THE PILGRIM was originally commissioned by the Lorient Interceltic Festival in 1983 to celebrate the kinship of the Celtic people. To date it has been performed at the festival four times in all. Irish performances began at the National Concert Hall, Dublin in 1984 and, at the end of 1990, THE PILGRIM was specially performed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to mark the passing of European City of Culture from Glasgow to Dublin. THE PILGRIM had its U.S. debut in aid of Old St. Patrick's Cathedral, at the Metropolitan Hall, Chicago in 1999 with Frank McCourt as Narrator.

Since the year 2000 there has been 4 performances of The Pilgrim,

The Blanchardstown Centre - Dublin March 21st saw a special millennium performance of the newly-revised PILGRIM, narrated by Oscar-winning actor Ben Kingsley, at the Blanchardstown Centre (in the process winning for the shopping mall the prestigious 'Purple Apple Marketing Award' from the British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) for their initiative, imagination and inspiration in community participation and Shopping Centre marketing). In addition to Ben Kingsley the performance featured, Liam O'Flynn (uilleann pipes), Rita Connolly (vocals), Liam O'Maonlai (vocals), Helen Davies (harp), Carlos Nunez (gaita), The RTE Concert Orchestra conducted by Prionsios O'Duinn, The St. Lawrence O'Toole pipeband led by Terry Tully, a 200 strong choir drawn from local schools and choral societies. For the first time a performance of The Pilgrim included what has now become known as 'The Pilgrim Band' with such well known session musicians as, Noel Eccles (percussion), Eoghan O'Neill (bass), Rod McVey (keyboards) and Arty McGlynn (guitar).

Lorient Interceltique Festival 2000 - Lorient, France On August 12th 2000. The Pilgrim returned to the Lorient Interceltique Festival where it premiered back in 1983. The concert again featured, Liam O'Flynn (uilleann pipes), Rita Connolly (vocals), Liam O'Maonlai (vocals), Helen Davies (harp), Giles Servat (vocals & narration), Noel Eccles(percussion), Eoghan O'Neill (bass), Rod McVey (keyboards) and Arty McGlynn (guitar). The concert also included a bright new star of Galician piping Edelmiro Fernandez (gaita), Josik Allot (bombard) who played at the concert in 1983 and Andre Le Ment (bombard), The festival orchestra, conducted by Guy Berrier, a 150 strong local choir, and the St. Kermabon Pipeband. The concert received rave reviews in the French press and was widely regarded as the highlight of a star-studded festival bill. "A standing ovation for at least five minutes from 3000 spectators. Rarely in 30 years has a festival show evoked such enthusiasm..." "The Pilgrim fascinated 3700 people and pinned them to their seats. They in turn demanded two encores and gave the musicians a standing ovation. Shaun Davey can be proud of the updating of his work, it is simply superb..."

Festival of St. Columbia - Isle of Skye, Scotland This unique performance of The Pilgrim took place, at the festival of Columba, on September 5th at the Sabal Mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland. This performance was special in that it was specially tailored to fit a very much smaller venue (for those familiar with the sport of badminton, the entire venue including stage area was the size of 1 badminton court). With a cast in the region of 40 artists, including Liam O'Flynn (uilleann pipes), Rita Connolly (vocals), Liam O'Maonlai (vocals), Helen Davies (harp), Edelmiro Fernandez (gaita), Phillipe Janiver (bombard), Yann Bonnec (bombard), Simon MacKenzie (narrator), Noel Eccles(percussion), Eoghan O'Neill (bass), Rod McVey (keyboards), Johnny Scott (guitar), the BT Scottish Ensemble conducted by Fiachra Trench, members of the City of Glasgow choir. The concert was be recorded by BBC Radio Scotland for transmission on Christmas Day. All the artists and crew who travelled to the Isle of Skye were delighted with the concert and are indebted to the organisers and the people of Skye for the hospitality they received during their stay in Skye.

Click Here to hear some audio clips of this concert

 

Lorient Interceltique Festival 2001 - Following the huge success of the concert at the Lorient festival in August 2000 and by massive popular demand, the organisers invited the entire cast to return for an unprecidented second year in a row.

And what a reaction. A sell-out concert of 5,000 people, a ‘Last night at the Proms’ atmosphere with a singing audience who demanded and received four encores before they were prepared, reluctantly to go home. In the French press the following day Festival Director, Jean-Pierre Pichard said that he had never before witnessed such a reaction at an orchestral concert.

This Pilgrim production included some of the cream of Irish Music talent; Composer with soloists Liam O’Flynn, Rita Connolly and Liam O' Maonlai World-renowned Riverdance percussionist, Noel Eccles, ‘Celtic Heritage’ maestro Eoghan O’Neill on bass, on keyboards, Northern arranger Rod McVey, with guitarist Johnny Scott [Van Morrison Band] and the young harpist Triona Marshall making her debut. The Irish further contributed to the success of the night with a stage crew which included Windmill Lane’s Brian Masterson at the sound desk and lighting designer Rupert Murray.

Other soloists in this original and dramatic musical work included, as guest narrator, the celebrated Breton singer Gilles Servat and Galician piper Edelmiro Fernandez who, along with bombarde players, Andre LeMent and Bernard Pichard, bagad Lorient, festival orchestra and 150-strong choir, made up the 250 performers on stage. The show was conducted by Mr. Guy Berrier.

The concert received rave reviews in the French press and was widely regarded as the highlight of a star-studded festival bill:

"The 5000 spectators rise as one in an ovation that is spontaneous, enthusiastic, poignant: "The Pilgrim ", on Saturday evening in Kergroise, was a triumph that one sees very little of." Jean-Jacques - Le Telegramme

"For the finale the audience are on their feet, clapping hands while singing. No less than four encores are required, without counting the choral society, taking a refrain once again. Public as musicians, each one finally having to leave, with their heads full of images to dream all in music." Aurélie Notar - Ouest France

 

 

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