John Mac Nally

John Mac Nally at the National Concert Hall

George Hodnett, Irish Times

 

  TO the National Concert Hall on Wednesday came Dublin-born John Mac Nally for a special Millenium concert in which he sang to a gratifyingly filled house. It contained many of his friends who had made the pilgrimage, so that his dedications of songs were many. Our Lady's Choral Society was conducted by Robin Moore and for items such as "The Holy City" and of course "Molly Malone" the audience were requested to join in.   I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.

 

  His voice is indeed a great one, in some point of quality putting one in mind of that of the late Count John McCormack and this becomes particularly evident in songs from that repertoire, such as "The Irish Emigrant" which was the first song he ever heard sung by McCormack. "The Croppy Boy", again, was a magnificent performance - ideally accompanied, as were all the items, by Russell Ames of whom he remarked, at this point, "He's not Irish - but by the way he plays you can see we're working on it."  

  Mr. Ames did a particularly fine job on "Ireland, Mother Ireland" with its rather unusual (for its period and provenance) construction. The choir's "Finlandia" showed the quality and cohesion for which they are known and another tour de force was Mr. Mac Nally's unaccompanied "Amazing Grace". As for "Danny Boy", how nice it is to hear a version that has absolutely nothing wrong with it!