Performing to the drum beat in the Olympics

Ballymahon musician Grainne Kavanagh has described taking part in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics last week as "phenomenal" and "the best experience of my life". The drummer, a former Athlone IT student, was one of a cast of 7,500 who participated in the spectacular 'Isles of Wonder' ceremony, created by the Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle to signal the opening of the 16-day sporting event last Friday. Costing over €34 million to produce, the three-hour plus spectacle, the country's biggest ever live show, celebrated British history social, cultural and industrial achievements with fireworks, eye-catching choreography, music and audience participation. There was also a dash of humour throughout the show, which also featured turns by celebrities like David Beckham, Mr Bean, Paul McCartney, and even the Queen, in her first acting role with James Bond. "It's hard to sum up, it was very surreal and overwhelming at the time. The stadium was a buzz and full of excitement and then you think of how many were watching at home on TV," Grainne told the Westmeath Independent this week, just days after arriving home to her family home in Clonard, Ballymahon. "I was drumming in the Industrial Revolution section. Then I was one of the marshalling drummers for the athletes coming out of the tunnel for the parade so I was spotted on television many times," Grainne laughed, saying days later she is only coming down from the high of the performance in the Stratford stadium watched by an estimated 4 billion people worldwide. "It's kind of what dreams are made of. I'm glad I picked up the drum sticks ten years ago. I don't think I'll ever get a gig like it again though, "the 24-year-old, who recently graduated with a Diploma in Music Performance from the Tech Music School in London joked. As one of 900-plus drummers in the show, life has been pretty hectic for the musician in the run-up to the ceremony with an extremely busy schedule of rehearsals since they first began in May. "The last fortnight was the most intense. I was gone from home for 13 or 14 hours a day but I was drumming for an hour and 40 minutes in the athletes parade part so you had to build stamina," she explained. Describing Danny Boyle as incredible, the Ballymahon girl said in her opinion, the show was in a league of its own and very different to previous opening ceremonies in the way it integrated the audience in the stadium and those back home. "He did a great job. He's really incredible," she said. "It was real lucky break and I was privileged to get it," the drummer added, saying that she only went for the audition last October after seeing by chance a notice in college looking for people. From a local musical family, Grainne is the daughter of Kathleen and Willie Kavanagh, who himself is a former All-Ireland banjo player. She has a brother Liam and sister Laura, who she recorded a charity CD with in the past. Her mother Kathleen works in the Department of Education in Athlone. "They were so excited and very proud. It was such a dream," she outlined of the local reaction back home from friends and family, thanking everyone for their good wishes prior to the show. Grainne pointed out that she was incredibly lucky to be among only 200 drummers who got the chance to be part of the parade with the athletes, looking after the Australian, Chinese and Serbian teams among others. "It was intense but worth every second. It was such a high. It's one of those dreams come true," the local girl enthused, saying that everyone who took part in a spectacular ceremony was given a signed certificate by Danny Boyle and an Olympic programme, lovely keepsakes for the future. Back home in Ballymahon over the last few days for a well-earned break, Grainne intends to stay on in Ireland with her studies in London now complete. She hopes to pursue music in the region and has plans to open a full-time music school in the near future.