Arklow Music Festival
The 48th Arklow Music Festival will start on Saturday the 4th of March 2017 and will run until Sunday the 12th of March. This festival is a very important and significant event in Ireland’s cultural calendar. Unique in its support for the performing arts at all ages, at local and national level.
There are five main venues for the festival – the Arklow Bay Hotel, the Marlborough Hall, Arus Lorcain, St. Mary’s College and Arklow C.B.S. This 9 day event provides a platform for performers in various activities of music and drama and is also a competitive festival where distinguished adjudicators are engaged to provide encouragement and to award prizes in each of the many categories. Arklow Music Festival is not just a local event but draws competitors from many parts of the country and many former prize winners have progressed to a professional career at national and international level. Visit Arklow Music Festival website for full information.
Last year almost 7,000 competitors took part in the various competitions for verse speaking choral verse, piano, strings, drama, action song, school and adult choirs and junior and adult singing.
Arklow & District Chamber of Commerce sponsored the trophy for the “Best Musical Window Display” which was won last year by McMullans – pictured left is last year’s winning window display.
John to lead St. Patrick’s Day Parade Arklow 2017
John Somers, Co-ordinator and representing Arklow Community Responders has been announced as Grand Marshall for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Arklow by members of St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, in the Bridge Hotel, Arklow on Thursday night last.
Photograph of John Somers courtesy of Michael Kelly 087-1360208 / mkellyphoto@hotmail.com
This is John’s third year as Co-ordinator of this wonderful group who have a volunteer group of approximately 15-20 people, providing 24/7 service to the town of Arklow.
Since their establishment back in 2009 the group have received over 700 phone calls and helped come to the aid of many a person suffering from Cardiac and Respiratory Emergencies and help strengthen the “Chain of Survival”, providing essential back up to the ambulance service. In 2013 the group were the recipients of the Arklow & District Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award. A totally voluntary group, with no funding from the government, they rely totally on the local community for support and are always looking for new people to join the group, who can give up a few hours a week to go on call and willing to attend regular training sessions.
To enter a float in the parade completed application forms should be returned to:
Cllr Tommy Annesley, It’s Fresh Main Street, Arklow, Co. Wicklow. Tel: 087 2508205
Or
Jim Hoey in The Bridge Hotel, Bridge Street, Arklow