Musical magic keeps Danny and Peggy young at heart

There hasn’t been much cause for cheer in Loughrea this week – on the hurling front at least. But things are looking up for next week as St Brendan’s Choral and Dramatic Society puts the final touches to its annual musical which starts on Monday, November 26.

All Shook Up, a musical comedy set in America during the 1950s is based on many of the songs made famous by Elvis Presley and it’s directed by Brian and Sean Power.

This musical is very much a community event, with people from all age groups taking part. The oldest participant in All Shook Up will be 82-year-old Dannie Cunnane, who first trod the boards with St Brendan’s Society back in 1946 at the age of 17.

In the intervening years, Dannie went to England where he trained as a radio officer and then spent 30 years working in the Merchant Navy, first for an English company, then a French one and finally with a Japan based organisation. He saw most of the world during that time, but every year he would take three months’ holidays and return to Loughrea. And if his visits home coincided with St Brendan’s musical productions, he took part.

“I met a Loughrea girl there,” says Dannie, a lively character, who describes himself as being “as fit as a one-stringed fiddle”. He and Merci, who became his wife, had known each other when they were youngsters, but through the Musical Society, they reconnected. She was a music teacher who played piano for the orchestra, he explains.

She was also an organist in St Brendan’s Cathedral for many years. Dannie and Merci married in 1961 and had three children, two sons and a daughter. One son remains at home, the other two have emigrated to Australia. Merci died two years ago.

“She put up with me for all those years and whenever we rowed, I’d say to her ‘I’m off to sea!’.” jokes Dannie. He has many happy memories of performing with the St Brendan’s Choral and Drama Society through the years, and says that one of his highlights was when he played Commander Harbison in South Pacific “and I never sang at all”, because the part is a non-singing one.

Dannie was also involved in the O’Kelly Players, the local drama group and in that his favourite role was as the Tinker, Pats, in John B. Keane’s Sive.

In addition to being in the chorus for this year’s musical, All Shook Up, Dannie is very involved in other singing groups in Loughrea. He is a member of the Cathedral Choir and is in a Barbershop ensemble.“My voice is better now than it ever was – not that it was ever great!” he jokes.

The social aspect of his musical activities is also important to Dannie, who explains that he enjoys a regular drink and chat with the cast of the musical society.

“It’s cheaper than going to a psychiatrist – and more enjoyable!” Now almost 83, he has no intention of hanging up his boots and would put many people half his age to shame.

“I have only got one life and I enjoy it. My ambition is to be shot by a jealous husband at 100 – I used to say 94, but I might as well hang on and get the cheque for reaching 100!”

Compared to Dannie, Peggy Marmion is a youngster. The 73-year-old, who is also in the chorus, clearly recalls her first involvement with St Brendan’s Choral and Dramatic Society. It was in 1966 and the show was Aladdin.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.