All happening at the Castle!

Highly-rated acoustic outfit Pine the Pilcrow from Dublin are on the bill for the ‘Soiree at the Castle’ at Glenveagh Castle tonight (Fri 1st June).

Also performing are the Donegal Youth Choir under conductor Sara Laughlin and a new string quartet created by members of Donegal Youth Orchestra.

Pine the Pilcrow have been nominated for an IMRO music award and have got glowing reviews from Ireland’s leading music journals.

Aisling Grier of the Donegal Music Education Partnership, which is organising the concert, said the ‘Soiree at the Castle’ is always one of the memorable musical nights of the year.

“It’s not every day you get the chance to hear fine music in the drawing room of a castle,” he said. “It’s the perfect setting for Pine the Pilcrow, who are a very talented foursome on guitar, violin, cello and percussion. They’re coming down specially from Dublin for the occasion.

“Sara Laughlin has the Donegal Youth Choir doing great things at the moment, and of course they had the opportunity to sing at Lourdes at Easter.

“We’re also delighted to have a new quartet featuring four of the most experienced young musicians in the Donegal Youth Orchestra, Anna Curley, sisters Grace and Niamh Harkin, and Laura Kealy. Their ‘Pachabel’s Canon’ went down really well at the recent youth orchestra concert in Glenties.”

Accompanying the youth choir on piano will be Paul McCarroll, who’s in from Ballyliffin specially for the occasion.

The Donegal Music Education Partnership is part of the Donegal Education and Training Board. Guests at the concert will include the chief executive of Donegal ETB, Anne McHugh.

Tickets for the concert are available at €15 from An Grianan box office, www.angrianan.com or 07491 20777.  Also at the door. The bus from the visitors’ centre car-park starts running at 7.30pm. There will be tea/coffee and the castle’s renowned ‘sweet treats’ at reception before the concert starts at 8.30pm.

For more information contact the DMEP office at 07491 76293 or email music education@donegaletb.ie