Thailand Trip aims to raise €20,000 for Mayo Roscommon Hospice

A novel Trip to Thailand hopes to raise €20,000 for the Mayo Roscommon Hospice. Plans for the 10-day venture from 24 September until 4 October were announced at a reception in Castlebar last week.

The organisers are seeking support from 100 people to reach this target figure for the Hospice and provide a special and memorable holiday for all who come on board for this trip to Thailand.

Kevin Bourke, former Mayo Person of the Year (1997), and Tomás Langan from Castlebar are coordinating the venture, along with the Mayo Roscommon Hospice. The Enjoy Travel Company is making all the arrangements.

“We have been invited to assist with the fundraising for the new Mayo Roscommon Hospice venture in Castlebar. Each participant will fund their own trip and, in exchange, we as the tour operator will donate €200 to the Hospice on behalf of each participant.

“The target is just 100 volunteers, or 50 couples, which will see us being able to make a serious contribution of €20,000 to the Mayo Roscommon Hospice,” says Gerry Flynn, managing director of Enjoy Travel.

The full programme of events for the ten day Trip to Thailand can be viewed on the company website, enjoytravel.co.uk. Entertainment will be provided by Tomás Langan and Joseph Deering, J & K Country and Pat Jordan of Manchester and Wicklow.

The local coordinators in Mayo are the Mayo Roscommon Hospice (Knock) at 094-9388666, Kevin Bourke on 087-2439748 and Tomás Langan on 086-8709210. Details can also be had from Enjoy Travel at 0044-1254445050.

Ber makes dream come true

Bernadette McCormack has realised a long held dream with the release of her debut album, At Last.

Ber, as she is known to her friends, headed from her native Galway to Westport to record the 12-track collection under the guidance and direction of well-known country singer Frank McCaffrey.

Galway Bay, Hard Times, The Wind On The Hill, Blacksod Bay, Streets of Promise and Going to California are among those included on the album.

“Since I was a young girl growing up i Eyrecourt, I’ve had a life-long wish to, as my father used to say, ‘make a record’. You might say I’ve left it long enough and you would be right. Now, at last, with the massive encouragement and support of my family and all the lovely fiends I’ve made along the way, I’ve done it,” says a delighted Ber.

Quan does it his way

Waterford man Quan Butler fulfilled a long-held ambition in recent weeks when he finally went into the studios and recorded some songs. Quan, who hails from Kilmacthomas and is well known among the farming fraternity around the region, has had a great fondness for country music and Irish ballads over the years. Among his special friends in showbiz was the late Mattie Weldon from near Bunmahon.

The seven songs featured on the CD are Galway Bay, Crossroads of Life, Can I Have This Dance, I’ll Die Young, Cottage By The Sea, Isle of Innishfree and Going Home. The tracks were recorded at DP Studios in Dunmore East.

Nice and easy country from Patsy

Roscommon singer Patsy McCaul has a fondness for nice and easy, relaxed country songs. The Jewel Beneath The Rose is the latest from the Ballintubber man and follows up a good run of quality releases over the last two years.

His rendition of the George Jones classic, When Mama Sang The Angels Stopped To Listen, was a major favourite with radio listeners. Patsy, Pauline and Sylvie are much in demand on the western circuit, where they provide some great entertainment for their audiences.

Phone in Heaven answer to Jason’s prayers

Galway singer Jason Travers looks like having a radio hit on his hands with the Irish release of If There’s A Phone in Heaven. The song has been a major success for Mike Manuel in America and was composed by Bobby Reed.

“I recorded this song as a tribute to my mother, Christina, who passed away suddenly at the age of 59 to stage-four cancer on 7 March 2017. She was formerly Daly from near Claremorris and my dad, Padraig, is from Clonberne. We fly the Galway and Mayo flags outside our home each summer,” says Jason.

“She took a great interest in my music career and was especially delighted when I decided to follow the country music path. Both of them loved country music and the traditional singers like Big Tom, Brian Coll, Philomena Begley, Margo and Gene Stuart.

“The song got its debut spin on the Sunday night Late Show on Mid West Radio last week and there was an immediate strong response with people contacting the station from as far away as Australia.

“I recorded it with Gerald O’Donoghue in Headford and I am delighted with his production on the song. Every now and again a special song comes along, and I am delighted this one came my way.”

Jason is busy on the circuit along with Noel Clarke from Birr and they perform most of their dates in the western and midlands region. The new song looks set to bring them to the attention of audiences much further afield. CL