Glinsk on song again for annual contest

THIS week it's all hands on deck as the small rural community of Glinsk prepares for the final of the annual Glinsk Song Contest on Sunday (July 3). This year it promises to be a very competitive final. The number of entries from all over Ireland has grown significantly over the years so that Glinsk is now nationally recognized as Ireland's oldest and biggest song contest. Dubliner Mick Curry is one of the established songwriters to feature at the final this year. Christy Moore has recorded a number of his songs and Mick says that his song is pertinent to the problems that many people are experiencing in post-CelticTiger Ireland. It is a song of our time. Emmet Flood is a talented singer-songwriter and musician and builder from Edgeworthstown in Co. Longford. Emmet has been immersed in music and song from an early age as he started playing the guitar at eight years of age and quickly mastered the instrument. Steeped in traditional Irish music and culture, Emmet was also introduced to Country music before being influenced by a variety of traditional and modern rock artists. Emmet's song Understand will be one of the finalists at Glinsk Song Contest. Niall Lewis is a professional singer-songwriter from Greystones Co Wicklow. He has been involved in the music industry all his life and he wrote the song You've Got It All as a tribute to his wife. Niall will be performing the song himself in the Glinsk Final. Deirdre McLaughlin from Donegal is a very young songwriter who will be vying for success at the Glinsk Contest. Her song is Just Like Water Slipping and is a thoughtful response by somebody who had endured the pain of a broken relationship. Deirdre is looking forward to going on to study music in the Autumn. These are just some of the singers and songwriters taking part in the Glinsk Song Contest which will be held in the Glinsk Community Centre this Sunday night (July 3) starting at 8 pm.