Gallery 2008
Launch of the Sea Stallion in June
The Jeanie Johnston in May
Bremen Maritime Festival in August
Other Events, September to December
• A great celebration was held on Saturday night 27th September 2008 to mark the coming of age of our new 'skipper' Pat Hennessy, now the proud owner of his very own boat. Tim also celebrated his birthday to less fanfare on the same night.
• We had a very enjoyable performance at the Atheneum Hotel on Wednesday 24th September while entertaining participants at the Irish National Hot Air Ballooning Championship, based in Waterford City for the week 22-26th September 2008. Some lovely grub and grog too!
• A great celebration was had in Denmark over the weekend 24th-26th October 2008 by our Danish friends and fellow shanty singers, the Stork Ejlaender Shanty Choir from Fanoe, celebrating their 10th anniversary http://www.storkejlaender.dk . Also there was Paddy's Passion who we met in Bremen: "Hello Eddie and Rosemarie, we really enjoyed your company at Fano. It was a great pleasure to meet you. We hope to meet the entire group, sometime at some place. Regards from the men of Paddy's Passion". See http://www.paddy-s.com
• We finished our 2008 performances in style at the Good Shepherd on Saturday night 6th December in company with the other male voice choirs in Waterford. We sang three songs, Where the Mighty Suir flows, Portlairge and Roseanna. Two of these were sung in public for the first time by us (the Mighty Suir had its world premiere on the night and new member Tom Mullane gave a fine rendition of Roseanna and has added another song to our repertoire). We then joined our friends and fellow singers from the Tramore Male Voice Choir in the Munster Bar afterwards and sang until close tap some hours later. A great night indeed.
• The photograph above shows the crew performing at Holy Cross Church, Killea on Saturday 8th November 2008 where we supported the City of Waterford Brass in a very enjoyable concert to an appreciative audience. Also present was former member and raconteur, Frankie Bowe, who joined us in more singing afterwards in Aggies.
• Our end of year and pre-Christmas party was held in St Anne's Tennis Club on Tuesday 23rd December and all the crew were present bar one. We had a great night singing and chatting and we mixed shanties with love songs, war songs and good old ballads. Captain Long was present but showing conduct unbecoming of a member by playing us a few tunes on what is normally a didli-eye instrument; he even gave us a blast of Farewell to the Company to much banging of glasses.
• The second annual Michael Hearne Memorial Swim was held in Dunmore East on Friday 26th December 2008 off Councillors Strand. The wind was easterly and bitingly cold but the hardy souls (family and friends of Michael) braved the icy waters in aid of cancer research. Michael was a member of Hooks & Crookes, much loved and sorely missed by all.
We had a good year, all things considered. Long may it continue.
