Tommy Fleming 'thrilled' to return to his favourite Cork venue this weekend

TOMMY Fleming is "thrilled" to be getting ready to perform two shows at his favourite venue in Cork this weekend.

The singer, who has been described as “The Voice of Ireland”, is performing in Cork Opera House as part of his 30 year anniversary tour.

"I remember my first time on stage at Cork Opera House. It was 1992 and I was 21 and terrified," he told The Echo.

"I have now been performing yearly in the Opera House for 18 years, only missing out in 2021 due to Covid, so I cannot wait to make my annual return to one of my favourite venues."

The Co Sligo native added that he was delighted the shows will be at full capacity following the recent easing of Covid-19 restrictions and that the news had given him a "new lease of life".

“I was over the moon and shocked when the government announced the lifting of restrictions, like every other musician in Ireland. Getting back to playing to full capacity venues is what I live for," he said.

"I had to cancel and reschedule a lot of my shows up until last week which was frustrating and time-consuming. Getting back on stage to a full audience has given me a new lease of life. 

"You can feel the energy in the room when it’s full and there’s a unique atmosphere that you can't explain until you feel it. 

"It’s been a frustrating time for the entertainment industry but I am hoping that’s the end of lockdowns and restrictions and I can begin to get back to business as usual.”

The shows will take place on February 4 and 5 and feature songs from Fleming's new album.

The album, titled 'All These Years', was released before Christmas and is a salute to the singer's 30 years in the music industry.

“I am thrilled with the success of the album, it certainly gave me a lift when it was needed the most," Fleming said.

"The feedback was so positive and lovely to hear. It’s got a mix of old and new songs.

"One of the highlights for me was getting to duet with Elaine Paige and of course getting to number one in the Irish Independent Charts in December 2021."

This weekend's shows will feature a mix of old and new tracks played by a full band.