February 1, 2011

Hello again,

 

Thanks for stopping by. It seems to me that websites may well go the way of mySpace and cassette tapes…everyone is on Facebook or Twitter at this moment in our evolution. Things change so fast, don’t you sometimes feel like applying the brakes to life’s merry-go-round to hop off for a spell? I certainly do, but alas there’s no time for that right now so let me continue with this update.

Our Celtic Spirituality Tour to Ireland in July has been postponed until 2012.   Fr. Liam and Mary Collins offer their apologies for any convenience caused.

 

My own Enchanted Tour to Ireland, (our 21st) is as scheduled. Please go to our Tours page for all the in depth information. We leave on July 17 and plan to visit the Northern counties. It’s a terrific package at a great price and I look forward to jaunting about on the Old Sod again, singing songs, telling jokes and enjoying the craic (fun). Call me with any questions.

Took some time off recently to go down to the islands and I’m here to report that I fell in love with St. Maarten/St. Martin. We went hiking and it was spectacular. Must post some pictures here and on my Facebook page. The weather was gorgeous…that alone is a good reason to move there…would that I was younger and still full of bluster.

 

I also re-scheduled last weekend to afford time off so that I could enjoy the success of my young cousin Colin O’Donoghue in his movie The Rite. There was dinner, the movie, and champagne. The reviews are fairly positive and I wish him all the success in the world. Check the movie out. Anthony Hopkins is brilliant as usual and Colin holds his own alongside.

 

I’ve been diligently practicing and working on new songs recently, including one elusive piece that I’m having the devil’s own job trying to finish…I started the song in 2005 and have come back to it time and time again and finally I said ‘I’ve had enough, I’ll finish it if it takes forever’…and that’s what’s happening…but I’m getting close. Amazingly I wrote another while taking a break from it.

When it’s done I think I’ll call it ‘Grey’…’cause every time I go at it another hair loses pigmentation!!

 

Alright enough rubbish talk. We are approaching the ‘Irish Time’ of year and I’m so looking forward to upcoming events. Please look at our Calendar Page for exact dates, times and locations.

 

On February 12, I perform alongside Moira Nelligan and the Dixie Jigs (I swear, I didn’t make that up) and Carroll Brown at the St. Peter Claver’s Irish Night in Macon, Georgia. Unfortunately Celtic Woman is in town the same night so if you want to see both, come to our show and buy the video of the girls…problem solved, and our concert is a fundraiser!

 

The Savannah Irish Festival is on February 18-19-20 and features performances by Cathie Ryan, Gabriel Donohue and Deirdre Connolly, Legacy, The Mairtin De Cogain Project, The Ennis Sisters, Brendan Nolan, The Savannah Irish Dancers and more. I will again host the Singer/ Songwriter sessions…one of my favourites and a ‘splendid time is guaranteed for all’.

 

 The following week, on February 26th,The Beaufort Irish Festival will be held…in where else? – Beaufort, South Carolina. Gabriel Donohue, Carroll Brown and I are the featured artists. 

 

On Sunday, February 27th there will be a concert to aid the Eddie Ivie Scholarship  for Studies in Ireland. This show is at The Averitt Theatre in Statesboro, Georgia at 3.00PM and I will be there along with Cathie Ryan and her band. Quite a bit of information there, so we’ll leave it at that for now.

 

I’m pleased to announce that I have been invited to perform again this year a guest entertainer on board the Norwegian Jewel.
She will sail out of New York en route to Canada and New England on September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 8 and I will be on board for all four cruises.

For further information or to book a cabin contact NCL.com or your personal travel agent. I am looking forward to working on the beautiful Jewel once again on this, my seventh year performing with NCL.

 

Did I get everything in? Hard to say but if I think of anything else I’ll post it on Facebook or send out an email notice.

As always thanks for your support and be safe out there. In the next update perhaps we’ll get into world events and such…huh? Lord knows, there’s plenty going on…God save us all!

 

Bye for now,