of the vocal talents of Melbourne's Bronwyn Rowbotham as she opted not to recite poetry but sing a traditional ballad. Bronwyn will be performing today at the McIlroys and Devondale stages. In other rooms of the hotel, musicians picked up tin whistles, guitars, fiddles, Irish drums, accordions and banjos for an informal Irish music session. Down the road at McIlroy's Hotel former Koroit man Kevin Bowman was busy practising for his heat of the Danny Boy singing competition. Mr Bowman, who has entered the competition for the past three years, came third in 1998 and second last year and is hopes to go one better this year. The final of the Danny Boy competition will be held at the Koroit theatre tonight.
DennisTaberner and Colin O'Keeffe
Rob Graff
No comments:
Post a Comment