Christmas Craic! with Neil Delamere and Jason Byrne at the Royal Castlebar

Fri, Dec 12, 2008

Saturday December 27 promises to be full to the brim of festive fun and frolics when Neil Delamere and Jason Byrne come to the Royal Castlebar Theatre and Event Centre. A double helping of comedy genius arrives in Castlebar and Christmas Craic! is a show not to be missed. Neil Delamere is one of the top headline acts working in the Irish comedy scene today and is one of the biggest factors in the huge success of RTE television’s hit show The Panel . Having performed on five continents, he staged his debut solo show in the Edinburgh festival in 2004. His live stand-up set was then recorded for the BBC comedy series One Night Stand. Hailed by the Irish Independent for his countless MC skills, Neil is the regular compere at several gigs round Dublin. He has performed all over Ireland as well as at the prestigious Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival, the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival and the Adelaide Fringe Festival. He featured in both series of the TV stand-up show Liffey Laughs. Neil also presented the RTE television series covering the Montreal festival for two years in a row as well as The World Stands Up for Paramount. Apart from being one of the stars of The Panel, alongside Andrew Maxwell and Colin Murphy, Neil is also a regular on The Blame Game, a topical TV show for the BBC. “No TV camera could accurately measure the lightning speed of Delamere’s wit” – The Irish Times.

Enjoy some artistic fare this holiday season at the Linenhall

Fri, Dec 12, 2008

Lucy Hill and Almha Roche exhibtion at the Linenhall

Christmas festivites take over at the National Museum

Fri, Dec 12, 2008

Christmas food fair and open day
Tomorrow Saturday December 13 from 11am to 5pm, start the Christmas season in style with your family at the National Museum of Ireland Country Life. Supported by Mayo County Enterprise Board. Yuletide treats including: Christmas Food Fair - traditional festive fare from a variety of food producers from around the region. admission free. Christmas exhibition in the museum galleries . Christmas workshops - fully booked. Santa Claus and his Magic Elves from 12 pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.30pm. Cost €2 per child. Tickets available from the museum from 11am on Saturday December 13. Christmas carols – with Mayo Male Voice Choir and Gospel Singers. Face Painting. Free gift wrapping in the museum shop. Museum Café open.

Tomorrow Saturday December 13 from 11am to 5pm, start the Christmas season in style with your family at the National Museum of Ireland Country Life. Supported by Mayo County Enterprise Board. Yuletide treats including: Christmas Food Fair - traditional festive fare from a variety of food producers from around the region. admission free. Christmas exhibition in the museum galleries . Christmas workshops - fully booked. Santa Claus and his Magic Elves from 12 pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.30pm. Cost €2 per child. Tickets available from the museum from 11am on Saturday December 13. Christmas carols – with Mayo Male Voice Choir and Gospel Singers. Face Painting. Free gift wrapping in the museum shop. Museum Café open.

High School Musical live on stage at the Royal Castlebar!

Fri, Dec 12, 2008

First the smash hit Disney Channel original movie, followed by the record-breaking soundtrack, and now Disney’s High School Musical spreads its magic across the country on its first ever tour. This spectacular stage production, complete with everyone’s favourite characters and all of the unforgettable songs from the movie, opened in January 2008 and has broken box office records wherever it has visited, delighting families in towns and cities across the UK and Ireland. The producers are delighted to announce that the tour will now continue in 2009, including a season from Tuesday January 20 to Saturday January 31 at the Royal Castlebar Theatre and Event Centre. The leading roles of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are played by Ashley Day (On The Town and Mary Poppins) and Claire-Marie Hall (Les Miserables and High School Musical, Hammersmith Apollo season) respectively. Ruling drama queen Sharpay and her faithful brother and sidekick Ryan will be played by Emma Kelly (Mamma Mia) and Lee Honey-Jones. This new stage adaptation of the Disney Channel original movie hit musical features a book by David Simpatico (adapted from the original movie script by Peter Barsocchini) and a score that contains all the songs from the original chart-topping soundtrack, including the UK hit singles “Breaking Free” and “We’re All In This Together” plus two new numbers. The production will be directed by Jeff Calhoun, whose credits include the award-winning Broadway revivals of Grease and Big River. The creative team in completed by choreographer Lisa Stevens, scenic designer Kenneth Foy, costume designer Wade Laboissonniere, lighting designer Ken Billington, sound designer Rick Clarke and music producer Bryan Louiselle.

Music, song, dance and shoes at the Linenhall

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

Irish Melodies concert
In celebration of 200 years of Thomas Moore's world-famous “Irish Melodies”, a scintillating concert entitled My Gentle Harp: Moore’s Irish Melodies 1808-2008 takes place at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday December 11 at 8pm.

Capture the magic of Christmas with James Kilbane's new album

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

For anyone, young or old, wishing to capture the magic of Christmas, The Christmas Collection, by Achill Island's James Kilbane, is a must-have this Christmas season.

Shakin' Stevens ready for Castlebar show

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

As one of the most successful male artists of all time, Cardiff-born Shakin’ Stevens needs no introduction. He has had more number one hits than any other Welsh artist, and is also recognised as one of the highest selling artists in the UK, having notched up 39 hit singles, 37 of which were consecutive. This unprecedented success was mirrored across Europe and in many territories worldwide. In the UK alone, he has accumulated 280 weeks in the singles chart and consolidated all that success with a run of a dozen hit albums - and a multitude of gold, platinum and double platinum discs.

The Sound of Music at Ballinrobe Community School

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

The students of Ballinrobe Community School are busily preparing for their annual school musical. This year the Transition Year students ably assisted by the second year choir are staging that timeless musical The Sound of Music. The story of Maria and the Von Trapp family is told through songs such as “My Favourite Things”, “Do – Re – Mi” and “Edelweiss”, just to mention a few.

Beauty and the Beast in Claremorris

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

Students from the All Stars Performing Arts Academy will present Beauty and the Beast Christmas panto at Claremorris Town Hall tonight (Friday December 5) at 8pm; Saturday December 6 at 2pm and 8pm and on Sunday December 7 at 2pm and 8pm.

Free tickets to a TV show

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

Glas Vegas, a TG4 talent show, is looking for audience members to attend a recording this Christmas in RTÉ studios, Dublin.

Daniel O'Donnell back for special winter show

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

Daniel O’Donnell returns to Castlebar on Thursday December 11 and is very much looking forward to playing for the first time in the brand new, state-of-the-art Royal Castlebar Theatre and Event Centre. Donegal’s favourite son, Daniel O’Donnell needs no introduction to audiences.

The Nightmare Before Christmas in Ballina

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

Mayo Youth Theatre will present Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas at Ballina Arts Centre on Friday December 12 and Saturday December 13 at 8pm.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.