Cavan Nursing Homes host Festival In A Van

Sarah O’Reilly, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council was joined by Narissa Cosgrove, Cavan Arts Office; Eoin Doyle, Director of Service, Cavan County Council; Emma Clancy, County Librarian, Cavan County Council and Grainne Boyle, Social Inclusion, Cavan County Council when classical singer Niamh McCormack and pianist Claire Crehan performed a selection of seasonal and local songs for the patients at the St Joseph's Nursing Home, Virginia as part of the' Festival in a Van' tour, supported by Cavan County Council Photo: Adrian Donohoe.

Festival In A Van, a new mobile outdoor venue bringing live performance to community and care settings visited Cavan Nursing Homes this week.  Supported by the Creative Ireland Programme, the Van offers local audiences and event organisers a flexible solution to the current restrictions of live performance in a Covid safe environment.   It is a mini pop up venue with a professional technical team.

Festival In A Van visited Castlemanor, Esker Lodge and College View Nursing Homes in Cavan town, Oak View, Belturbet, St Joseph’s Nursing Home and Virginia Health Care Centre performing for the residents and staff in the grounds.

Two of Cavan’s finest performers Claire Crehan on piano and the soprano Niamh McCormack delighted with a selection of light opera, folk, Christmas hymns and classics.  The tunes were joyful and uplifting despite the still, freezing air.

“It is wonderful for our residents to hear the music and see the performers this morning, it is a lift for us all.  We have been singing along to all the tunes” said Mary Brady from Castlemanor Nursing Home.

Gráinne Boyle, from Cavan County Council’s social inclusion unit who scheduled the Nursing Home visits said “the music performed by Niamh and Claire is just the toe-tapping, heart-warming experience that we all need in these dark days of December”.

Cllr Sarah O’Reilly, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council was delighted to attend performances in Virginia.   She said “Cavan County Council is pleased to offer this visit of the Van with Claire and Niamh performing for those living and working in the Nursing Homes.  Covid 19 has challenged us all.   Particularly the elderly and those working to care and support them.   It is great to see Creative Ireland Cavan supported by social inclusion and the arts office making these concerts in the open air to take place.  I am really looking forward to the time we can all go back to the theatres and live music venues for the magic it brings to our lives.”

And the final word to Esker Lodge’s Anita “how wonderful 'Festival in a Van' was, the residents had a fantastic time.”

Claire Crehan 

Claire Crehan is a Cavan based singer, pianist, composer & educator.  She graduated from UCC with a Bachelor of Music, specialising in jazz voice, and later studied her Masters in Classical Performance in DIT Conservatory in Music.  She is the Director of SpeakUp SingOut Creative, a Kildare based music school with personal development and high quality music training at its heart.  She also works for Music Generation Cavan / Monaghan as a facilitator, delivering the vocal program within primary schools.  

Claire is currently composing her newest work 'The Light Suite' with support from Cavan Arts and the use of the Ramor Theater.  This will debut in 2021.  

Niamh McCormack

Niamh, a native of Shercock, Co. Cavan completed her Degree and Masters in Vocal Performance at D.I.T Conservatory of Music and Drama. She has toured extensively as vocal soloist with ‘Riverdance’. She features on the albums ‘My Gentle Harp’ (2008), ‘How Lovely for the Little Birds’ (2011) and ‘Les Angélus’ (2014). She has performed the role of Serpina from 'La Serva Padrona' in 2011, Sally from Thomas Arne’s ‘Thomas and Sally’ in 2013 with Opera Antiqua and the role of Myrtil from Jean Philippe Rameau’s ‘Le Berger Fidele’ with Opera at Castalia 2013. She was soloist in the premiere of Suibhne, Faoi Bhodhrán Ghealaí, composed by Paul Flynn at the Kilmore Cathedral, Cavan in 2012 and features on the recording of his ‘Aifreann Naomh Pádraig is Naomh Feilimidh’ (2014). She has performed on ‘The late late show’ and was invited to sing for both our former president Mary McAleese and our President Michael D. Higgins.

She is a soloist with the ‘Castle Consort’ who have performed in the Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle, a recording of which was aired on Lyric Fm and features on the debut recording from the newly formed choir ‘Lassus’. Niamh has toured with the tenor David Martin performing in various venues around Ireland and most recently, she was chosen to premiere two new works based on the poetry of Noel Monahan and composed by Paul Flynn at the book launch of Noel Monahan’s book of poetry ‘Chalk Dust’. She is the 2018 recipient of a Professional Artist Award from County Cavan Arts Office and is attending regular workshops with Xenia Meyer in Amsterdam and Barbara Bonney in Salzburg.