Spirit of Hugh O'Flaherty Very Much Alive!

Spirit of Hugh O'Flaherty Very Much Alive!

18 October 2010

As part of the annual Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Weekend, a fundraising concert "with a difference" in memory of the Monsignor is being organised on Friday 12th November at the Church of the Resurrection, Killarney.  The event will be a gathering of some of the finest young and older voices and musicians from Kerry and beyond.  Producer and founder of the Youth Choir "Teen Spirit" Noel O’Sullivan stated “When I was asked to organise the concert to celebrate the life of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty I didn’t hesitate.  It is so important to keep the Monsignor’s inspirational story alive and we will do this by informing the next generation of his great deeds.  Already my own choir “Teen Spirit” can’t believe that such a great hero, who was pivotal in saving so many lives during World War 2, grew up in the same county as them.   I do think this has inspired them to participate so enthusiastically.  The theme, which is very much in keeping with the Spirit of the Monsignor’s work in Rome will be Freedom, Courage and Perseverance.”Joining Teen Spirit on the stage will be the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club Choir, the Killarney Cathedral Choir and a number of Kerry solo musicians including Cormac Dineen, the grand nephew of the Monsignor and Grace Foley.Another exciting artist that everyone is talking about, Daithí Ó Drónaí is making a very special performance on the night. Daithí, a violinist originally from Clare is building a huge reputation in music circles for playing original music on the electronic synthesised violin.  Daithí was a recent finalist in the UK hit Talent Show, "Must Be the Music".  He played his own composition in the live finale at Wembley Arena and has also recently performed at Electric Picnic and Castlepolooza music festivals.The fundraising concert is just one of a series of events and activities that are taking place over the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Weekend which takes place from 12th to 14th November in Killarney.  On Saturday 13th November, the Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award Ceremony will take place in the Killarney Plaza Hotel.  Also on Saturday will be a special Civic Welcome from Killarney Town Council to some of the families of the Monsignor’s wartime colleagues who are travelling to Killarney to participate in the weekend.Hugh Courtney, Chairman of the Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Committee stated "Our thanks go to everyone who has helped put this special weekend together, especially Noel O’Sullivan and his very talented choir Teen Spirit.  Through their participation we are hoping that young people will come along on the night of the Concert, enjoy the entertainment and hopefully learn a little about the Monsignor’s great deeds and about his colleagues in the Rome Escape Line – all of whom put their lives at risk to save over 6,500 during World War 2".The concert is free of charge to all and there will be a collection at the end of the concert in aid of the Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Fund.  For further information on this event and the other events and activities of the Memorial weekend, please visit www.hughoflaherty.com