PICTURES: Tunes and tributes for the 70th Birthday party of renowned fiddle player Geraldine Mc Lynn

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Last Sunday night, June 23, Cooney’s hotel June 23, Cooney’s hotel Ballymahon, hosted a 70th birthday party with a difference for Tang’s renowned fiddle player Geraldine Mc Lynn.

The party started at 9.30pm when musicians from Tanglewood, also her own branch of Ballymore Comhaltas, with pupils and past pupils of Geraldine, as well as a number of musicians from Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath arrived in Cooney’s for a rousing  music session. 

The hotel was dressed with celebratory banners and balloons. The room soon filled up with friends, parents and the local community who had come to join her in celebrating her 70th birthday. Many of Geraldine’s friends had travelled long distances to be with her to celebrate this special occasion.

There were photos of Geraldine down through the years displayed on a video loop on a screen. There was a dress up basket for anyone who wanted to don wigs or hats.

Fun and frolics were happening all over the place as the party goers exchanged stories of Geraldine’s life and career. There was a lovely sense of fun, combined with a huge respect for all that Geraldine had done for the community in promoting our   culture, and by introducing new young musicians to a unique cultural style. Geraldine teaches fiddle to pupils of every age from four to eighty. Food was passed around, and a beautiful birthday cake was brought out while everyone sang ‘Happy birthday’.

An email from Catherine Martin, minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, was then read out. Minister Martin thanked Geraldine for all she had done to promote traditional Irish music and add to the fabric of our cultural heritage. She wished Geraldine a very happy birthday and thanked her for bringing so much joy to the community. 

Next a letter was read out from no less a personage than An t’Uachtaran himself President Michael D Higgins. President Higgins said he had been told that Geraldine was having a 70th birthday celebration. He said that these milestones in life are very important as they are times when we remember and appreciate the people who have been part of our life’ s journey to date. He wished to join with her family and friends in wishing Geraldine a very happy and enjoyable birthday. There was huge applause for this,

There followed a series of video clips on screen, of people throughout the world who were thinking of Geraldine on the night, and wanted to be with her but couldn’t, so were sending messages. There was an eclectic mix of messages from places such as Vietnam, Laos, Vancouver, Glasgow, London, New York, Munich and Sydney among many others,

Messages came from many famous musicians such as James Keane, Oisin Mac Diarmada, Daithi Gormley and Elaine Reilly, Mick Foster and his wife Dr. Moyra Fraser, Frank and Alison Mc Lynn and Geraldines sister Ann Burgess and niece Kim in Australia.   

The evening continued with more tunes from our many musicians, and the party concluded around twelve o clock, I know we can say without fear of contradiction that a great night was had by all.

We join with all Geraldine’s many friends in wishing her continued success in her career, and a long and happy life.