#lesley goggins
[It was a delight to put together the Monaghan Arts Network newspaper report for last weeks event, the last thing I wrote for the local paper The Northern Standard was something about ‘pub culture’ when I was about 13 and had never even been in a pub. I especially liked getting phrases like 'Pitbull featuring Ke$ha’ into the local paper]
Photo credits: Rory Geary,Peader McMahon and Mary Scott
[Left to Right, Lorcan McGrane, Niamh O'Connor, Joanne Duffy, Philip McCaughey and Patrick Martin]
A great crowd of local art loversbraved the cold to attend the first Monaghan Arts Network Showcase of 2015,this continued the network’s mission to shine a light on the amazing arts performers and practitioners we have in the Monaghan area. January was no exception with photographer Philip McCaughey; actor, director and model Joanne Duffy; dance teacher and choreographer Lesley Goggins and her ‘Dance with Lesley’ troupe of dancers; and guitarist Fintan McKenna, accompanied by percussionist Christian Murphy. There was also much-appreciated hot food from Charley Meats Ltd., 2 North Road, Monaghan.
Before the acts, resident MC, local comedianLorcan McGrane took to the stage to discuss such pressing issues as the length of January, the cold, and the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Doomsday Clock being set to three minutes to midnight with his usual self-deprecating aplomb.
First to take to the stage was Castleblaney photographer Philip McCaughey with a thoughtful slide show of his landscape and portrait photos. From a young age, Philip had an avid interest in photography and started taking landscape pictures in 2013 with a €40 mobile phone camera, with impressive results. He successfully entered a number of local competitions, and this sparked his passion for photography. Philip has branched out and is now photographing people, animals and still life, but landscape will always hold a special place in his heart. He provided a thought-provoking presentation on how undertaking such art can help deal with depression and other personal issues and connected very well with the appreciative audience.
Actress-Joanne Duffy
Next to take the stage was accomplished actor, director and model Joanne Duffy from Doohamlet who added to the already stellar pantheon of Monaghan acting talent, giving a background to her work and performing two excerpts. Joanne has appeared in TV shows RAW (RTE), Blood Relations (RTE; IFTA Award 2009) and has also featured in a number of TV advertisements and has acted in both radio and stage productions such as ‘Calendar Girls’, ‘Happy Birthday Dear Alice’, and ‘Steel Magnolias’. An accomplished all-rounder, Joanne treated the Arts Network audience to excerpts from the Garage Theatre’s production of ‘Calendar Girls’, directed by Barry McSkeane, and from Paul Feig’s 2011 Hollywood comedy ‘Bridesmaids’, displaying the breadth of her considerable talent.
Lesley Goggins
After the break, during which the attendees availed of the lovely food from Charley Meats Ltd and wine provided by the committee, renowned dance teacher and choreographer Lesley Goggins discussed her work and presented a number of very well-received pieces by her ever-talented troupe. Lesley has trained as a student with Lynn Jackson (F.N.A.T.D) from a young age in jazz and hip-hop. Now, as the only N.A.T.D Classical Ballet teacher in Ireland, her career gives her opportunity to teach child and adult classes via her own Dance With Lesley Academy classes, as well as working with schools, wedding couples, hen parties, local Special Olympics athletes and also to lend her services to charity events.
The 'Dance with Lesley Troupe’
The audience were treated to sections of her very successful recent ‘Dance For Tina’ two-day sell-out event in Spy Nightclub, in honour of sadly departed St. Mary’s National School teacher Martina Hughes, organised by Edel Tierney. The ever-energetic dancers performed a series of routines from a range of styles to suit every taste: a hip-hop routine to set to “Timber” by Pitbull featuring Ke$ha, a Charleston routine set to Paolo Nutini’s “Pencil Full of Lead”, a routine set to the jive classic “Shake a Tail Feather”, all in impressive and apt costumes, and, for a rousing finale, all the troupe filled the stage for Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary”, a personal favourite song of Martina’s
Fintan McKenna and Christian Murphy
The music kept coming with guitarist Fintan McKenna, accompanied by percussionist Christian Murphy. Fintan started teaching himself guitar about 3 years ago and since then, his talent has gone from strength to strength. He has already taken to the hectic musicians’ lifestyle, fitting in a performance at local school talent show between sound check and taking to the stage in the Market House. He began to enter competitions last summer and started to play gigs with the band 'Purple Irresistible’. His performances have varied from the 'Alternative Blues Stage’ at the Harvest Time Blues Festival to The Garage Theatre to Dublin Bay Cruises. Fintan and Christian got the audience going with an eclectic mix of such covers and originals songs as Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”, Jake White’s “Love Interruption”, his own composition “Movin’ On”, Vance Joy’s “Riptide”, Peter, Bjorn & John’s “Young Folks”, and for an encore Lorde’s “Royals”
The Arts Network committee would like to thank all the performers, the Market House staff. Many thanks also to Charley Meats Ltd., 2 North Road, Monaghan, who sponsored the food on the night. The next showcase event will take place on the 25th of February at 7.30pm in the Market House. For more information on Monaghan Arts Network, or if you would like to sponsor drinks or showcase your talent, contact Dara MacGabhann [email protected] or phone 047 73724. Also check them out on Facebook andTwitter
