CD from spectacular Tipperary musical event to be launched on Culture Night

From Out The Land took place exactly one year ago on the site of the former Kickham Barracks. Having closed its gates for the last time as an army barracks in March 2012, the site had been earmarked for urban redevelopment, some of which can already be seen in the new Kickham Plaza. With the Decade of Centenaries drawing to a close, the Arts Council of Ireland funded projects nationwide which commemorated this period through significant arts projects. One of the banner national ART:2023 projects for the Decade of Centenaries, produced by Clonmel Junction Arts Festival, was From Out The Land.

The music of From Out The Land brought a group of Clonmel people into the very centre of telling their story. Written and composed by Kate Twohig (Clonmel), an army of almost 100 local voices sang with incredible passion and pride each night, while creating a huge presence on the expansive outdoor set, adding to the poignancy of what was a truly uniquely Clonmel tale.

Summer 2024 saw the music come back to life, as under the guidance of Twohig once more, the community of singers came back together to rehearse for the soon the be released studio recording of the From Out The Land music. Funded by Tipperary Arts Office, Creative Ireland Tipperary and Clonmel Credit Union the mammoth task of recording the 10 track album, the large numbers of singers, the instrumentalists and soloists, fell to the musical director. Aided by recording and mixing engineer Eoin Barry and the From Out The Land band, the recording took place in two locations. First, the ensemble of singers gathered in the familiar surrounds of the STAC Chapel in late July while the following weekend saw the musicians in a secluded recording studio in the Wicklow forests. Weeks of recording the vocal soloists in a studio locally by producer Eoin Hally as well as further time spent mixing and mastering the tracks, and the CD is finally on its way to being in our hands.

To celebrate this project, Culture Night on Friday 20th September will see the From Out The Land music performed for the last time, as the ensemble launch their album and CD sales, and lay the show to rest in a poignantly fitting location – Kickham Plaza.

 CD’s are now on pre-sale via the Clonmel Junction Arts Festival website for €10.