Westport’s hugely popular traditional music summer show ‘The Legend of Gráinne Mhaol’ at Hotel Westport received a timely boost this week with the news that a number of international tour operators are scheduling the show into their summer itineraries this summer. Promoters from The Legend of Gráinne Mhaol show were in Dublin at the Meitheal Irish Travel and TradeFair Show at the RDS and met several key tour operators from around the world to discuss the possibility of tour groups travelling to Westport in the coming months.

The county-wide programme of events for the Mayo International Choral Festival 2012 (Thurs 24th to Sun 27th May) will feature over 1,000 singers in 33 choirs. This exciting inaugural festival will take the form of male and female International, National and Mayo choirs participating on a competitive and non-competitive basis. The event will include a number of evening and daily county-wide performances, as well as competitions and workshops.

James Kilbane returns to the TF Royal Theatre, Castlebar on this coming Friday, May 11th, when he brings his Gravel and Grace Country Concert to the West’s leading concert venue.  Through his many concerts James gives support and opportunity to voluntary organisations to share in his events.  This concert is in association with Western Care and is supported by CBE, Claremorris.

Liam Lawton in association with Castlebar Gospel choir is to hold a special concert in Belcarra on May 10th for a night of song. All proceeds from the night will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland.

"Claremorris was an incredible experience, it was truly unbelievable. I always knew Claremorris was special but I  never expected this in my wildest dreams. I will never come to Ireland without visiting Claremorris", stated an elated Patrick Cassidy post the visit to his native town and the performance of his composition Famine Remembrance at St. Colmans Church, Claremorris on 13 April last.

Pupils from Holy Trinity, Westport, have won the National Green-Schools Travel Competition. Pupils Niamh Bellamy, Amber Farrell, Rosa Kinsella, Hazel Hopkinson and Ciara Carolan wrote and performed their song “Great for the Planet” at the award ceremony.  An Taisce, in partnership with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority hosted this year’s Green-Schools Travel Competition Awards ceremony in Tailors Hall, Dublin, on Tuesday 24th April.

A discovery of great historical significance to the Ballina region has been unearthed following intensive worldwide research which has revealed the extraordinary musical talents of the Wallace family who went on to entertain people throughout the world in the mid 19th century. To honour the family, the Ballina Wallace Bicentenary Committee has been formed to mark the birth two hundred years ago of William Vincent Wallace, one of Ireland’s greatest composers, and to firmly establish his family’s roots and links in the Ballina/Killala area, in addition to his sister Eliza who became one of the great divas in Australia.

The Moy Singers is to perform their Annual Springtime concert this coming Friday, 20 April at 8pm in the Downhill House Hotel for what promises to be a highlight of the 2012 musical calendar.  They are regarded as one of the premier choirs in the West and continue to build upon a 25 year heritage of fine choral singing.  The group is highly regarded having won many accolades. 

It's going to be an exciting Easter weekend for Mayo music fans as popular Ballina singer, Liam Geddes, represents the West in the  the Voice of Ireland, this Sunday, Easter Sunday, at 6.30pm on RTE One TV.

Irish American actor Eric Mabius, who has appeared in almost thirty films and over a dozen major television projects, is to narrate the European Premiere of Patrick Cassidy’s Famine Remembrance Symphony Concert to be held at St. Colman’s Church, Claremorris, on 13 April. Mr. Mabius who has starred in a lead role in the hit ABC Series ‘Ugly Betty’ and the critically  acclaimed BBC mini-series ‘Outcasts’, will be accompanied by the RTE Concert Orchestra and the Tribal Chamber Choir (Galway).