Fiona Maria Fitzpatrick and Seanan Brennan front the new folk trad band, The Messages

Get the Messages

CORNMILL Hank Wangford and Seamus O'Rourke on impressive billing

A Cavan singer is on the undercard for a Carrigallen gig that features cult country music star Hank Wangford this weekend.

The event at Cornmill Theatre is billed as an early evening of song, word and verse featuring: UK’s doctor of all things bold country, Hank Wangford, Leitrim’s very own master of word and wit, Seamus O’ Rourke, and acclaimed new folk/trad group The Messages.

The Messages will consist of Belturbet singer, Fiona Maria Fitzpatrick, Donegal’s Seanan Brennan (Kila), Denise Boyle and James McNamee on fiddles and London based hero John Devine on Uilleann Pipes/Keys. Also special guests to appear are genius of jazz and country on the pedal steel/dobro, Richard Nelson and Modal Citizen Record boss Marc Geagan on double bass.

A line up like no other, this evening treat will cure all ills. Or your money back guaranteed.

Tickets €20 from Corn Mill Theatre & Arts Centre 10am-6pm - Mon-Fri on 087 2570363 or email: bookings@cornmilltheatre.com

Samuel Hutt, known by the stage name Hank Wangford, is an English country and western songwriter.

"Hank is a good smoke screen. He can do things I can't do. He's my clown," says Dr. Hutt, who has been struggling to balance his musical and medical interests ever since medical school at Cambridge University. His 1960s practice in a drug-addiction centre brought him into contact with a lot of rockers and wide renown as London's long-haired, rock-and-roll doctor, and later a television series.

Seamus O'Rourke needs no introduction in these parts.

A writer, director and actor of renown, he has also over two million hits on YouTube and Social Media with his short stories, recitations and sketches. He recently released A Lock of Poems, Recitations and Good Ones – a collection of his much-loved poems and recitations and in 2020 he released his memoir Standing in Gaps, both of which are available from his online shop.