Noelle McCarthy brings authentic voice to Irish concert

Broadcaster and writer Noelle McCarthy will help the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra celebrate St’ Patrick’s Day by hosting the orchestra’s When Irish Eyes Are Smiling concert on Saturday 15th March.



The concert is being held at the special matinee time of 3pm in the Aotea Centre, THE EDGE and is part of the city-wide St. Patrick’s Day Festival.



Ms. McCarthy’s Irish accented voice – she moved to Auckland from Cork four years ago – is well known to radio listeners. Formerly a host with 95bFM, she hosted Radio New Zealand’s summer programme and also regularly hosts its Afternoon programme. She is a former host of Newstalk ZB’s midnight to dawn show and writes a weekly column for the New Zealand Herald.



When Irish Eyes Are Smiling will feature orchestrated renditions of Irish favourites such as Danny Boy, Finnegan’s Wake, She Moved Thro the Fair, Galway Bay, The Water is Wide, The Harp that Once Thro Tara’s Hall, The Cliffs of Dooneen and many more. The concert will be conducted by Sean O’Boyle, who conducted last year’s popular Scotland the Brave concerts, and special guest tenor, Seán Ruane. Experienced Irish fiddler, the APO’s Miranda Adams, will perform fiddle solos.



Dancers from the Doyle Academy of Irish Dance will also perform in the concert, including the current New Zealand champion for men over 17, 18-year-old Christopher Hodgson. Christopher has won seven New Zealand titles and qualified for the World Championships nine times.



Tickets to When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (from $20 to $65) are available from Ticketek, Ph 09 307 5139, www.ticketek.co.nz



ENDS