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BAGATELLE CONCERT HITS THE RIGHT NOTE FOR CHARITY

WHEN Bagatelle took to the stage in the INF on Thursday night last, it was like as if they had never been away.
Such was the reception given to these Dublin lads by the local audience, it is hard to believe the band has not played locally since Knocknamoe 10 years ago.
Although slightly greyer and a little more weathered, the boys from Bagatelle sang their heart out for the best part of two hours, delighting the large crowd who turned out to see them.
The event was organised by the community group, Omawest who raised £1,500 for the Omagh Fund and the Tyrone County Hospital.
Omawest was to the fore in the charity auction earlier this year which raised £153,00 for the hospital. The group had been asked to select a cause in Omagh which would benefit from the money and chose the hospital.
Keen advocates for the retention of the hospital, the group decided to run its own event in a bid to raise much needed-cash for the.hospital and the Omagh Fund.
Paddy Hunter and Gerry McCusker of Omawest come with the idea, and were impressed by the quick response from Bagatelle who readily agreed to give their services free for the Omagh Paddy also paid tribute to the Omawest volunteers who sold tickets for the dance and who on the night sold raffle tickets and manned the door.
Gerry McCusker thanked John Breslin of the INF and the staff, the sponsors of the prizes and the many people who turned out to see the band and make the fundraising night a success.
Bagatelle was delighted with the warm welcome they received. Liam Reilly, Ken Doyle and John O'Brien in turn heartened the crowd which spanned a good few decades as they hammered out old favourites, like Summer in Dublin, Raining in Paris.
Speaking afterwards, bass player, Ken Doyle said "We have always held a special place in our hearts for Omagh from the days of Knocknamoe and the GAA, we feel priviliged to have been asked to come here and to meet so many of the superb hospital staff who did so much on that terrible day of the bomb"