30,000 TO SEE THE CORRS CONCERT FOR FREE
30,000 to see the Corrs concert for free
By JOHN McCUSKER
IRISH music sensations, The Corrs are to headline a special free concert in Omagh Showgrounds on Friday week to kick start Millennium festivities throughout the UK.
Around 30,000 people are expected to flock to the event which has been described as the second largest outdoor gig in Ireland this year.
Tickets for the chart-toppers concert which was exclusively revealed in last week's Herald, will be distributed at Omagh Leisure Centre on Saturday morning and are expected to be snapped up within hours.
The event is being jointly organised by the specially set up Northern Ireland Millennium Company in conjunction with Omagh District Council.
And announcing details of the show this week, organisers said they had been delighted The Corrs had expressed an interest to perform in Omagh.
It was originally hoped to stage the event in the town centre, but, according to a Council spokesperson, the decision to switch the concert to the Showgrounds was taken "on safety grounds" in light of the huge numbers expected.
It was also anticipated that the Prime Minister Tony Blair would take part in the festivities, but this was ruled out in light of his hectic schedule of engagements.
Next week's launch of the NI Millennium Festival will herald the beginning of four months of national celebrations.
A special Millennium Beacon will be lit in Omagh by local schoolchildren, after which young people from Ireland and abroad will take tapers of light and hope from the town.
TV personality, Eamon Holmes will compere the three-hour show. And also taking part will be the Omagh Youth and Community Choir and children from Dervaghroy Primary School who scored success in the recent schools' song for the new Millennium entitled 'Voices of Promise'. A number of locally-based artistes are also expected to join in the occasion.
Omagh Council's Chief Executive, John McKinney welcomed the initiative which, he said, gave people of the town an opportunity to look forward to the new Millennium.
"I am very proud that the launch of the Millennium Festival for the whole of the United Kingdom will take place in our town.
"The Council wants the people of its district and the rest of the country to look forward to the new Millennium as a special time" he added.
And the chairman of the NI Millennium Company, Dr Aideen McGinley has also expressed her delight at the move.
"There has been a lot of talk on the corners of Omagh about Jim and his sisters coming for the Millennium Festival launch. But I am delighted The Corrs have put the festival into their hectic international schedule and to perform free for the people of Omagh and surrounding district."
The four band members are currently in the studio recording tracks for a forthcoming album, but a spokesperson for the group said Sharon, Caroline, Andrea and Jim had all expressed a desire to perform for the people of Omagh.
"Since taking part in fund-raising activities associated with the Omagh Fund and putting forward a track for the Bridge of Hope CD, the group had been very touched by the courage and determination of the people affected by last year's terrible tragedy" he added.
Special buses will be laid on to transport thousands of people to the town for the show.
Translink are offering special return tickets to Omagh and these will be on sale from Ulsterbus depots over the next few days. Further details will be available at local depots from next Monday.
By JOHN McCUSKER
IRISH music sensations, The Corrs are to headline a special free concert in Omagh Showgrounds on Friday week to kick start Millennium festivities throughout the UK.
Around 30,000 people are expected to flock to the event which has been described as the second largest outdoor gig in Ireland this year.
Tickets for the chart-toppers concert which was exclusively revealed in last week's Herald, will be distributed at Omagh Leisure Centre on Saturday morning and are expected to be snapped up within hours.
The event is being jointly organised by the specially set up Northern Ireland Millennium Company in conjunction with Omagh District Council.
And announcing details of the show this week, organisers said they had been delighted The Corrs had expressed an interest to perform in Omagh.
It was originally hoped to stage the event in the town centre, but, according to a Council spokesperson, the decision to switch the concert to the Showgrounds was taken "on safety grounds" in light of the huge numbers expected.
It was also anticipated that the Prime Minister Tony Blair would take part in the festivities, but this was ruled out in light of his hectic schedule of engagements.
Next week's launch of the NI Millennium Festival will herald the beginning of four months of national celebrations.
A special Millennium Beacon will be lit in Omagh by local schoolchildren, after which young people from Ireland and abroad will take tapers of light and hope from the town.
TV personality, Eamon Holmes will compere the three-hour show. And also taking part will be the Omagh Youth and Community Choir and children from Dervaghroy Primary School who scored success in the recent schools' song for the new Millennium entitled 'Voices of Promise'. A number of locally-based artistes are also expected to join in the occasion.
Omagh Council's Chief Executive, John McKinney welcomed the initiative which, he said, gave people of the town an opportunity to look forward to the new Millennium.
"I am very proud that the launch of the Millennium Festival for the whole of the United Kingdom will take place in our town.
"The Council wants the people of its district and the rest of the country to look forward to the new Millennium as a special time" he added.
And the chairman of the NI Millennium Company, Dr Aideen McGinley has also expressed her delight at the move.
"There has been a lot of talk on the corners of Omagh about Jim and his sisters coming for the Millennium Festival launch. But I am delighted The Corrs have put the festival into their hectic international schedule and to perform free for the people of Omagh and surrounding district."
The four band members are currently in the studio recording tracks for a forthcoming album, but a spokesperson for the group said Sharon, Caroline, Andrea and Jim had all expressed a desire to perform for the people of Omagh.
"Since taking part in fund-raising activities associated with the Omagh Fund and putting forward a track for the Bridge of Hope CD, the group had been very touched by the courage and determination of the people affected by last year's terrible tragedy" he added.
Special buses will be laid on to transport thousands of people to the town for the show.
Translink are offering special return tickets to Omagh and these will be on sale from Ulsterbus depots over the next few days. Further details will be available at local depots from next Monday.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1298
Published Date: 26-Aug-99
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