Showband greats, and a podcast star visit Cork stages this week

A VERY popular show is on tonight at the Opera House, with Ronan Collins Sings Joe Dolan.

The iconic Joe was a hugely popular entertainer of the showband era, delighting audiences of every age with international hits such as Make Me An Island and You’re Such A Good Looking Woman. There are few singers who can emulate his unique vocal range, but RTÉ DJ Ronan Collins is one of them.

Get down to the Opera House (if there are any tickets left) to relive those glory days when even babies were held up in the auditorium to witness the singing phenomenon!

Comedian David McSavage is here tomorrow night (Friday, October 13), with his new show, If That Makes Sense, while Red Hurley and friends also recall the great showband days on Saturday night.

Next Wednesday (October 18), Alan Clarke is in with his live podcast, Big News Coming Soon.

Booking for Opera House shows on 021 427 0022 or at www.corkoperahouse.ie.

Tonight (Thursday Oct 12) sees that exciting bilingual musical, Tuairín Dubh, on stage at Everyman, but, like its second performance on October 21, it is already sold out.

And what do you know - that hilarious Corkman Chris Kent, with his new show, Back At It, tomorrow and Saturday, is also sold out!

They have managed to arrange two more shows next February, on the 10th and the 17th, but tickets are already in short supply for that, so don’t delay.

Call 021 450 1673 or see www.everymancork.com to book.

Next Wednesday afternoon, October 18, Crash Ensemble will present their Crash Experiments workshop with members of the YMCA Music Group and Theatre Making and Citizenship Cork programme.

Following the workshop there will be a performance, open to all, where the members of the YMCA Music Group and TMACC will perform their new composition on stage with Crash musicians.

Note that online booking is not available for this event, you need to go through the box office on 021 450 1673. Tickets will also be available on the door.

There is a delightful concert series running at Nano Nagle Place right now, created in partnership with historical music specialists, East Cork Early Music.

Late night guided tours of their award-winning museum will be followed by an early music concert, connecting the history of this 250-year-old site to the performance.

Coming up on Sunday, October 15, is the De Monti Novitiate Mass, the first performance in modern times of a piece of Cork’s musical history. This work by Hurka de Monti, who served as Director of Music at Cork’s North Cathedral in the 1810s, was discovered in Nano Nagle Place’s archives and is now brought to modern audiences.

Cork choir Cappella Lyrica, under the direction of Maria Judge, joins forces with the Cork Baroque Players to breathe life into Cork’s rich musical history.

See www.nanonagleplace.ie.

October is moving on, and that means the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival will soon be here!

Running from Thursday, October 26 to Monday, October 30, it already has a packed programme of events, and more are being added by the day. We will keep you updated, but in the meantime, check out www.guinnesscorkjazz.com for all the info.

Finally, if you have been a long-time fan of one of Ireland’s most loved bands, Bagatelle, you might want to know about this special concert coming up in Wexford in early January.

The group will celebrate the legacy of late lead singer, Liam Reilly, with a special performance in the National Opera House, Wexford, on January 6, 2024. Bagatelle will be joined on the night by special guests Donna Marie Sludd and Shane Mc Donal. Tickets are now on sale! https://www.nationaloperahouse.ie/whats-on/show/bagatelle-and-friends.