Ray Fean joins ‘Claremorris Clann’ as LipSync adjudicator
THE Claremorris community continues to extend a warm welcome in the ‘Claremorris Clann’ to people that have an association or connection with the south Mayo town.
The latest member to join Clár Chlainne Mhuiris, the ‘family of Claremorris’, is Ray Fean, who has accepted the invitation to act as adjudicator for the Claremorris Community Recreational Centre LipSync Battles Ireland fundraising event.
Ray’s link with Claremorris goes back to when his grandfather Daniel (Danny) Murray was Station Master at Claremorris Railway Station for some years in the 1920/1930s. Maureen, Ray’s mother, and her siblings moved to Limerick Station (Colbert) before settling in Shannon, Co. Clare. Stories of her family’s time in Claremorris circled around the firesides over the decades.
Raised in a musical household, and as brother of guitarist Johnny Fean of the seminal Celt-Rock group Horslips, Ray was surrounded by a diverse range of ethnic music styles. Gypsy Swing, Eastern European and American Roots gave him an insight into integrating rhythms with those which he had already experienced.
Ray Fean, as a top percussionist, has vast expertise and a look at his impressive biography sees that he has performed and recorded with numerous high-profile names in the business. His repertoire consists of traditional Irish, pop, rock and country music and dance, and his contribution is appreciated by such artists and groups, such as Horslips, Clannad, Paul Brady, Sinead O’Connor, Joe Elliot (Def Leppard), Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Neil and Tim Finn (Crowded House), Sharon Shannon, Davy Spillane and Kirsty McColl.
On receiving a call from renowned composer Bill Whelan, Ray then spent a year touring worldwide with the hugely successful Riverdance, The Show. In more recent years, he has been associated with the highly regarded Celtic Woman ensemble and the Waterboys.
On receiving the invite to Claremorris, Ray accepted without hesitation as he agreed it was an opportunity not to be missed and looks forward to retracing family roots in the town.
“Yes, from hearing stories from my grandmother, we are delighted to be making the return journey and participate in such a good cause as the LipSync fundraising show. The journey will be full of interest and intrigue,” he said.
The Claremorris Community Recreational Centre LipSync Battles Ireland fundraising event will take place at the McWilliam Park Hotel on Saturday, February 22, at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.events54.com/event/claremorris.
The mission of the Claremorris Community Recreational Centre is to develop, promote and provide inclusive, accessible recreational facilities to meet the needs of the growing and diverse community of Claremorris and its hinterlands in a sustainable manner
Read more: https://www.claremorrisrecreationalcentre.ie/.