The live final of the 2014 IMRO Christie Hennessy Song Contest takes place this Saturday, 22nd November at Fels Point Hotel, Tralee. Ten finalists selected from hundreds of entries will compete for this prestigious prize and a cheque for €1,000 courtesy of IMRO, Tralee Chamber Alliance and Tralee Credit Union. Doors open at 8:00pm
To celebrate the final, IMRO will be featuring two separate pieces focusing on the finalists in our Member News section today.
Bennie Reilly 
(little xs for eyes)
Bennie Reilly formed the band little xs for eyes in 2006 along with partner Davey Moor. The band released an E.P in 2007 and their debut album S.A.D. in 2011, to unanimous critical acclaim. Reilly’s quintessential songwriting themes: a love of nature and the nature of love take the band on a journey through forest, jungle and ocean, singing songs of lost summers, loose kisses and longed-for landscapes. Her passion for pop and interest in intricate and lush vocal arrangements lend to the bands distinct harmony-heavy sound. The song Seeping Hearts is taken from the little xs for eyes forthcoming album Everywhere Else due for release early 2015.
little xs for eyes are: Bennie Reilly :: voice, guitar & keys
Davey Moor :: guitar, voice, mandolin & psaltery
Michelle Considine :: voice, glockenspiel & keys
Lucy Jackson :: voice & keys
Harry Bookless :: bass & keys
Ed Costello :: drums & voice
Claire O’ Brien
Claire O’ Brien 
is a 23 year old musician from Cork. She recently graduated from University College Cork where she studied performance and composition as part of her music degree.
From a young age she has enjoyed singing and writing poetry and songs, inspired by nature, people and the world in general! The song she will be performing tonight tells the story of a dark and stormy night in Cork city when electricity was cut off all across the area after a swan flew into an electricity wire. Despite the grim nature of the song, she hopes the song’s melody and lyrics will pay tribute to the life of that bird and bring you enjoyment as you listen. Claire will perform tonight with Fionnuala Joyce, a wonderful friend, violinist and singer. Fionnuala Joyce arranged her own part for violin and vocal harmonies.
Gary Keane
Attending 
recording sessions with Earth, Wind & Fire, tracking vocals in LA with producer George ‘G1’ Archie (R Kelly, Snoop Dogg) and engineer Tommy D Daugherty (Death Row Records, 2Pac)…..collaborating with Michael Jackson’s long-time bassist Cornelius Mimms, playing to an audience of 2,500 at this year’s Rose Of Tralee as well as live sessions at RTÉ studios and Electric Picnic – just a snapshot of 2014 so far for Gary Keane. Having played extensively around Ireland with his one-man beatbox and loop pedal show, Gary is now one half of the production duo ‘White Boys’ who will release the song ‘Stylin’ as their debut single in January 2015 with a tour to follow.
Gary Keane – www.facebook.com/likeafiremusic
Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh
Nodlaig Ní 
Bhrollaigh, born in 1977, is a singer/songwriter and musician from Dungiven, County Derry. Nodlaig inherited a wealth of traditional and folk music from her parents, well-known folk singers, Anne and Francie Brolly. Classically trained, Nodlaig plays harp and piano and was lead flautist with the Irish National Youth Orchestra.
Her debut album entitled, “Under a Pale moon” was released in 2004 by Wren Records and marked a return to her traditional/folk roots and featured original songs and contemporary compositions. The album was critically acclaimed in the U.S.A., was described as “a jewel” and “pure listening pleasure” (Rambles, Nick Rossiter) and was in the top ten in the Irish Music Magazine.
Nodlaig has performed at festivals throughout America and Europe, headlined the St Patrick’s day concert with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, toured with Phil Coulter and performed at the Dinan International Harp Festival in Brittany. Nodlaig collaborated with Paul McSherry and Brendan Hendry on the album, ‘Stringtones’ released in 2011 featured original songs composed by Nodlaig, “one of the best programmmes of recorded music I have heard in a long time” (The Living Tradition). Nodlaig, married with three children, established the Ruaidhrí Dall School of Harp and Song in Dungiven in 2011 and is involved in the revival of the Irish language and traditional music in the area.
Áine Ní Bhrollaigh, Nodlaig’s niece, born in 1996, sings lead vocal. Áine is a young and upcoming singer and has won many accolades in traditional singing and had a lead role in the recent production of ‘Les Miserables’ in the Millenium Forum in Derry city.
Alan Kavanagh
Alan Kavanagh 
is a 26 year old singer/songwriter from Ashbourne, Co. Meath. While studying for a music degree in DKIT, Alan released his first single which went straight to number two in the Download.ie charts. Since his first release, he has supported acts such as The Coronas, Mundy, Luan Parle, Don Baker, 5ive and Jack L. Alan’s latest single ‘Bitter Man’ peaked at number three on the I-Tunes Rock Chart last year.
Alan plays ukulele, guitar, piano, and bass and has a music degree from Dundalk IT. He has also composed a piece recorded by the national chamber choir. He has spent the last two years gigging with Celebrity and Holland America where he has visited over 20 countries.
Alan Kavanagh – www.facebook.com/alankavanaghmusicpage
To attend this year’s event please email membership@nullimro.ie confirming your reservation. Doors open at 8:00pm
Jack O’Rourke is one of Ireland’s most exciting new emerging talents. A classically trained musician, he is a gritty yet polished songwriter. His compositions are led by the piano and his music is rootsy and edgy, peppered with baroque pop, blues and jazz. He sings in a grizzled baritone, assured yet plaintive.
Sallay Matu Garnett, a singer songwriter of Sierra Leonean / Irish origin, having grown up in the classical combination of Maynooth and West Africa.
