Down GAA song project produces one virtual performance from 47 clubs

Wednesday 13th May 2020

Down GAA song project produces one virtual performance from 47 clubs
 

Singers and musicians representing all the GAA clubs in Down collaborate online to perform Tommy Sands’ song The County Down

An online collaboration of performers from all 47 GAA clubs in Down has produced a virtual cover version of the Tommy Sands song The County Down.

With a hiatus in all outdoor GAA activity, members and units have turned to social media to find new and unique ways of maintaining interest and connections. The most recent project in Down involved music and song, as each club was asked to choose a singer or musician to perform the local ballad; this in turn was knitted together into one performance.

The song was penned by local folk singer and songwriter Tommy Sands for his 1992 album Beyond the Shadows. The Down GAA piece was coordinated by Paula Magee and remastered into a strong group performance involving over 120 people from all 47 GAA clubs in Down by Gareth McGreevy.

The Down GAA Chairman John Devaney praised those involved in the undertaking, saying that “the lockdown has unleashed some imaginative ways for members to engage in an interactive and entertaining way. Pulling this together, with so many people involved, has been an impressive feat and the performance is a very professional production. So, well done to everyone involved and a particular note of thanks to Gareth McGreevy and Paula Magee”.

Tommy Sands himself expressed his delight at the production: “I always feel honoured to hear my songs being recorded by people around the world; but to hear this song from my own place County Down being performed so beautifully by young people from every GAA club in this County moves me very deeply indeed.

“It was recorded in these eerie isolation times when young people, unable to be together even for a short time, found a way to celebrate their own native place through music and somehow end up together for all time”.

Thank you to all 120 people involved in performing and putting the performance together:

Eimear Devlin (Aghaderg/Ballyvarley), Aoibheann Sloan (An Ríocht), Diarmuid Cahill (An Ríocht), Sarah Fegan (Annaclone), Ava Cahill (Annaclone), Aoibhin Pyers (Annaclone), Ciara Pyers (Annaclone), Michelle Pyers (Annaclone), Eoin Caughey (Ardglass), Erin Cunningham (Ardglass), Orlagh Murphy (Atticall), Fionnuala Pickering (Aughlisnafin), Tara McAnearney (Ballela), Jana McCarthy (Ballycran, St. Joseph's),  Cathlin Fay (Ballygalget), Aisling McKeown (Ballyholland Harps), Anna Kearney (Ballyholland Harps), Aileen Kearney (Ballyholland Harps), Phoebe Richards (Ballykinlar), Sinead O Hare (Ballymartin), Carol McAllister (Bredagh), Kerry McLaughlin (Bright), Micheal Valentine (Bryansford), Clare Cunningham (Bryansford), Orla Maginess (Bryansford), Louise Brady (Bryansford), Bronach Fegan (Burren, St. Mary's), Caoimhe Loughran (Burren, St. Mary's), Annamarie Magorrian (Carryduff), Caoimhe Magorrian(Carryduff), Annie Breen (Castlewellan, St Malachys), Sharon Breen (Castlewellan, St Malachys), Orla McCrickard (Castlewellan, St Malachys), Emma Loughlin (Clann na Banna ), Lorna Carroll (Clann na Banna), Sineas Parfitt (Clann na Banna), Caroline McGreevy (Clonduff), Aoife Trainor (Clonduff), Paul Kelly (Clonduff), Barry McVeigh (Darragh Cross ), Katie Quinn (Downpatrick, Russell Gaelic Union), Megan Smith (Dromara), Patrick Doyle (Dromara), Ella Fegan (Drumaness, St. Colman's), Tony Ferris (Drumaness, St. Colman's), Kayla O Hare (Drumgath), Kathleen Garland (Dundrum), Olivia Tolcher (Dundrum), Aoife Grant (Glasdrumman), Tara Grant (Glasdrumman), Niamh McDowell (Glasdrumman), Cara Sloan (Glasdrumman), Clodagh Morgan (Glasdrumman), Ciara Rooney (Glasdrumman), Donna Feeney (Glasdrumman), Emma  Matters (Glenn John Martins), Kerrie Kennedy (Glenn John Martins), Caoimhe Murtagh (Glenn John Martins), Fintan Cultra (Kilclief Ben Dearg), Siobhan McEvoy (Kilcoo Eoghan Rua), Claire Scally (Liatroim Fontenoys), Anna-Rose McCabe (Liatroim Fontenoys), Claire Doyle (Liatroim Fontenoys), Cillian McLaverty (Longstone), Kirsten Jennings (Loughinisland), Lauren Deagan (Loughinisland), Peter Magee (Mayobridge ), Eimear Magee (Mayobridge ), Paula Magee (Mayobridge), Cathal Magee (Mayobridge), Ciara Rooney (Mayobridge), Jordan Lively (Mayobridge), Maeve McCartan (Mayobridge), Niamh Martin (Mayobridge), Ava McPolin (Mayobridge), Patrick Lively (Mayobridge Band), Mairead Campbell (Newry Mitchels), Ciara Gorman (Newry Shamrocks), Orlaith Gorman (Newry Shamrocks), Meabh Hegarty (Newry Shamrocks), Fiona Brennan (Newry Shamrocks), Kathy McGrattan (Portaferry, St Patrick's), Masie Tinnley (Rostrevor, St. Bronagh's), Kate Rice (Rostrevor, St. Bronagh's), Gareth McGrevy (Saul, St. Patrick's), Angela McGreevy (Saul, St. Patrick's), Orlagh Carson (Saul, St. Patrick's), Grainne Boss (Saul, St. Patrick's), Taylor Murin (Saul, St. Patrick's), Rosie Byrne (Saul, St. Patrick's), Niamh McCullough (Saul, St. Patrick's), Sarah McVeigh (Saul, St. Patrick's), Erin Sands (Saul, St. Patrick's), Catherine Boyle (Saul, St. Patrick's), Laura Edgar (Saul, St. Patrick's), Lindsay Hanna (Saul, St. Patrick's), Conor Fitzsimons (Saul, St. Patrick's), Lauren  Mooney (Saval), Annamarie Boyle (St. John Bosco), Enya Boyle (St. John's, Drumnaquoile), Rebecca Hamill (St Michaels), Bronagh McClean (St. Pauls), Niall McClean (St. Pauls), Seamus Mc Clean (St. Pauls), Colleen McCleery (St. Pauls), Aoife McGrath (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Grace Summerville (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Emma-Louise Murphy (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Joanna Doran (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Grainne Mallon (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Ciara Carr (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Lauran Caldwell (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Grace  Mallon (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Claudia Mallon (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Sarah Rooney (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Holly Tinnely (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Oisin McCann (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Sophie Gaw (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Éilis Rowan (Teconnaught) & Phil Walker (Tullylish)

The performance can be accessed on Down GAA website: www.downgaa.net/news/virtualsong and on Down GAA Social Media Channels #OfficialDownGAA.