ALL IRELAND MIGHT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10541, 18 March 1920, Page 6

ALL IRELAND MIGHT

CONCERT AT TOWN HALL. A glorious St. Patrick's day was brought to a fitting conclusion with an All Ireland Might at the Town Hall lust evening. The enthusiasm and insistency with which each item was applauded, and the regularity with which encores had to be conceded, was evidence enough of tho fact that the large majority of those present either had affectionate memories of the "Emerald Ifle or an inherent interest in tho land of their fathers. The proceedings throughout wero most enthusiastic, and most of tho i'tom.s on tho programme wero encored. Tho evening was indeed an All Ireland one; tho library of Ireland's national songs was made full uso of, and ft number of the most characteristic and popular compositions were selected to comprise a really cnjoyablo programme. For a quarter of "an hour prior to tho opening of tho programme proper, selections were rendered on tiio Town Hall organ by Mr W. McLaughlin. Tho seating accommodation between the organ and the stage was fully occupied by a choir consisting of about 300 uniformly dressed pupils of Marist Brothschools, who opened the entertainment with two chorus numbers, "Hail, Clorious St. Patrick;" and "Rich and Rare Wero th.e Gems She Wore," accompanied by the grand organ. The boys' voices blended well, and the item was much appreciated. Tho second portion of the concerti was opened with another choral selection, "When Through Life TJnblesb Wo Rove." The soloists were Mlisses Agnes Segrief (soprano), Marv McKeowen (soprano), and Mabel Esquilanfc (contralto), and Messrs William Waitters, of Oama.ru, and F. G. Bourko, of Auckland, barl-i-ones. Miss Segrief's most successful solos were "The Dear Little Shamrock" and "Killarney," which she sang with much feeling and which earned for her after each appearance a Ibouquet of flowerg. Miss McKeowen's contribution was the well known "Wcarin' o' tho Green," and in the'latter half of the programme she struck an equally popular note in "Como Back to Erin." Miss FJsquilant's contralto voice was well suited to both her programme solos—" Kathleen Mavourneen," and "She ig Far From the Land," and her encore numbers also wise selections. "O'Donnell Aboo," Mr Watters's opening solo, found much favour with the audience,, and in response to an encore he sang the newer favourite "Moira My Girl." Mr Bourke, who is one of Auckland's most popular baritones, did full credit (to ''Tho Irish Emigrant" and "When Shall tho Day Break' in Erin," but was heard to best advantago in his own favourite, "The Blind Ploughman.''' The programme was relieved/ by a- couple of elocutionary items by Mr Kevin Dillon; "The Old Moss Shandrigan,*' a typical Irish ptory, caused much amusemenit, and "The Exile's Return" was as enjoyable as it was cleverly delivered. Quite a feature of the entertainment was the dancing items—an Irish jig and a reel. In the. former the performers were Misses x .relma AleKonzie. Ruby Bushby, Beatrice Hoskins, Erica Evans, and Molly Madden, and Masters Lavin McKay and Ronald Brown; in tflio jig Misses Vera Flan, Phyllis Evans, Josephine Moran, Phyllis McMillan, and Master Willie Brown. At the conclusion of the concort tho audience joined with the boys' choir in singing the Irish National An--v>-m, "God Save Ireland." Mr Harold Whittle accompanied the soloists.