100 years of Fermoy Musical Society celebrated in new book

CORRIN Hill and the town’s surrounding hills were alive with the sound of music as the Fermoy Musical Society launched their centenary book, Celebrating 100 Years 1924 To 2024, before huge crowds at the local Community Youth Centre.

“It was a tremendous success,” says Colette Daly, PRO of the society. “The hall was packed to capacity with attendees from the age of 98 down to 16.”

Marking a centenary is always a special occasion.

“It is a great achievement to reach 100 years as there are not many clubs and societies around the country that can say that” says Colette.

“It is down to the enthusiasm of the people of the town for what was known as the Choral Society.

Great-grandchildren are treading the same boards that their grandparents did many years ago.

The impressive Fermoy Musical Society book was put together by the FMS Book Committee, and it documents all the musicals with memorable photographs, that have been staged since the society’s first production, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial By Jury.

All subsequent musicals were staged at the Palace Theatre.

The book has many stories to tell, from behind the scenes tales to performing on stage, and the enduring, valuable input of the Fermoy community.

The FMS book committee, Aoife Shinnick, Aoife Collins, Orla O’Dwyer, Tom Beresford, Katherine Keane, Trish Hyland, Alison Beresford and Jacqui Creed, acknowledged all the people over the years who contributed to its continued success.

“Everyone who has ever had any involvement in a show produced by FMS, or ‘The Choral’ as they were known, has their own story to tell,” said Colette.

“In the few years that we have been working on this book, we have been privileged to listen to many such stories; each one different but each strangely the same.”

When the longest-serving member, Jim Baylour, working behind the scenes since 1972, was asked his favourite memory, he said: “It used to be customary that in the last week of rehearsals before a show, the whole committee would sit in the auditorium, watch and comment on the proceedings. There would be a level of chatter in the auditorium, often augmented by hammering and banging as last-minute changes to pieces of set were made.

“On one such night in 1988 before The Merry Widow, Cara O’Sullivan walked out on the stage and began to sing Vilja, and the whole place went silent! 

Suddenly there was no sound at all apart from Cara’s magnificent voice. For me that was an unforgettable moment.

The book committee are proud of their memorable production, FMS Celebrating 100 Years, 1924-2024.

Colette added: “Apart from the details of the show, the year, the people’s names - what all the stories have in common, are the fun, the friendships, the sense of achieve-ment, the sheer joy of a performance and, above all, the sense of belonging.”

The members of FMS have formed a bond over a century.

“The sense of belonging has kept our society together for 100 years,” said Colette. “We belong to a group where everyone is united in a common purpose to produce something worthwhile.

“The sense of inclusion and welcome within our diverse group means that everyone is confident that they have a part to play.

“That diversity of abilities and talents is brought to bear by producing a show where combined effort is greater than the sum of the individual efforts.

“While that is usually known as ‘synergy’, we prefer to call it ‘magic’! It is the magic of what happens when FMS performs on the stage of the Palace Theatre, and we hope it will continue for many years to come.”

The glossy centenary book is full of photographs and memories.

“Being a part of FMS sparked my love for theatre,” explained one member, Aoife O’Donovan.

The camaraderie, thrill of performing, and the general buzz of being part of the FMS family was enough to make anyone pursue a career in the arts!

Mothers, daughters, fathers,and sons were all part of the FMS crew.

“It was in Sweet Charity that I got to do a scene with my mom, Valerie for the first time!” says Sally O’Leary.

“Growing up, I was obsessed with watching all the shows she was involved with in FMS; Hello Dolly, Carousel, Calamity Jane (I used to sing ‘I just blew in from the ‘Windy City’ on repeat!).

“Mom always brought me along to rehearsals and we got our love of performing form watching her!

“Deirdre Foley was also my very first piano teacher and was always a massive influence on my love for music, both in FMS and in school in Loreto.

I was also lucky that a lot of my closest friends were at FMS; we all went on to work together in various capacities in lots of different productions. The late musical director Bryan Flynn gets a special mention from Claire O’Leary.

“Bryan, who directed all of the productions I took part in when I was younger, holds a massive place in my heart,” says Claire.

“I still take his advice with me, whether it be into an audition room or on stage. His passion and vision for each of his productions was so inspiring, the way he lifted a script from the page to stage something like no other. He was such a kind and compassionate leader to everyone, on stage and off, in his productions.”

Over the past century, the Society’s contribution to cultural life in the town has been immense, and it’s entirely fitting that this achievement is recognised.

FMS Celebrating 100 years 1924-2024 is a wonderful account of one of Ireland’s longest running musical society’s life and times.

President Dr Tom Beresford says; “Fermoy Musical Society has developed a very rich history since its formation in 1924.

“As we now look forward and give thought to how the society can further develop in the coming years, the Centenary is a very significant milestone, but it is not the destination.

It is a moment to appreciate where we have come from and to continue to put in place the building blocks that we need to further develop the society over the coming years.

With hundreds of local people represented in this book, there is no doubt it will be in high demand, and will not just find itself on many coffee tables in Fermoy, but also scattered to four corners of the world where many former members now live.

Fermoy Musical Society FMS, Celebrating 100 years, €25, from Hanleys Newsagents, Fermoy, or call Collette on 087-6138662. The next FMS event marking 100 years takes place from June 20-27,at Fermoy Town Library where a photographic exhibition will be hosted.