Specially commissioned virtual concert features traditional Irish music and culture

by Kim Mullahey · May 25, 2020

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A FEW of the ‘boys and girls of Eireann’ got together with Ambassador of Ireland to Jordan Dr Vincent O’Neill to celebrate all things Irish in music and song, online and on Facebook for the first time from Dublin, Ireland, and the embassy in Amman.

Irish Ambassador to Jordan Dr Vincent O’Neill presented a virtual concert to expats, friends and partners

Joining His Excellency on Friday, 22^nd May at the virtual concert of Irish music for expats and friends and partners of Jordan were three of Eireann’s own, Claire Sherry, Alan Burke and Kieran Munnelly in just over half an hour of traditional airs and songs.

The video, available on YouTube in a programme by the Irish Foreign Ministry included a special message from Ambassador O’Neill and a shoutout of music and songs from across Ireland to the Irish abroad in Jordan, their friends, and partners.

The Irish Embassy in Jordan virtual traditional Irish music concert from Amman, Jordan is on YouTube

“I was delighted to welcome you all to the first virtual celebration of Irish music and song which was presented to you by the Embassy of Ireland here in Jordan,” said the Ambassador, who commissioned the virtual concert. “I am really delighted that we were spending some time, enjoying some of (the Irish artists) and sharing it and doing so in a virtual way.”

The virtual concert was a neat solution to all of the cancelled celebrations since lockdown began for many last March. Events including St Patrick’s Day commemorations and concerts in Jordan, not celebrated due to quarantines against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic took centre stage in the pre-recorded Irish music and song programme.

“We have all been experiencing the difficulties and experience of lockdown over the last several weeks, and like the rest of you our capacity as an embassy here to meet people and to outreach has been severely limited,” His Excellency explained. “We really missed engaging with our Irish citizens, our Jordanian friends and partners. It has been a time also when we have learned to appreciate the contributions that artists make to our society and that Irish artists in particular have played in reflecting and shaping, and communicating the real riches of Irish culture and heritage worldwide.”