Musical legacy project brings together 47 great performers

A MAJOR music project to develop a sustainable music industry in Limerick city, and funded by Limerick City of Culture, has been officially launched.

The Pigtown Fling brings together the considerable talents of 47 performers who have come together to write, perform and record 17 songs under the watchful eye and guidance of producer Noel Hogan of The Cranberries.

Created and directed by the artist Dr John Greenwood, The Pigtown Fling is the end result of over a year of workshops, song-writing, rehearsals and recording, which will culminate in a showcase gig at the Crescent Hall on September 20.

It will be jointly hosted by Paul McLoone, of Today FM and the lead singer with The Undertones, and the renowned comedian and actor Pat Shortt.

The showcase gig will see the launch of a 17 track CD, all proceeds of which will go to the Corbett Suicide Prevention Patrol and the Learning Hub in Limerick city.

The CD features a range of established songwriters and musicians based in Limerick as well as some newcomers to the music scene.

Speaking at the launch, held at the Blind Pig, Thomas Street, the project’s director Dr Greenwood, said the watchwords of The Pigtown Fling are: ‘Made in Limerick’.

“The Pigtown Fling amply demonstrates just how vibrant the Limerick music industry is at the moment. While we have benefitted from the expertise of Limerick citizens in places as far apart as London and Los Angeles, all of the creative work was undertaken in Limerick city over the last year. The showcase gig and its accompanying CD which will be unveiled on September 20 are testament to the positive state of the music industry in Limerick. We need now to build a viable and long-term music industry in Limerick,” he said.

Noel Hogan, guitarist and songwriter with The Cranberries, produced the Pigtown Fling CD which was recorded earlier this year at the University of Limerick and Limerick Institute of Technology.

Noting the challenges in bringing new and established performers together, Noel said “the end result is an incredible fusion of genres, sounds and talents.”

Tickets are €12, which includes a copy of the CD, and may be booked from The Lime Tree Theatre on 061- 774774.