Hugh O Flaherty Memorial

06 March, 2013

After a superbly performed and very well attended Hugh O'Flaherty 115th Birthday Anniversary Concert in The Malton Hotel last evening, the O'Flaherty Memorial Society Chairman Jerry O'Grady said, "We are another step closer to achieving our objective of unveiling the magnificent O'Flaherty Memorial to mark the 50th Anniversary of his death, on October 30th, and we are deeply grateful to all who participated in this event and contributed to the Memorial Fund".

He went on to remind the audience that "Apart from the Monsignor's devotion to the welfare of his fellow human beings and of course his passion for golf, another great love of his was classical and operatic music and so it was most appropriate that we should be celebrating his birthday anniversary in this way".  Throughout the night various mentions were made of the Monsignor's great friend, world renowned singing teacher, Dr Veronica Dunne, who had planned to be at the Concert but was unable to attend. The Monsignor was her mentor in her early days as a young student of classical music and song in Rome, immediately after WW2.
 
Soprano Miriam Murphy travelled over from London to perform at the Concert. Accompanied by Aidan O'Carroll and his various orchestral and choral groups from the Kerry School of Music, they held the audience in a celebration of classical and operatic music for over two hours in the sumptuous surroundings of the newly re-furbished Malton Hotel Conference Suite.
 
Solo performances by young musicians and singers like Niall Crowley, sisters Eimer Doyle and Caoimhe Doyle, Doierann O’Carroll and the Monsignor's Grand-Nephew Cormac Dineen from Cahersiveen, added greatly to the occasion.
 
Chair of the O'Flaherty Education Committee Donnacha Galvin said, "Earlier in the day, over 400 students from the various Killarney schools attended a screening of a film on the life of the Monsignor, an important part of the process of ensuring that his story is brought through to the current and future generations".