ST. PATRICK’S CONCERT

Grey River Argus, 20 March 1947, Page 3

ST. PATRICK’S CONCERT

POPULAR PROGRAMME. A crowded assemblage, last evening at the Town Hall exemplified the popularity of the annual Irish National Concerts on celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. While the pupils of the Catholic Schools as usual contributed most, creditably to the programme, the numerous items of actual performers were this year once again an admirable feature. An innovation, “St. Patrick's Day at the Diggings,’’ (songs round the camp fire) proved a grand finale, a series of stirring songs, recitations and character sketches being given amid rounds of applause by Messrs J. C. Gilbert, P. Blanchfield, J. Beban, W. Watson. W. Hilton, J. B. Gilbert, F. Bell and P. Clarke, with Miss Z. Munson as pianiste and Mr. P. Eadie as fiddler. The setting was quite typical of the gold mining days, and the item very well conceived and delivered. Rounds of applause greeted the solo vocalists, Mrs. W. Hogg (“Danny Boy” and “That's an Irish Lullaby’’), Miss Ella Cawley (“Believe Me” end “The Hills of Donegal”), and Mr. Tom Hatch (“For the Green" and “Shannon River”. .Mr. W. Connors made a definite bid in comedy sketches “Maguire’s Christening,” and “O’Grady’s Note.” Miss Colleen Moore revealed a marked advance as a violinist in “Kathleen Mavournon” and “Macushla.” Miss Miriam Trott’s pupils, excelled themselves in a song and dance, “It’s a Great Day for the Irish,” and an Irish Jig. One of the artistic_ gems of- the evening was the part singing of Misses A. Low, E. Cawley, M. McKnight, 0. Mosley, W. Hitchcock, S. Taylor, M. McMillan, C. Parfitt, and P. Kennedy, accompanied by R. Peillon, N. Mann, and R. Hill (violins), and Mrs. R. Buchanan (piano). They sang “By Beudeineer’s Stream” and “The Kerry Dance.” The boys of the Marist High School gave a very popular display of gymnastics. The choral items were: “An Irish Lullaby,” and “The Fiddler of Kil-

dare,” by the Cobden Convent Pupils, “Erin, Beautiful Erin,” and “The Three Leaved Shamrock” by the Marist School Choir, and “The Meeting of the Waters,” and “Irish Te Deum,” by . St. Mary’s School • Toir. i'he Convent orchestra gave one of the best items on the programme as the overture, “Erin’s Wreath.” The accompanistes were: Mrs. R. Buchanan Miss Zita Munson,

Dawn McGonagle and Olwyn Mosley. As stage manager, Mr. .„T. Caldwell was' well- upto his usual ’high standard. Right Rev. Monsignor J. Long, prior to the audience singing “Hail Glorious Saint Patrick” at the finale,-returned, thanks to the performers, the promoters, and the patrons, especially mentioning Rev. Father McCarthy, who had come 1 from Kumara to assist.