Mummers festival 2015

The annual Mummers festival which took place in New Inn, Co.Galway on the 3rd and 4th of January was a place of great celebration for our branch as we enjoyed many successes.

For those out there who are not familiar with the Mummers festival, I will try to explain. It is a contest between a number of groups who descend on the county Galway village of New Inn during the month of January, the battle field is on the stage of the impressive community center,  Each group will perform a sketch utilizing a common stage set and they will be adjudicated on many levels from acting, entertainment, singing, storytelling, music, etc, etc. The set transforms the stage  into a traditional domestic kitchen and the sketches generally depict a scene where by the occupants of a house are visited by the Mummers (wrenboys / strawboys) who traditionally would have traveled around their localities during Christmas time and so you can imagine the craic that would ensue during their visit  and when they leave. This tradition is sadly less common nowadays but for a number of characters (generally musicians) in many areas who are determined keep this great tradition alive.

On the Saturday it was the turn of our Senior group

With their sketch entitled “Well Well Well“, which poked fun at the imminent water charges and also the trials and tribulations of the man of the house left in charge of domestic supplies and chooses to shop in Lidil & Aldi. The group achieved second  place overall and we had some individual winners, namely Pat Fulton won the Solo Singer award, Geraldine Mc’Garrigle won both the “Best in Group” and “Best Entertainer” awards, Ciana Mc’Garrigle won the Flute Solo award and Shauna Mc’Garrigle won the “Best King” award, not bad eh!

 

Back row: Jim Troy, Michael Mc’Conigley, Barbara Gaffey, Gerry Mc’Garrigle, Samantha Hughes, Ciana Mc’Garrigle, Lorraine Devery, Tommy Craven and James Hogan. Middle row: Paul Rice, Aoife O’Connell, Asling O’Connell, Betty Digan, Caroline Grennan and Connie Clavin. Front row: Mike Grennan, John Gaffey, Pat Fulton, Geraldine Mc’Garrigle and Shauna Mc’Garrigle. Missing from the picture was Shay Bracken the man with the sketch.

Congratulations also to our friends from Brosna Comhaltas who also took part and whose members Leo Reddy and Bernadette Moran won  individual prizes in the Senior competition. 

On Sunday it was the turn of the Junior group

With their sketch entitled Danny and the Virus,  Louis Walsh and X factor together with misunderstandings and a hint of Cinderella were in the firing line this time and boy did this group deliver a very entertaining show. The results speak for themselves as the group were victorious and they also took a large number of individual prizes with Catlin Minnock winning the “Best Bean an tí” award, the “Best Musician” went to Theodor O’Connor,  Aofie Kavanagh won the “Flute Solo” award and Eabha Fulton won the “Solo Singing” award.

Back row: Brian, Aoife, Jane, Theodore, Eabha, Barry, Caoimhe, Murrean and Rosín. Next row: Aine, Conor, Ciara, Meabh, Brianna, Clodagh, Claire and Grace. Next row: Darragh, Ronan, Ronan, Meadhbh, Caitlen and Kate. Front row: Aine, Michael John and Brian.

Post under construction and there will be lots more pictures to be added here so keep an eye.