I dedicate my poem and song today to Kaye Brennan of County Kilkenny, Ireland and my Facebook friend, Angie Heard of Forrest City, Arkansas, in the U.S.A. who celebrates her birthday today.
Instead of singing you my usual daily song, today I will recite you a poem called ‘The Meeting of The Waters’ by Thomas Moore. This poem is followed by the beautiful singing and Irish lilt of Maureen Hegarty.
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This poem and song refer to the Vale of Avoca, a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. The Avoca (IRISH: Abhainn Abhóca) is its main river. It is contained completely within the county. Its length is 35 miles (56.3 km).
The Avoca starts life as two rivers, the Avonmore (IRISH: Abhainn Mhór, meaning ‘Big River’) and the Avonbeg (IRISH: Abhainn Bheag, meaning ‘Small River’). These two rivers join at a spot called the ‘Meeting of the Waters’ (Cumar an dá Uisce) in the Vale of Avoca, which is considered a local beauty spot. This place was celebrated by Thomas Moore in his song of the same name.
“There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet,
As the vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet;
Oh, the last rays of feeling and life must depart,
Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart. ”
(Thomas Moore extract).
The River Avoca flows into the Irish Sea at Arklow, where it widens into a large estuary, giving Arklow its Irish language name an t-Inbhear Mór (the big inlet).
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Mary Hegarty (sometimes known as Maureen Hegarty) is an Irish opera soprano singer who was born in Fermoy, County Cork. She studied singing at the Cork School of Music with Maeve Coughlan, representing Ireland at an early stage at the ‘Cardiff Singer of the World festival in 1985’. She went on to study at the ‘National Opera Studio’ in London and gave her Covent Garden debut in 1988. She also sang at ‘Opera North’ and numerous other theatres and festivals across the British Isles. She is perhaps best known for film projects such as ‘Match Point’ and Jonathan Dove’ television opera ‘ ‘Buzz on the Moon’.
Between 1990 and 2004, my charitable work and numerous children’s books I wrote and had published were read by over 800 national and international famous names in Yorkshire schools. One such celebrity who publicly read for me on four occasions in Yorkshire schools was the Queen’s cousin and his wife, the Earl and Countess of Harewood. Sadly, the Earl of Harewood died in July 2011, but for a decade earlier, we became good friends. During this period, both the Earl and Countess helped me out in a number of ways that assisted with my charitable works such as public readings in schools, and inviting myself and a busload of disabled children and their carers to look around their marvellous dwelling at ‘Harewood House ’and also visit their aviary in the grounds free of charge.
On one occasion I was helping a budding opera singer who worked in the mills in Slaithwaite, Huddersfield. He was called Paul and he had a magnificent untrained operatic voice. At the time, I had arranged a charitable Concert at the world-famous City Varieties which I was presenting. Prior to the presentation of this concert by myself, the management at Leeds City Varieties had never previously allowed any Charity Concert to be presented by an ordinary citizen such as myself. I got to be the first person to do this because of my connection with the Earl and Countess of Harewood, both of whom agreed to be Royal Guests of Honour on the evening in question.
As I was promoting Paul’s singing of opera at the time, (along with promoting the general spread of opera in our West Yorkshire schools and wider community) he was a major artist on the bill and as the Earl looked impressed by Paul’s voice, I asked the Earl a favour. I wanted him to use his operatic connections to help Paul's singing career.
Between 1929-47, the 7th Earl of Harewood was a British music director and author. He served as the ‘Director of the Royal Opera House’ (1951-53 and 1969-72). He was also ‘Chairman of the Board of The English National Opera’ (1986-95); ‘Managing Director of English Opera North’ (1978-81), as well as holding many other offices connected with opera. He was in short, probably the leading authority on opera in the world and most certainly the foremost opera authority in Great Britain. The author of three world-famous books on opera, ‘Kobbes Complete Opera Book’ made him a world accepted authority on the history of opera.
After the Charity Concert for ‘Holly Bank School of Disabled and Young Persons’ I presented at the ‘Leeds City Varieties’, the Earl of Harewood agreed to give Paul an introduction to Opera North, where he had an audition and was offered a place following two years brush up on the Italian language.
It was during this time that the Earl said, “If ever you get the opportunity, Bill, look up an Irish opera singer called Mary Hegarty.” I forgot about this reference until after the death of the Earl, but when I did look up her work and heard her beautiful singing voice, I was forever captive to her musical charm.
I jointly dedicate my song today to the wife of an Irish Cousin of mine from County Kilkenny, Kaye Brennan. Kaye is the radio presenter for ‘Community Radio Kilkenny City’ and is a lover of all music, especially Irish songs. I just know you and your husband, John will enjoy both song and poem of ‘The Meeting of The Waters’ Kaye. Bill x
I also jointly dedicate my song today to Angie Heard of Forrest City, Arkansas, USA who celebrates her birthday today. May your day be filled with much love and happiness. I am also sorry for your recent loss. Thank you for being my Facebook friend. Bill x
Love and peace Bill xxx
Instead of singing you my usual daily song, today I will recite you a poem called ‘The Meeting of The Waters’ by Thomas Moore. This poem is followed by the beautiful singing and Irish lilt of Maureen Hegarty.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This poem and song refer to the Vale of Avoca, a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. The Avoca (IRISH: Abhainn Abhóca) is its main river. It is contained completely within the county. Its length is 35 miles (56.3 km).
The Avoca starts life as two rivers, the Avonmore (IRISH: Abhainn Mhór, meaning ‘Big River’) and the Avonbeg (IRISH: Abhainn Bheag, meaning ‘Small River’). These two rivers join at a spot called the ‘Meeting of the Waters’ (Cumar an dá Uisce) in the Vale of Avoca, which is considered a local beauty spot. This place was celebrated by Thomas Moore in his song of the same name.
“There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet,
As the vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet;
Oh, the last rays of feeling and life must depart,
Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart. ”
(Thomas Moore extract).
The River Avoca flows into the Irish Sea at Arklow, where it widens into a large estuary, giving Arklow its Irish language name an t-Inbhear Mór (the big inlet).
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mary Hegarty (sometimes known as Maureen Hegarty) is an Irish opera soprano singer who was born in Fermoy, County Cork. She studied singing at the Cork School of Music with Maeve Coughlan, representing Ireland at an early stage at the ‘Cardiff Singer of the World festival in 1985’. She went on to study at the ‘National Opera Studio’ in London and gave her Covent Garden debut in 1988. She also sang at ‘Opera North’ and numerous other theatres and festivals across the British Isles. She is perhaps best known for film projects such as ‘Match Point’ and Jonathan Dove’ television opera ‘ ‘Buzz on the Moon’.
Between 1990 and 2004, my charitable work and numerous children’s books I wrote and had published were read by over 800 national and international famous names in Yorkshire schools. One such celebrity who publicly read for me on four occasions in Yorkshire schools was the Queen’s cousin and his wife, the Earl and Countess of Harewood. Sadly, the Earl of Harewood died in July 2011, but for a decade earlier, we became good friends. During this period, both the Earl and Countess helped me out in a number of ways that assisted with my charitable works such as public readings in schools, and inviting myself and a busload of disabled children and their carers to look around their marvellous dwelling at ‘Harewood House ’and also visit their aviary in the grounds free of charge.
On one occasion I was helping a budding opera singer who worked in the mills in Slaithwaite, Huddersfield. He was called Paul and he had a magnificent untrained operatic voice. At the time, I had arranged a charitable Concert at the world-famous City Varieties which I was presenting. Prior to the presentation of this concert by myself, the management at Leeds City Varieties had never previously allowed any Charity Concert to be presented by an ordinary citizen such as myself. I got to be the first person to do this because of my connection with the Earl and Countess of Harewood, both of whom agreed to be Royal Guests of Honour on the evening in question.
As I was promoting Paul’s singing of opera at the time, (along with promoting the general spread of opera in our West Yorkshire schools and wider community) he was a major artist on the bill and as the Earl looked impressed by Paul’s voice, I asked the Earl a favour. I wanted him to use his operatic connections to help Paul's singing career.
Between 1929-47, the 7th Earl of Harewood was a British music director and author. He served as the ‘Director of the Royal Opera House’ (1951-53 and 1969-72). He was also ‘Chairman of the Board of The English National Opera’ (1986-95); ‘Managing Director of English Opera North’ (1978-81), as well as holding many other offices connected with opera. He was in short, probably the leading authority on opera in the world and most certainly the foremost opera authority in Great Britain. The author of three world-famous books on opera, ‘Kobbes Complete Opera Book’ made him a world accepted authority on the history of opera.
After the Charity Concert for ‘Holly Bank School of Disabled and Young Persons’ I presented at the ‘Leeds City Varieties’, the Earl of Harewood agreed to give Paul an introduction to Opera North, where he had an audition and was offered a place following two years brush up on the Italian language.
It was during this time that the Earl said, “If ever you get the opportunity, Bill, look up an Irish opera singer called Mary Hegarty.” I forgot about this reference until after the death of the Earl, but when I did look up her work and heard her beautiful singing voice, I was forever captive to her musical charm.
I jointly dedicate my song today to the wife of an Irish Cousin of mine from County Kilkenny, Kaye Brennan. Kaye is the radio presenter for ‘Community Radio Kilkenny City’ and is a lover of all music, especially Irish songs. I just know you and your husband, John will enjoy both song and poem of ‘The Meeting of The Waters’ Kaye. Bill x
I also jointly dedicate my song today to Angie Heard of Forrest City, Arkansas, USA who celebrates her birthday today. May your day be filled with much love and happiness. I am also sorry for your recent loss. Thank you for being my Facebook friend. Bill x
Love and peace Bill xxx
