Great night of music in Roscrea
Oh what a night! Friday week last saw Roscrea Heritage Society host their fourth consecutive session in The Black Mills. The evening got off to a great start when 16-year-old powerhouse Dayna Quinlan took to the stage and sang a number of great songs from artists such as Adéle, Hozier, the Beatles, her own composition ‘Candles’ and last but not least, a tribute to Sinéad O’ Connor with a heart-wrenching rendition of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’.
Next up for the second half, the hugely talented artist Eddie Simmons regaled the audience with a mixture of the new and the old. His version of ‘Rooster’ was not on his set list but when he spotted his great-aunt Alice Kiely in the audience, he knew he had to give it a whirl with his rendition leaving Alice and the whole audience in stitches!
This was followed by some beautiful ballads such as ‘From Clare to Here’, his own composition ‘Walk Away’ and a duo with his dad Jason Simmons with a heartfelt rendition of ‘Grace’. Watching the two of them perform together left no doubt that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Also joining Edwin on stage was his girlfriend, Miriam Crampton, an accomplished musician who accompanied him on tin whistle while he sang well-known ballads, ‘The Galway Shawl’ and ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ to name but two.
Eddie and Dayna are two extremely talented local artists and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for them. Patricia Moloughney, who was in the attendance, was full of praise for the performances.
Both of these artists are ones to watch, writing their own original songs, making old songs their own and playing their own accompanying instruments and back tracks with skill and ingenuity. We wish them all the very best on what will surely be two successful new Irish music careers, born out of our very own heartlands.
The society would like to thank Eddie and Dayna for their fabulous performances on the night, Bernadette and the OPW for providing the venue and to all who attended on the night. Your support is greatly appreciated, and nights like these would not be possible without all involved. Up next on The Black Mills Sessions, the society will host Jack Keeshan on Friday, August 25. As seating is limited, tickets (€10) must be purchased in advance via Eventbrite. Link to purchase tickets and further details to follow.