Tommy Crowned a True Legend!

Surrounded by his wife, friends, family and dozens of fellow musicians who made the journey to Koroit, Tommy Carty, Warrnambool, resident and Irish DADGAD guitarist extraordinaire was inducted as a Legend of the Lake at Micky Bourke's Hotel last Saturday night.

Following the induction by Ted Egan, Tommy, true to form, made a four word acceptance speech. "Lets have a session!"
And have a session they did...! Paddy Fitzgerald, on the accordion from Melbourne) joined John Whelan (son of Irish music legend Tim Whelan Snr) and Jack Brennan ( uilleann pipes from Adelaide) to lead the tunes while Tommy lead the accompaniment. Of a crowd of over 100 on the night, about 60 musicians joined in.

Earlier in the night Paddy O'Neill Award band, Rant, was farwelled by the Lake School. Rant is the second of the Lake School Paddy O'Neill Award bands, and they have made the opportunity a winner at every turn. They have performed at Port Fairy Folk Festival, Koroit Irish Festival, National Celtic Festival at Portarlington, and a folk club night in Geelong at Irish Murphy's. Their Cd which were recorded at the Lake School had sold out and they had to have a new run produced for their farewell at the Launch. Ade Kelly, co-ordinator of the Paddy O'Neill Award paid tribute to the Rant members' musicianship and professionalism.

Ted Egan, accompanied by his partner Nerys Evans, journeyed from Alice Springs to induct Tommy and was clearly impressed by the spirit, song and music of the Lake School crowd. Ted has been invited back to work with Rant at the 10th Lake School which will be held Janaury 4-9 2009.
The previous evening Ted had played to a full house at Micky Bourke's and sang a wide selections of his own songs (complete with beer carton accompaniment) that have made him a household name in Australia.

Felix Meagher, Program Director of the Lake School, (who was given a surprise Lake School Foundation Award - presented by Jamie Mckew Director Port Fairy Folk Festival) announced the program for the 10th school which will feature daily tuition on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, guitar, DADGAD guitar. Irish language, Irish set dancing, singing, anglo concertina, kids program, bodhran, slow session, songwriting, uilleann pipes, as well as the Billy Moran Memorial Welcome Session, The Spud Poets Award, the Songwriters Concert, the Blackboard Concert, Singers Night and the Grand Ceilidhe.
New to the Lake School this year are tutors Danny Bourke (Irish music masterclass Jan 9), Youth Performance night, Oral History Project with Teresa O'Brien. Also Ray Argall from Sydney continues the Youth Program begun last year by Gary Egan, and Lou Hesterman will continue with the Events Recording.

For further information about Lake School contact Felix Meagher 0413-801294 or email felix@bushwahzee.com
An application form can be down loaded form the web. Go to bushwahzee.com and follow the links to the Lake School.