SONGS OF IRELAND

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 147, 18 March 1931, Page 10

SONGS OF IRELAND

St. Patrick’s Day Concert UNDYING MELODIES If it is only to hear the undying melodic® of Tom Moore, to say nothing of their intrinsically beautiful lyrics, St. Patrick’s Day will ever be welcome to more, than the Irish. No national songs can compare ta charm with those of the Irish, embodying as they do the heart throb of a hlghlyemotional big-hearted people. As usual an excellent programme wag presented at the Town Hall last night. Orchestral music was supplied by theSl'A orchestra (under Signor A. P. Truda), a capable company, which did full justice to a comprehensive range of Irish melodies. The small boy choir of the Hawkestone Street Marist Brothers’ School sang sweetly, “The Three Leaves of Shamrock,” and “Erin, Beautiful Erin,” while the girls of the Guildford Terrace School charmed th® audience with the Tom Moore song, ‘"Has Sorrow Thy Young Days Shaded,” and a new harmonic setting of the “Londonderry Air,” in which is embalmed the germ of immortality. Among the vocalists Mrs. WIL fred Andrews sang with rare interpretive and tonal charm Molloy’s “The Kerry Dance,” “Killarncy,” and “The Hills of Donegal.” Mr. Samuel Duncan, a light lyric tenor, who sings artistically, contributed “Eily Mavourneen,” “Oft in the Stilly Night,” and “Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms.” Mr. Dan Foley, who is blessed with a lively sense of humour as well as a musical tenor, sang “For the Green,” “The Mountains of Mourne" and “The Pride of Tipperary,” to the great delight of the audience. As a variant to the programme, Miss Gracie Kerr recited with charm “The Trimmiris of the Rosary,” and “At the Wedding Breakfast,” a comic sketch in which she imitated cleverly the speeches of the protagonists. Miss Ella Gamble, a young mezzo-soprano of distinct promise, exhibited a nice voice in “She is Far from the Land,” and was even better ta the encore song “Beautiful Erin.” The St. Mary’s Convent Philomel Choir sang harmoniously and in good taste, “The Young May Moon," “Bright Sword of Erin,” and “The Minstrel Boy.” Little Peggy Smith danced a sprightly Irish jig, which was an immensely popular Item, and Mr. F. W. Robson recited. The concert concluded with the chorus, “God Save Ireland,” sung spiritedly by the Marist schoolboys. Mrs. G. Aldridge was the accompaniste. The concert, which was attended by his Grace Archbishop O’Shea and a large number of the clergy, was in aid of Catholic education funds.