Sports fans will remember Declan Ryan as the answer to a unique pub quiz question.
Can you name a hurler who won All Ireland senior medals in three decades?
The Clonoulty Rossmore clubman had all the qualities you'd expect of a master of the game.
Later going on to manage the Premier County, you may or may not be aware that Declan's brother Derek is also some unit. At the singing.
It seems while Declan was out hurling the ball off the gable end, Derek was singing the cows in for the milking.
'I went to Ballagh National School, and to Thurles CBS. My third level education consisted of private lessons at the Leinster School of Music in Dublin and at The Robert Bicknell Studio in London. My family say that I could sing before I could talk and I still prefer singing to talking.' says Derek who's clearly from the same gene pool as the brother.
'I went from my farmyard to singing in Carnegie Hall' says Derek who has perfomed at major global events at home and abroad and is also a very proud member of Tipperary Musical Society. In our last show Evita', I played Juan Peron with my very talented wife, Deirdre, was ‘Evita’ (a case of husband and wife playing husband and wife!)
Now Derek is getting set for a gig very close to his heart.
'Last July saw the passing of my uncle, my Godfather and my friend John Bourke.' sayd the Tipp man.
'He died of complications from Motor Neurone Disease in the loving, caring, gentle surrounds of Marymount Hospice in Limerick.
To honour his memory and to raise much needed funds for both Marymount Hospice and the IMNDA, we are going to stage the inaugural Music Festival Clonacody ’17 a musical picnic in the beautiful gardens of Clonacody House, Fethard overlooked by Slievenamon on Saturday July 15th and Sunday July 16th.
The Festival will consist of three open air concerts, over two days starting Saturday night the 15th at 8pm.
The country's finest singing talent will perform an array of music and song to celebrate summer, life, family and charity.
Sarah Ellen Murphy, Derek Moloney, Ryan Morgan, Pat Marnane, Deirdre Ryan, Aidan O’Connell, John Scott, Michael O’Donoghue are some of those involved.
The Gaudeamus Choir and Orchestra and the Clonmel Concert Band are also on board and we will have BBQ, ice cream, Bouncy castles, face painting, raffles, tug of war, picnics, and not forgetting wine.'
If you want an evening of craic and culture for a good cause here are the details. As you can imagine any support would be greatly appreciated.
