Concert commemorates Somme

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, in association with The Royal British Legion, hosted a Somme Centenary Concert at Theatre at The Mill on Thursday October 20.

This evening of nostalgic remembrance to commemorate the Centenary of The Battle of The Somme was the flagship in the Council‘s Somme commemorative programme.

The Theatre at The Mill lobby was adorned with sand bags and trenches along with a specially commissioned wall of names of the Borough of Antrim and Newtownabbey’s fallen.

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The sold out commemorative concert hosted by Clare McCollum was opened by The March on of Standards, followed by a re-enactment from Living History Ireland, with special guest Gregg Davidson who delighted the audience with war-times hits such as It’s a Long way to Tipperary.

Comedian George Jones amused the crowds reminiscing about the good old days, whilst The Band of The Royal Irish Regiment treated the audience to a number of all-time favourites.

The Northern Ireland Military Wives Choir and Ulster Scot, poet, storyteller and musician Willie Drennan, and a moving short film The Tin Box by First Reel Films kept the crowds enthralled during the second half.

The evening came to a close with an act of remembrance with the laying of wreathes led by 96 year old veteran Alex Johnston. The Northern Ireland Military Wives Choir led the crowd with a rendition of We’ll Meet Again during which hundreds of poppies were dropped into the auditorium.

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Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor John Scott, commented: “It is a privilege for me to be Mayor during the 140 days of commemoration, and tonight’s concert was a fitting tribute to the men from our Borough who never returned from the Great War.”