Entertainment
Late Late is back – like an old friend or an arch enemy
TV Watch with Dave O’Connell
The Late Late Show is like Daniel O’Donnell. Because you’ll never meet someone with no opinion on either – you either love it or couldn’t imagine a better reason for going on a Friday night.
But for 52 years, it has been part of the staple diet of Irish life and as the 53rd season began last Friday, it was fairly clear that this would be nothing more than a variation on a well-worn theme.
Again, to some, that seems like two hours of abject misery but for so many it was like the return of an old friend after the Summer holidays.
It may not have the razzamatazz of Graham Norton or Jonathan Ross – although unlike both of those, it is actually live – but you don’t reinvent what remains the longest running chat show on the planet.
That said, you can anticipate some changes because Ryan Tubridy’s new producer is John McMahon, who was also his sidekick when the pair of them reinvented the breakfast show on 2FM – a show that catapulted Tubridy into the big league of Irish broadcasters.
And they did start with the interview that everyone’s been looking for ever since the Rose of Tralee – a chat with the Rose herself, Maria Walsh, who hasn’t spoken publically since she came out as a lesbian.
And you’d have to say that this was expertly handled – no sensationalism or overconcentration on what the Mayo beauty quite rightly points out is just one aspect of her very busy life.
She was engaging, confident, assured, warm and most of all multi-dimensional, placing as much emphasis on her membership of the Pioneers or her work with the No Name Club in Shrule as she was on her sexual orientation.
She said herself that she is utterly transparent and clearly she is equally honest; she fell in love with her GAA team-mate in the US and they were together for two years before breaking up – but still her former partner was in Tralee with the Walsh family to support her.
Her father Vincent was in the audience with her brother Michael – who also happens to be gay – but it was Vincent who really summed it all up with his simple love and pride in a wonderful daughter.
She said that when she told him, he hugged her for 10 minutes until she said he could let her go because it wouldn’t change anything. Being the Rose of Tralee won’t change her either, but it might alter the public conception of the contest – and that’s one reason that her honesty is such a positive thing.
But, as Maria herself said, if she has helped one teenager or young person struggling with their sexuality, then it will all have been worthwhile.
As Ryan said in conclusion, this will not be the last time we see her on the telly.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.
Folk duo Niall Teague and Pádraic Joyce are launching their new album What Will We Be, a blend of folk, Americana and acoustic music, this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in An Taibhdhearc.
The success of their well-received 2020 release Taobh le Taobh, as well as recent successes at the Pan Celtic and Oireachtas Song Contests, spurred the duo on to record this new album which represents many years of collaboration and musical development.
It features Niall and Pádraic on vocals, harmonies, and acoustic guitars, Maidhc Ó hÉanaigh on double bass and Neil Fitzgibbon on fiddle. The catchy title track, What Will We Be, features contributions from percussionist Jim Higgins (The Stunning, Christy Moore, Paul Brady) and haunting, driving melodies on vocals, guitar, and fiddle.
Themes of love and hope are woven through Come Away with Me which features interplay between piano and fiddle as well as rich vocal harmonies.
People, places, and broken dreams are celebrated and lamented on Martin and Tom, Guitar Gold, Memories of You and Achill Island. The influence of David Henry Thoreau’s novel Walden features on the tracks Simple and Wise and Walden, with the beauty of nature, escape and simple pleasures at their core.
The album moves from minimalistic folk ballads such as Galway Ghost to swirling, string-laden arrangements on the song Neptune, both of which are influenced by maritime tales from Galway. Much of the work on this album was supported by the Arts Council, including work with musical arranger Eoin Corcoran and the string ensemble Treo.
The album will be launched this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in an Taibhdhearc. Tickets €22, plus booking fee at Eventbrite.ie.
Dunmore is the place to be this weekend for lovers of traditional music, as the Galway County Fleadh will take place there from this Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 23.
It is 10 years since Dunmore last hosted a fleadh and the local Comhaltas branch, which has re-formed since Covid, is looking forward to facilitating this gathering of music, song, dance and craic.
The official Opening Concert will take place in Dunmore Town Hall this Friday at 8pm with the acclaimed Mulcahy family from Limerick. Mick, Louise and Michelle are well known throughout the country, thanks to their live performances, television appearances and numerous CDs. They were the winners of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Grúpa Ceoil Award for 2023. Tickets for their concert can be purchased on the door and a great night of music is promised.
Two days of competitions will kick off this Saturday at the town’s Community School, with more than 1,500 competitors taking part. Participants will be hoping to qualify for the Connacht Fleadh 2023, which will be held in Ballina, County Mayo, from June 23 to July 2.
Competitions for those aged Under 10, Under 12 and Under 15 will be held in a large variety of instruments on Saturday, as well as in singing and Comhrá Gaeilge. Sunday’s competitions will be for the Under 18 and Over 18 ages groups, as well as in dancing.
On both days a large entry is expected for Grúpaí Cheoil and Céilí Band competitions across all age groups.
Seventeen Comhaltas branches from across Galway will have participants in this weekend’s competitions, which will result in a large number of visitors to the Dunmore area.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the competitions, which offer a great opportunity to hear and see the talent on display. There will be sessions in local pubs over the weekend as well and everybody is welcome to attend these.
For more information on the County Fleadh, go to www.galwaycomhaltas.ie.
Music for Galway’s concert with renowned Swiss pianist Cédric Pescia which had been due to take place on April 27 but which had to be deferred, will now take place next Tuesday, May 23, at 8pm, in the Emily Anderson Concert Hall at the University of Galway.
This concert of German classics with Bach at its core, will brings the Bach element of Music for Galway’s 41st season to an end.
This world-class pianist who won the famous Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition, has a repertoire that spans many eras from baroque to contemporary and he is widely known for his elaborate programmes. Cédric Pescia describes music as ‘language and movement at the same time’.
Audiences will have a chance to experience his soft, clear touch as he performs a programme for solo piano that will include classics such as Schumann’s popular Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), a suite of nine short pieces, and the penultimate of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, No. 31. These pieces will be interspersed with French Suites by Bach.
■ Ticket for Cédric Pescia’s concert are available at www.musicforgalway.ie, or by phone 091 705962 and on the door on the night. They cost €20/€18. The price for fulltime students of all ages is €6 while MfG Friends can avail of the friends’ rate of €16.
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