Tag: Christie Hennessy

The live final of the 2014 IMRO Christie Hennessy Song Contest takes place this Saturday, 22nd November at Fels Point Hotel, Tralee. Ten finalists selected from hundreds of entries will compete for this prestigious prize and a cheque for €1,000 courtesy of IMRO, Tralee Chamber Alliance and Tralee Credit Union. Doors open at 8:00pm

To celebrate the final, IMRO will be featuring two separate pieces focusing on the finalists in our Member News section today.

Bobby Lee is an award winning guitarist, producer and writer lives in the south of Ireland . Bobby is a multi-instrumentalist and spends most of his now time in the company of young people teaching and tutoring them in a fully kitted out music club in his hometown. Bobby is a veteran to the way of the music and has rubbed shoulders with the best of them over the years recording touring and gigging extensively in Ireland and overseas with various bands and artists most notably  Hooky ,Open Kitchen and Kila. Recording and helping people produce music has become an integral part of his life and he seeks out young talent and records them frequently to a very high level at Claycastle  studios in his hometown of Youghal , raising funds through music shows and events as he goes.

Colm Lynch

Colm Lynch is a singer songwriter from Killiney in South County Dublin. He has previously released two Studio Albums, “A Whisper in a Riot” (2006) and “Tickety Boo” (2008). Both releases received very favourable reviews and the latter led to his being nominated for the “Best Newcomer” award at the Meteors in 2009. He also won “Best Male Performance” at the 2007 Balcony TV awards. Lynch has enjoyed several daytime, radio airplay listings with the most notable being “It’s coming down”. It was on high, daytime rotation on 2 FM, playlisted on RTE Radio 1, Top 40 on Today FM playlist charts 2 weeks running, and song of the week on FM 104 Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Paul McDonnell, Dave Molloy & Cathleen Flynn

Through his writing/production partnerships with great people in Ireland and USA Paul McDonnell has built a body of work that is finally getting some solid recognition. In 1994 Paul teamed up with producer/writer David Molloy. Dave is also the director/producer at Cellar Club Studios (www.cellarclub.com). Recently their songs – Superman, Heartbreak Pier, Funny Road, Welcome To The Real World, Life Like Mine and Pray have been recorded by multi platinum selling artists Tommy Fleming, De Danann and up and coming artists Richie Hayes, Valerie Armstrong. In June 2012 They wrote a song ‘Take A Look Around You’ for The Quays Shopping Centre – Newry. It ran on major TV and  national radio for 6 months. Paul’s other main collaborators include Scott Maher (www.scottmaher.com) Gavin Murphy (www.gavinmurphy.ie) Della Mannion (www.facebook.com/della.mannion). Scott and Paul co wrote “Home To Me” with Ruby Amanfu (Grammy nominated Artist from Nashville – currently touring/guest vocalist with Jack White – (www.rubyamanfu.com)). They are building a strong body of work – samples to be found on music page include –  If You’re in My Heart, Storm Chaser, Home To Me. In 2013 Paul started writing with orchestrator/pianist Gavin Murphy (Van Morrison, Sinead O’ Connor, West Life). – Samples of their work – “ Somebody Tell Me Why. Della Mannion is one of Ireland’s best vocalist/writers. She is currently recording her debut album with Dave Molloy.

Sive

Sive is a musician/songwriter hailing from Kildare. A multi-instrumentalist, she has been honing her unique style of writing since she was in her teens and has opened shows for the likes of Gemma Hayes, Jerry Fish and Kila. Sive released her debut album We Are Moving to critical acclaim in 2012, followed by an EP titled Turn Down the Silence last year. When she’s not busy with her own music, you’ll find her giving music workshops or working as a session musician/vocalist. 2014 so far has seen her appearing on RTE’s Other Voices, being invited to support John Spillane in the London-Irish Centre and beginning work on new material recording in Windmill Lane recording studios.

To attend this year’s event please email membership@nullimro.ie confirming your reservation. Doors open at 8:00pm

The live final of the 2014 IMRO Christie Hennessy Song Contest takes place this Saturday, 22nd November at Fels Point Hotel, Tralee. Ten finalists selected from hundreds of entries will compete for this prestigious prize and a cheque for €1,000 courtesy of IMRO, Tralee Chamber Alliance and Tralee Credit Union. Doors open at 8:00pm

To celebrate the final, IMRO will be featuring two separate pieces focusing on the finalists in our Member News section today.

Bennie Reilly (little xs for eyes)

Bennie Reilly formed the band little xs for eyes in 2006 along with partner Davey Moor.  The band released an E.P in 2007 and their debut album S.A.D. in 2011, to unanimous critical acclaim. Reilly’s quintessential songwriting themes: a love of nature and the nature of love take the band on a journey through forest, jungle and ocean, singing songs of lost summers, loose kisses and longed-for landscapes. Her passion for pop and interest in intricate and lush vocal arrangements lend to the bands distinct harmony-heavy sound. The song Seeping Hearts is taken from the little xs for eyes forthcoming album Everywhere Else due for release early 2015.

little xs for eyes are: Bennie Reilly :: voice, guitar & keys

Davey Moor :: guitar, voice, mandolin & psaltery

Michelle Considine :: voice, glockenspiel & keys

Lucy Jackson :: voice & keys

Harry Bookless :: bass & keys

Ed Costello :: drums & voice

Claire O’ Brien

Claire O’ Brien is a 23 year old musician from Cork. She recently graduated from University College Cork where she studied performance and composition as part of her music degree.

From a young age she has enjoyed singing and writing poetry and songs, inspired by nature, people and the world in general! The song she will be performing tonight tells the story of a dark and stormy night in Cork city when electricity was cut off all across the area after a swan flew into an electricity wire. Despite the grim nature of the song, she hopes the song’s melody and lyrics will pay tribute to the life of that bird and bring you enjoyment as you listen. Claire will perform tonight with Fionnuala Joyce, a wonderful friend, violinist and singer. Fionnuala Joyce arranged her own part for violin and vocal harmonies.

Gary Keane

Attending recording sessions with Earth, Wind & Fire, tracking vocals in LA with producer George ‘G1’ Archie (R Kelly, Snoop Dogg) and engineer Tommy D Daugherty (Death Row Records, 2Pac)…..collaborating with Michael Jackson’s long-time bassist Cornelius Mimms, playing to an audience of 2,500 at this year’s Rose Of Tralee as well as live sessions at RTÉ studios and Electric Picnic – just a snapshot of 2014 so far for Gary Keane. Having played extensively around Ireland with his one-man beatbox and loop pedal show,  Gary is now one half of the production duo ‘White Boys’ who will release the song ‘Stylin’ as their debut single in January 2015 with a tour to follow.

Gary Keane – www.facebook.com/likeafiremusic

Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh

Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh, born in 1977, is a singer/songwriter and musician from Dungiven, County Derry. Nodlaig inherited a wealth of traditional and folk music from her parents, well-known folk singers, Anne and Francie Brolly. Classically trained, Nodlaig plays harp and piano and was lead flautist with the Irish National Youth Orchestra.

Her debut album entitled, “Under a Pale moon” was released in 2004 by Wren Records and marked a return to her traditional/folk roots and featured original songs and contemporary compositions. The album was critically acclaimed in the U.S.A., was described as “a jewel” and “pure listening pleasure” (Rambles, Nick Rossiter) and was in the top ten in the Irish Music Magazine.

Nodlaig has performed at festivals throughout America and Europe, headlined the St Patrick’s day concert with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, toured with Phil Coulter and performed at the Dinan International Harp Festival in Brittany. Nodlaig collaborated with Paul McSherry and Brendan Hendry on the album, ‘Stringtones’ released in 2011 featured original songs composed by Nodlaig, “one of the best programmmes of recorded music I have heard in a long time” (The Living Tradition). Nodlaig, married with three children, established the Ruaidhrí Dall School of Harp and Song in Dungiven in 2011 and is involved in the revival of the Irish language and traditional music in the area.

Áine Ní Bhrollaigh, Nodlaig’s niece, born in 1996, sings lead vocal. Áine is a young and upcoming singer and has won many accolades in traditional singing and had a lead role in the recent production of ‘Les Miserables’ in the Millenium Forum in Derry city.

Alan Kavanagh

Alan Kavanagh is a 26 year old singer/songwriter from Ashbourne, Co. Meath. While studying for a music degree in DKIT, Alan released his first single which went straight to number two in the Download.ie charts. Since his first release, he has supported acts such as The Coronas, Mundy, Luan Parle, Don Baker, 5ive and Jack L. Alan’s latest single ‘Bitter Man’ peaked at number three on the I-Tunes Rock Chart last year.

Alan plays ukulele, guitar, piano, and bass and has a music degree from Dundalk IT. He has also composed a piece recorded by the national chamber choir. He has spent the last two years gigging with Celebrity and Holland America where he has visited over 20 countries.

Alan Kavanagh – www.facebook.com/alankavanaghmusicpage

To attend this year’s event please email membership@nullimro.ie confirming your reservation. Doors open at 8:00pm