Hanway & Murray sing for the elderly in Longford

On Saturday 24 September, as part of Positive Ageing Week in support of the elderly in Ireland, Hanway & Murray will play to the residents of Laurel Lodge Nursing Home, Longford, 2.30-4.00 p.m.

Laurel Lodge’s recreational therapist Anne Buckley enlisted Tom [left] and Kieran [below right] for this volunteer community service, as part of Age Action Ireland and ESB Electric Ireland Positive Ageing Week, which takes place from Friday 23 September to Saturday 1 October 2011. This happily coincides with the 10th Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in the town.

Tom is no stranger to the Banjo Festival, playing it the first two years and meeting his lovely wife Denise, a Longford native. Tom and Denise are still happily married, living in Longford and celebrating their tenth year since meeting at the festival. Earlier this year on Irish national radio (here on podcast), Tom spoke reverently about and plugged the Longford Banjo Festival and its hard-working promoters and team, on RTÉ Radio 1, CountryWide (28 May 2011) with Damien O’Reilly.

Hanway & Murray’s musical programme will include bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, Irish traditional, and American country songs, also songs by special request – something for everybody. Tom will also play bluegrass and Irish tunes on the original Stelling SwallowTail Deluxe, featuring tunes from his Complete book of Irish & Celtic 5-string banjo (Mel Bay 95759 BCD).

In 2011 Tom Hanway (5-string banjo/vocals) and Kieran Murray (guitar/vocals) performed for the first time together at 'Bluegrass on the Walls' (Derry) as part of the Maiden City Festival, following up at the Guinness Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival (Waterford).

Hanway & Murray are woodshedding, working on their first recording of original music, and will be having the craic and playing around Longford town all weekend long. Find their schedule here.

Tom and Kieran are delighted in giving service to the wonderful Longford community and wish to express their deep thanks to proprietors Ann and Eugene Watters, who offer this about Laurel Lodge Nursing Home: a full and active lifestyle is encouraged with freedom for residents to control their own daily routine wherever possible. Residents are encouraged to continue their own hobbies and pastimes and participate in activity programmes, which are planned to fit various social and cultural traditions, and the Home endeavours to take an active part in local events.

Tom and Denise Hanway at Mandolin Brothers, New York