Cork to host major musical fundraiser for former Defence Forces members
On Tuesday, February 21, the mass bands will hold a special performance for primary school children in the region.
A major fundraiser with a military musical theme is being planned in Cork to raise much-needed money for former members of the Defence Forces who have fallen on hard times.
The fundraising performance of the massed bands concert will be staged at Cork City Hall on Friday, February 24, and will feature the bands of 1 Brigade, 2 Brigade and the Army No 1 Band.
This year’s City Hall concert will also feature Defence Forces pipers and drummers.
The guest artist on the night will be soprano Rachel Croash.
Ms Croash has performed in Áras an Uachtaráin for President Michael D Higgins and has sung with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the City of Dublin Chamber Orchestra.
She has also sung with Defence Forces bands at the National Day of Commemoration.
Meanwhile, a few days earlier, on Tuesday, February 21, also in City Hall, the mass bands will hold a special performance for primary school children in the region.
The Defence Forces have invited more than 40 schools and it is understood that in excess of 900 will attend the event.
This year’s concert will also be significant in that it will be the last Defence Forces engagement of the director of the Defence Forces School of Music, Lt Col Mark Armstrong, who is shortly retiring from the Defence Forces.
"He joined the Defence Forces in 1989 and has given over 33 years of outstanding service to the State and the Defence Forces,” the Defence Forces spokesman said.
In his role as director of the Defence Forces School of Music, he has played a key role in State and military ceremonies over the last decade to include significant events like the annual National Day of Commemoration, the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 2011 and the 2016 Easter Rising commemorations.
“It is fitting that his last Defence Forces engagement is in Cork as he has a long association with the concert and indeed with musical connections outside of the Defence Forces in the city,” the spokesman added.
Concert tickets will go on sale on Saturday, February 11 at 10am in Merchant’s Quay Shopping Centre and will be on sale until Friday, February 24, with the exception of Sundays.
A limited number of tickets may also be available on the night, depending on sales.
