Orchestra Based Life
- Niamh Connellan
- May 20, 2017
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 3
After trying for years and years and what seemed like an eternity, of trying to get the go ahead from OPW and IMMA, I finally managed to arrange to see the North Wing of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. This building contains the Master's Quarters, the Great Hall and the Chapel which makes up the North Wing of the RHK and these days is used as an event, wedding and banqueting venue whereas the other 3 wings comprise of the IMMA.
For St. Patrick's Day, our father joined Niamh and me for the parade on O'Connell Street, after which we had a few drinks in a bar nearby to Croke Park, where we were going for the 2017 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship final contested by Cuala of Dublin and Ballyea of Clare, with Cuala winning beating Ballyea unfortunately. The All-Ireland final between these clubs was unique occasion as it was the first ever championship meeting between the two teams. Both teams were also appearing in their first All-Ireland final.
As I happened to be off work, the first Wednesday of the month and was in mood for some heritage, I decided to hop on the bus, out to Casino Marino as it's always interesting to see the optic illusion that is the Casino and the great work by the OPW do keeping such an architectural building alive. I happened to win tickets later on that week to the Hot Press Magazine HP40 launch gig in Meeting House Square where Mundy was performing which was a nice mid week activity to be able to go. After months of trying to persuade me to go to Sunday Bingo with Shirley Templebar in the George on a bank holiday Sunday, I finally gave into Niamh for the Easter Sunday one. The following day on Easter Monday, Niamh and me went to the Cruinniú na Cásca event in St Stephen's Green with a particular highlight being the RTÉ Concert Orchestra with Tenor Eugene Ginty and Baritone Simon Morgan with the help from the crowd at the South Stage singing Nessun Dorma.
When on your day off, you use your Dublin Zoo annual pass for some me time which works every time. I thought also as it was free Wednesday for certain heritage sites and after doing Casino Marino last month, thought I would do Dublin Castle this month as it was nearly 2 years since the Marriage Referendum result that was announced in the courtyard of the Castle. Later on that evening Paddy and myself got to enjoy the soft launch of the new location of the Wax Museum Plus and see what this new venue had to offer in particular the chamber of horrors. We were able to partake in the soft launch thanks to complimentary tickets on social media. As the next day of course was May the 4th be with you, we went to the National Concert Hall for the RTÉ Concert Orchestra's Star Wars Celebration. The beautiful music from Star Wars sounded amazing in this venue by this talented orchestra. As was proving to be a productive and busy week, was topped off with trip to the 3Arena for an WWE RAW Live event which we both enjoyed more even so after the intermission. When the crowd's appetite was hungry for more, which was fed and some by the culmination of the main event with Bray Wyatt, and Seth Rollins and our own Finn Bálor.
After working my magic on social media, I some how got my hands on complimentary tickets for a night of ABBA music with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at the National Concert Hall. Niamh and me were dancing and singling along with the Celebration Singers and the with orchestra conducted by the amazing Andy O'Callaghan. The night was full of pure Abbatastic and Super Troopers which really thanked ABBA for the music and had us the audience thanking both, the band for their lyrics and the orchestra for their amazing performance and for a fun night. The following weekend, I got to enjoy a Saturday brunch followed by drinks on the rooftop bar of the Marker Hotel with the beautiful sights of Dublin in the background with the Sis after a eventful day of shopping. That evening enjoyed a Jameson whiskey on World Whiskey Day at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre before the showing of Independence Day with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra providing the Live instrumental music for the movie which was a surreal experience.
If you told me that the RTÉ Concert Orchestra would be the theme tune to my life for the month of May I wouldn't have believed you, but after experiencing the amazing work that the orchestra does, I am glad and lucky that it was.
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