MUSIC Eleanor Shanley and Charlie McGettigan to play in Swinford

Eleanor Shanley and Charlie McGettigan to perform in Swinford


Henry McGlade

Swinford Cultural Centre is happy to announce a great pairing for Friday, February 13, Eleanor Shanley and Charlie McGettigan, two of the finest musicians to come from the north west of Ireland over the last 40 years.
The pairing will be treating the audience to an unforgettable live performance. Eleanor Shanley has been at the top of her profession since her first appearance as the singer with traditional group De Danann.
Eleanor has also performed with some of Ireland’s greatest musicians including Ronnie Drew  Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, Dolores Keane and Mary Black.
Eleanor has recorded many solo albums, among them ‘Desert Heart’ and ‘A Place of My Own’ to name but two.
She also has a very impressive collection of music in her own right and is very much in demand at top music festivals, both in Ireland and abroad.
Charlie McGettigan, a Donegal man but who has been residing in Leitrim for some time now, is a Eurovision winner with the song ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids’, which he performed with Paul Harrington.
He made an appearance as a guest singer at ‘Congratulations’, the 50th anniversary concert of Eurovision. He has written songs that have been recorded by every major Irish artist of the last 40 years including Maura O’Connell and Eleanor Shanley - both of whom covered ‘Feet of a Dancer’, ‘A Bed for the Night’ and ‘If Anything Happened to You’. Other songs were recorded by De Danann, Mary and Frances Black, Ray Lynam, Daniel O’Donnell, Sandy Kelly and Hal Ketchum.
These days Charlie tours both in Ireland and abroad. He presents ‘The Saturday Connection’ on Shannonside/Northern Sound Radio, a two-hour programme where he previews live music and theatrical events, interviews guests from the world of arts and entertainment and plays an eclectic mix of music and song on CD. As well as serving on the Board of IMRO, Charlie is also a member of the Board of The Dock Arts Centre in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.  Tickets are €15 and are available from The Gateway Hotel, Swinford. Doors open at 7pm and the concert will begin at 8pm on Friday, February 13.The Cultural Centre is a new venue  in Swinford and is the perfect intimate setting for such wonderful performers.