Firstly, Happy New Year to all members, families and friends of Ardee Concert Band. All the activities of the band are now up and running after the Christmas break, namely, Senior Band rehearsals with Harry Kelly, Junior Band rehearsals with John Gaynor, Recorder Group with Adam Byrne and Aisling Reilly, Flute lessons with Susan Connolly, Clarinet lessons with Tony Flanagan, Saxophone lessons with Laura Jones, Trumpet lessons with John Gaynor, Trombone/Euphonium lessons with Kevin Reilly and Percussion lessons with Paul O’Brien.
Annual Concert
This concert proved to be very special for a number of reasons. Firstly, the Junior Band under John Gaynor was terrific. The 44 member Recorder Group under Adam Byrne really played very well, 26 of these had never performed publicly before. Dick Murphy brought the house down with his comedy. One of the second half highlights was the superb singing of Corrine McLoughlin who mesmerised the audience with her performance of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables and the Mary Hopkins hit Those Were The Days, My Friend. The audience showed their worth at the end of the night when they sang their hearts out to the Christmas Festival. A great night all told.
Omeath Carol Service
This is our third year travelling to the Carlingford/Omeath Parish for Fr. Shevlins Carol Service and this year again was very special and everyone in the band left with a feel-good feeling following the terrific welcome that we received both in the Church in Omeath and afterwards at the excellent refreshments provided by the local community.
Ardee Carol Service
This Carol Service was originally started over 30 years ago by Sister Annunciata, then choir mistress and Tony Flanagan, then conductor of Ardee Concert Band and it has proven very popular with the people of Ardee and surrounding area, this year attracting a large crowd in excess of 600. Great work was done by principal organiser, Marian Malone and it was a very successful evening.
Carols in Ardee
On Sunday, 14th December, the band played on the main street as part of a promotion by the Ardee Traders Association.
On Christmas Eve, the band again brought a festive feel to the main Street when they played carols in the morning and in the afternoon. At lunchtime some members of the band played in Moorehall Lodge Nursing Home for the arrival of Santa.
Christmas Day Mass
The bands performance at 12.30pm Mass on Christmas Day has become a tradition stretching back over 25 years. It is a lovely occasion for the band and hopefully for the very large congregation that attended.
Band Outing to Quasar and Bowling
Over 60 young members of the band will travel on Sunday 25th January to play Bowling and Quasar at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. This trip is sponsored by the band and is organised by the Youth Committee of Fiona Reilly, Sinead Nutley, Niamh Stanley and Aidan Reilly.