Andy Harjula
“It was a dark and stormy night” ….. thus began the November 14th Mount Pleasant Coffee House program.
Pictured are our own best master of ceremonies, Roy Best with Doug Kennedy of Omemee and David Frank from the Stewart Line and Jo Ellen Brydon of the Women’s Institute. All three performers generated rousing cheers and beaming smiles. Photo: Andy Harjula.
Master of Ceremonies, Roy Best of Cavan started the evening with an open mic and was quickly followed by Doug Kennedy of Omemee and David Frank from the Stewart Line in Cavan who were all enthusiastically received by the audience. Roy opened the evening with a story of a widow who put an ad in the Millbrook Times, “Husband Wanted” etc. She received a hundred letters, all writing, “Take mine.”
The prime attraction was Chris Culgin and Derek Bell, musicians from Peterborough who entertained at this music extravaganza. Culgin and Bell, as they are known, kept toes tapping in the audience thanks to their enthusiastic performances. Their music encapsulated themes from an Irish jig to western “hurting songs”, and the songs were accompanied by their multitude of musical instruments such as the accordion, mandolin, guitar, bass, banjo and fiddle. All but two of the tunes were written by Chris himself.
The evening began and ended with coffee and home baked cookies made by members of the Women’s Institute. Jo, as she is known to her friends, the President of the Mount Pleasant Women`s Institute was pleased with the evening, saying “We will do this more often, as a place for neighbours to get together.” She announced that there would be other performers in February, March, April and May. These are home- made events not to be missed because the music is addictive. Watch for further announcements in the Millbrook Times.
