The Boys are Back in Town for Big Tom's 90th!
The Travellers are back on stage in Oram for one night only during the Big Tom festival this weekend!
BIG TOM’S original band, The Travellers, are back on stage in Oram for one night only this weekend.
The “Old Pals of Yesterday” Paddy King, Patsy McDermott, Harry Conlon, and Kevin McCooey have re-grouped for this year’s Big Tom Weekend in Monaghan on what would’ve been the big man’s 90th birthday.
And with it being an extra special year, festival organisers have put together an even bigger and better line-up for Tom’s 90th year which includes a jiving competition, vintage parade, a culture night, and Big Band Dance with performances by Margo, Thomas McBride Junior and Damian Davis, and an underage football blitz.
And while all this is going on in Oram GAA’s social centre, the senior team meets Aghabog at home on Saturday evening in round 5 of the Junior Football Championship.
FOOTBALL & SHOWBANDS
For anyone who lived and loved the Showband era, this weekend promises to be a jam-packed trip down memory lane. It is also a chance to re-group with all the people from the carnival, marquees and dancehalls of your heyday.
The Big Tom Weekend, which runs from this Friday, September 18, kicks off in the Social Centre at 7pm with a ‘Culture Night’ celebrating the life, music and memories of Big Tom.
Afterwards, the jiving competition, which is open to all ages, kicks off to music by Big Dan The Highway Man and Damian Davis. Big prizes for those couples placed first, second and third in their respective categories are promised with the event, which has been sponsored by Monaghan County Council, compered by Michael Cummins. Organisers remind everyone to go along on the night and watch the jiving for free.
The following morning, 16 teams from both sides of the border are coming to Oram to take part in an Under-14s football tournament hosted by the Sarsfields.
Football features in any Big Tom celebration as it was on the football field as a 6 foot-plus midfielder that young Tom McBride first earned his nickname.
Big Tom McBride was also the captain of Oram Sarsfields GFC junior football team when they won the Monaghan county junior league and championship double in 1963. He was also played county for his beloved Monaghan.
BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
All country roads lead to Oram on Saturday night as doors to the Social Centre open at 7:30 for the festival’s main event.
For one night only, the Travellers perform all their hits including Lonesome Guitar, If I Needed You and Streets of Dublin City while dancers can Drink ’Em Beers.
Support acts include John Glenn, Margo, Damian Davis, Shunie Crampsey, and Big Dan The Highway Man.
Damian, Big Tom’s grand-nephew from Oram, has been carving out a successful music career in his own right and when he takes to the stage on Saturday night he will debut a song he has penned about his uncle and mentor.
FUNDAY
On the final day of the Big Tom Weekend on Sunday, it will be an 11am start for the 5K Run/Walk with all proceeds raised going to the Dillon Quirke Foundation.
Participants will each receive a medal and refreshments will be served in the clubhouse afterwards.
In another nod to Big Tom’s passions in life, the annual vintage parade through the village starts at 12:30. Registration for this event opens at 11:30 am with all monies raised being donated to Oram Tidy Towns community group.
There will be plenty of Big Tom themed spot prizes as well as the main prizes on offer at Bingo which takes place in the club at 3:30 then the whole weekend will wind down from 5pm with children from Oram National School performing some classic songs in the Big Tom’s Music Lives On event also at the Social Centre.
What better way to celebrate the 90th birthday of Ireland’s King of Country Music than with his hometown putting on a festival of everything he loved - music, dancing, football, vintage vehicles and friends.