Two more songs, one more vote. That is what stands between Kelesa Mulcahy and winning The Voice of Ireland.
SINGER: Kelesa Mulcahy during the Semi Final of The Voice Of Ireland in The Helix.
From the blind auditions through the song battles and two live heats in which she won the support of the Irish public, Kelesa now has just two songs to earn those votes again, and lift the Voice of Ireland crown.
And we now know what those songs will be.
Hoping to blow the roof off the Helix, Kelesa will be performing her favourite song of the competition “Sax” by Fleur East and then “Downtown” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis as her second track.
Speaking to the Sligo Weekender from the rehearsal room in Dublin, the Cartron native admitted her success to date has still not sunk in.
“I am still in shock. It has just been snowballing over the last few weeks. After the quarter finals I had two weeks so you could take a breath but since then it has been every week. I have been in Dublin for the last three weeks doing things for the Voice,” she said.
“I am kind of in my own bubble up here [in Dublin]. It is still hard to gauge it and get it to fully sink in.”
For more from Kelesa ahead of her appearance if in the final of The Voice of Ireland, see this week’s Sligo Weekender newspaper – in shops now, or get your digital edition here on www.sligoweekender.ie.
The current crop of local youngsters may find it hard to believe that Bill Haley rocked around the clock and pretty women walked down the street to see Roy Orbison in Sligo, but for a certain generation, seeing a major international act in Strandhill was a regular occurrence.
A large crowd made their way to the Sligo Bay Lifeboat Station for the naming of the new lifeboat.
AT THE READY: Sligo Bay Lifeboat Station crew get ready to launch the newly named Sheila & Denis Tongue Atlantic 85 lifeboat.
The vessel, a state of the art Atlantic 85, was given to Sligo Bay Lifeboat as a legacy left to the RNLI by the late couple Shelia and Dennis Tongue, whose name the boat bears.
Speaking at the naming ceremony, Martin Reilly, chair of the Sligo Bay Lifeboat Management Group, paid tribute to the ongoing work of volunteers in Sligo’s branch of the RNLI.
In particular, he praised Wille Murphy, the current Lifeboat Operations Manager who follows in the footsteps of the late Harry Ewing and the late Stuart Hunter who both held the position in the past.
“In total we have 70 plus volunteers as part of our team. There is a wonderful sense of community and friendship. We have a man who works tirelessly to put it all together, which is the wonderful Willie Murphy.”
“I would like to thank him (Willie) personally, for all of his hard work. One thing about Willie is there is never a problem, but always a solution,” he said.
Mr Reilly also paid tribute to the two aforementioned station managers for their contributions to Sligo Bay Lifeboat Station.
“We must remember the legacy of the late Harry Ewing and Stuart Hunter who both served as Lifeboat Operations Managers for many years. Since we have had our first call out in 1998, we have had many call outs and saved many people. Our last boat, the Elsinore, had 189 call outs bringing 159 people to safety. In the last year alone, we have saved four lives,” he said.
Martin Reilly added that he could not say enough to “express my gratitude to those who help to keep us safe at sea.”
Raymond Tongue, who was joined by his brother Philip and their wives Andrea and Susan, spoke of the honour it was to pass on the Atlantic 85 to Sligo Bay Lifeboat Station.
“It give me great pleasure to be here. My aunt and uncle were both born and lived, grew up and worked in Birmingham. Further from a lifeboat they could not have been. When they retired they moved to the south coast of England in the community of Exmouth.”
“It was there they learned of the work, and began to admire the work of the RNLI. I think it is true to say that because of the public standing, work of the crews and volunteers of the RNLI that the two became active supporters of that community. I think it is because of that that we are here today,” he said.
Raymond also spoke of the community spirit which surrounds the RNLI in Sligo.
“You should be proud, and justifiably proud, of the people who work and serve this community as part of the RNLI. I feel honoured that I am able, on behalf of my aunt and uncle, to hand over to the RNLI of Sligo this lifeboat. May it serve you well,” he added.
For more coverage from the launch, see this week’s Sligo Weekender newspaper – in shops now, or get your digital edition here on www.sligoweekender.ie.
The diversity and range of career possibilities in engineering will be showcased at a special interactive event for students and jobseekers at IT Sligo on Thursday May 5.
TECHNOLOGY: Fergal Broder of LotusWorks and Vincent Cunnane, President of IT Sligo.
The Engineering Expo is a free public event, bringing together leading national and international engineering practitioners along with training expertise in the sector, and schools from across the North West region.
The Expo will be held in IT Sligo’s Knocknarea Arena and is open to students, parents and jobseekers who are interested in finding out more about the vast array of jobs available in engineering, and the skills needed to get them.
“The purpose of the event is to highlight the vast range of career paths open to students and jobseekers,” explains Mary Nolan, the Engineering Expo Coordinator.
“There is a wonderful diversity within engineering – and this event will strive to illustrate that. Engineers are problem solvers, organisers, communicators, calculators and designers. They make a difference to people’s lives every day.”
For more on this story see this week’s Sligo Weekender newspaper – in shops now, or get your digital edition here on www.sligoweekender.ie.
The go-ahead has been given for a factory building which has in the past manufactured nylon yarn and video tapes to now produce whiskey.
Planning permission has been granted by Sligo County Council this week for the ambitious plans to restore the 18th century Hazelwood House and to turn the massive adjoining factory building into a distillery and visitor centre.
The present owners of the historic estate, Dublin-based couple David and Sue Raethorne, hope to turn Hazelwood House into a major national tourist attraction, which will attract thousands of visitors a year.
The planning permission is for alterations and change of use of the former 20,000 sq metre Saehan Media factory, in which a South Korean company manufactured VHS video tapes from 1987 to 2005. The factory, which covers five acres, was built in 1969 by Italian company Snia to manufacture nylon yarn but it closed in 1983.
The building will undergo a major facelift to give it a more attractive appearance.
Hazelwood House itself is to undergo an extensive restoration to become a visitor centre. It is proposed to have tours of the house and to have museum/exhibition areas, together with whiskey history information and tasting areas integrated in a distillery tour.
It is also planned to have a restaurant/tea rooms, two executive residential suites and to convert the styables to craft workshops/trade displays.
The property was bought by David and Sue Raethorne in December 2014.
Previously, the estate was bought in 2006 by Foresthaze Developments, a consortium of mostly local businessmen for €10m. In 2007 they applied for permission to build 158 detached houses and 54 apartments in four blocks but their planning application was refused.
The property was put up for sale in 2013, with a guide price of €2.5m, that was reduced to €550,000 and the estate was sold in December 2014 for an undisclosed sum.
A Gala Concert will be held in IT Sligo on Saturday April 23 at 8pm to raise funds for NW MS Therapy Centre, Ballytivnan and Sligo Grammar School Music Department.
STAR: Sinead Conway
Building on the huge success of the fundraising concert held 2 years ago, it was decided to hold another concert this year, this time to help out the NW MS Therapy Centre.
The evening will be made up of a number of pieces performed by both the Past Pupils Choir and the current school choir, and this time Carbury National School Choir, made up of children from 3rd to 6th class, will perform for the first time on a public stage. The performances will be interspersed by a selection of vocal and instrumental pieces performed by special guests.
These will include, Sinead Conway Kohlmann, who has entertained audiences both locally and internationally, Kieran Quinn, who has run a series of hugely popular, sell out theme nights recently and Jonathan Carter, a classically trained baritone who has performed in Riverdance and internationally as guest soloist for many choirs and musical groups.
The evening will be hosted by RTE’s Tommie Gorman, who himself holds a keen interest in choral events and has been executive producer of RTE’s hugely popular programme The All Ireland Schools Choir Competition. He believes that schools choirs demonstrate superbly, ‘the ethos of teamwork and group activity’.
The concert promises to be a superb evening of entertainment, music and song.
Tickets are available from Sligo Grammar School, Carbury National School, the North West MS Therapy Centre, Ballytivnan and the MS Therapy Charity shop in the Wine Street Car Park.
The evening starts at 8pm on Saturday 23 April and will be a fully seated concert.
Vehicles big and small, from classic Honda 50s to brand new tractors took to the roads around Gurteen on Sunday, April 17 to raise funds for the Gurteen Playground & Recreation Group.
Tommie Nolan and his 1980 Porsche 924 are ready for the VIntage car run in Gurteen.
O’Dowd’s Warehouse provided enough space for the tractors, classic cars and motorbikes to assemble ahead of the run, which started at 12 noon. Entry was €20. After the run was over, the participants were invited to The Cross Bar in Gurteen for a monster auction at 4pm.
Kelesa Mulcahy has made it to the semi-final of The Voice of Ireland after she gained the largest share of the public vote for Team Kian.
STAR POWER: Kelesa Mulcahy during the fourth live show of The Voice Of Ireland.
The Sligo native is through to the penultimate round of the competition this week and is delighted with her success so far.
“I am buzzing. Totally buzzing. I couldn’t hear I was through at first because the atmosphere was just electric. I heard Kathryn [Thomas] say my name, but I had to ask Jasmine beside me ‘am I through or am I going home?’” Kelesa said.
Kelesa won the public’s vote to be put into the semi-final this weekend after wowing the audience and the nation with her rendition of the Fleur East song ‘Sax’.
Each week, the Cartron native has looked to vary her song choice and keep viewers guessing as to what song she will sing.
“You have to up your game every week to stay in. I love doing the big performance songs. I love singing and dancing and I just want to give it my all,” Kelesa commented.
Kelesa’s mentor is fellow Sligo native Kian Egan.
For more on this story see this week’s Sligo Weekender newspaper – in shops now, or get your digital edition here on www.sligoweekender.ie.
RESCUE Dogs Sligo are currently at capacity. The volunteer-run rescue centre currently has reached its capacity for rescued dogs. Another problem for the centre is the mounting bills which the centre has due to vets fees to keep the dogs healthy.
SISTERS: Victoria and Charlotte, Lurcher/Collie mixes who are currently under the care of Sligo Animal Rescue and are looking for a new home.
Dorothy Kilgallen, a volunteer with Sligo Animal Rescue, explained the most pressing issue the organisation is facing.
“It is a case of having a problem paying for what we have in. We have to continue to pay boarding fees and veterinary bills and that is a problem at the moment. There is no money coming and in and there are no dogs going out so there are no adoption fees,” she said.
The rescue lives off the adoption fee, €100 per dog, and the good will of others to survive. The approximate cost of running the rescue each week is in the region of €400.
Aside from that, the resuce makes money from the sale of cards and calenders at Christmas, money which has now been spent on vets bills and other running costs.
“There is nothing in the bank at the moment. The more behind you are with bills the harder it is to play catch up,” Dorothy said.
In terms of dogs currently under the care of the rescue, Dorothy says there are 19. Some of those dogs have been there longer than others and it is hard to put a time frame on how long it will take for a dog to be adopted.
INJURY: Elsie, a collie, was hit by a car and suffered a broken leg. She is now on the mend and will be looking for a new home when she is better.
“How long is a piece of string? We have two sibling puppies who came in to us at two weeks old and they are eight months now. Some dogs are luckier than others, they may only be here two or three weeks before adopting,” Dorothy commented.
Although Dorothy is eager for the 19 dogs to find homes, she is also eager to stress the commitment involved with having a dog.
“Think really long and hard about it because we have had a really bad run in the last month of people booking dogs and then unbooking them. Think long and hard about it because it is not fair on the dogs,” she said.
Dogs for adoption and more details on the rescue dogs in Sligo can be found on the Facebook page “Rescue Dogs Sligo” or on the website sligoanimalrescue.com.
Rare memorabilia items associated with the famous 1798 ‘Battle of Collooney’ are being put on sale by the Adams Auction House in Dublin.
HISTORY: The Collooney Cup stands over 70 centimetres tall from plinth base to lid tip. The guide price for the cup is €20,000-25,000. It will be auctioned on April 19.
The items, which include a presentation cup, a dress sword and medals, were awarded to the Limerick City Militia who took on the French in the Co. Sligo town.
Speaking to the Sligo Weekender, local historian Aidan Mannion offered some insight on the history of the battle.
“The cup and the sword were presented to Colonel Charles Vereker of the Limerick City Militia who came to Collooney to take on the French, led by General Humbert,” he explained.
“Locally it is known as the Battle of Carricknagat and the Teeling monument, which is just on the entrance into Colloney, commemorates Bartholomew Teeling who fought in the battle.”
For more on this story see this week’s Sligo Weekender newspaper – in shops now, or get your digital edition here on www.sligoweekender.ie.
The highlight of Sligo’s Centenary year of celebration will be a ‘Day of Commemoration’ which commences at 12.04pm on Sunday, April 24, on the 100th Anniversary of the reading of the 1916 Proclamation.
HEADLINERS: Dervish will headline the Music Rising concert.
‘Music Rising’ is a free open-air concert in Stephen Street Car-park and will feature an-all local line up, with some of Sligo’s top internationally touring musical acts, including Michael Rooney and the Sligo Folk Orchestra, Dervish, Rackhouse Pilfer, Moxie, NoCrows, Seamie O’Dowd and Kieran Quinn.
The days’ activities will also include a procession through the streets of Sligo followed by the raising of the tricolour and reading of the 1916 Proclamation at City Hall, the unveiling of a ‘Sligo Roll of Honour’, a civic reception hosted by Sligo County Council for the families of the Sligo people involved in the 1916 Rising, and a fireworks extravaganza to bring the celebrations to a spectacular close
The Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady, encouraged the people of Sligo to come along.
“This will be a spectacular, colourful and vibrant musical celebration by some of our most notable performers, and is arguably the highlight of our year-long programme. I see the Centenary programme as a gift to the current generation, a gift which enhances and informs our sense of identity, and provides an invaluable insight into the events that shaped our nation.
“As well as informing us, this programme will also challenge us to question old certainties, consider new perspectives and broaden our historical horizons with the wealth of archival material being published.
“I would strongly encourage people of County Sligo not to let 2016 pass without making the effort to attend an event, Sunday 24th April will be an opportunity for the people of Sligo to enjoy, celebrate and reflect.”
Donal Tinney, Sligo 2016 Commemoration Co-ordinator emphasised the family-friendly nature of the celebrations: “We are encouraging as many people from Sligo and the neighbouring counties to enjoy a feast of excellent music.
“We are very privileged in Sligo that we can organise a national scale event like Music Rising fully from our own resources. We are grateful to the Ireland 2016 Committee for their support and to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, IPB Insurance for their generous financial assistance.
“We also appreciate the support of our teams of volunteers organised through Sligo County Council and Sligo Leader. All of the musicians are locally based; as are the backroom team and volunteers running the event. It is an excellent example of how events like the Fleadh and Sligo Live build up a professional level of excellence, which has enduring benefits for the area.”
Music Rising is a 1916 Easter Rising Centenary initiative by Sligo County Council’s 2016 Steering Group and is funded through the Ireland 2016 Commemoration Fund.
Timetable for April 24
12.04pm
The day of festivities opens with a host of family activities. A procession led out by the Army and including marching bands and invited local groups will follow a route from Lower Pearse to Quay Street. Outside City Hall the tricolour will be raised, there will be a reading of the 1916 Proclamation and the unveiling of the ‘Sligo Roll of Honour.’ A Display of ‘Sligo through the decades’ banners will decorate a number of shop windows along the procession route in the lead-up to 24th April.
2.30pm
‘Music Rising’ celebration gets underway in Stephen St car-park with a reading of the 1916 Proclamation. The opening performance is by Michael Rooney and Sligo Academy of Music Folk Orchestra, followed by Sligo’s top musical acts, concluding with Dervish at 8pm.
5pm
Civic reception hosted by Sligo County Council in Sligo Park Hotel for the descendants of the Sligo families involved in the 1916 Rising.
9.30pm
Fireworks extravaganza to light up Sligo’s night sky.
The second annual Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day was celebrated in Sligo this week.
BALLOONS: Christopher Keenaghan prepares to release green balloons to mark Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day.
The national event, organised by Bundoran native Christopher Keenaghan, was launched last year and proved to be a major success.
Christopher is a student at the National Learning Network in Sligo and is also a monthly columnist with the Sligo Weekender.
A number of volunteers, including Ruairi McKiernan of the Member State Council in Dublin, Mayor Thomas Healy, ex-Sligo Rovers player Ciaran Kelly, Aaron Costello of Sligo Sports Partnership and Alan Sayers of Sligo Mountain Rescue took part in a challenge as part of the awareness campaign where they experienced moving around Sligo in a wheelchair and later highlighted what they learned from it, including their account of the challenge of tasks such as using an ATM machine or simply getting from one side of the street to another.
The colour green is largely associated with Cerebral Palsy awareness and everyone in attendance was encouraged to don a shade of green and take part in the Green Selfie campaign.
The theme continued throughout the day as green balloons were released, followed by Hyde Bridge being illuminated in a verdant glow that evening.
The National Learning Network provides a variety of training courses and support services for people who need specialist support.
There are 50 centres located around Ireland, offering nationally recognised qualifications.
