By Hollie Harris
According to Irish singer-harpist Hilary O’Neill, Christmas is not Christmas without the blarney. Sharing stories has always been part of Irish culture, and combining them with songs and music is a tradition reaching back to the ancient bards.
In her new show titled A Celtic Christmas, Hilary promises a joyful concert of carols, harp and blarney.
“While the audience will know most of the songs, I do include some lesser-known carols from other cultures,” Hilary said. “The stories I tell are drawn from both history and myth, and take the form of rhyming and rhythmic poems.”
In verse, she slices open a Christmas pudding full of stories to make you laugh and cry. Situations we can all relate to – from patchwork extended-family gatherings, to the plight of trying to choose the right presents. She tells of ancient Celtic customs that have now become Yuletide standards, and anecdotes of crafty little people sheltering from wind, rain and snow.
Hilary is a recent resident on the Sunshine Coast. Having grown up in Ireland surrounded by music and folklore, she studied singing in London, Hamburg, Berlin and Adelaide, and has worked internationally as a concert artist. Based in Berlin for many years, she has toured extensively throughout Germany and Switzerland, performing her one-woman shows.
Her concerts have been described as “Musical devotion with an inner feeling of warmth, humour and connection to the human spirit.”
She will be presenting three performances only.
Thursday 7 December, 7pm Eumundi School of Arts Hall.
Sunday 10 December, 3pm Cooran Hall.
Thursday 14 December, 7pm Maleny Community Centre.
Bookings on 0415 323 899, and tickets are $30 at the door (groups $25).
