Hundreds gather for Mount Temple concert fundraiser

by David Flynn

A musical extravaganza in the countryside church of Mount Temple during Easter week honoured one of the Midlands' best musicians while benefiting a Motor Neurone Disease charity and also the village hall and church.

Up to 400 people turned out for the music concert at Corpus Christi Church, Mount Temple, to enjoy a mammoth night of music, which ran from 8pm till late, encompassing the best music talent the locality has to offer.

There was a special music tribute to the late Jack Allen from his six children on the night, while various musical relatives of the Allen family also took part in several performances in the church concert.

Jack, who was brother of Tony (Foster and Allen) and Tom (TR Dallas) was the bandleader of the group, Allendale. Jack died in January 2024.

The lineup on the night of Tuesday, April 7, included Tony Allen, TR Dallas, Lisa Tyrell, Brendan Doyle and friends, Mick Mulhern, Padraig Allen and his sister Tina, Michael Doyle with Davey Henshaw and Terry Donovan, the Mount Temple Church Choir, Trionagh Allen, Megan O’Hara, Ceoltas Pléaracha na nÓg winners, Josie Adamson, Alanna Shortall, Jimmy Allen and Country Harmony musician Gerard Dornan. The MC on the night was Mount Temple native, Fr PJ Hughes, a nephew of Jack, Tony and Tom.

The night was full of the stars of the present and future, with the young musicians who played many instruments and sang earning particular praise.

"The young musicians here show the future is in great hands," said Fr PJ Hughes.

Fr Hughes also enthralled the crowd with his own singing of a religious hymn, ‘King of Kings’, and he was accompanied by Trionagh Moore-Allen, who is married to Tony Allen.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent the following day, one of the concert's main organisers, Marie Allen, said she got many phonecalls from people saying they enjoyed the night very much.

“Tony (Allen) came to us last year and said he would arrange music for a concert for us and it helped us pay off the debt on our hall,” said Marie, who is on the committee of the Mount Temple community centre.

“Tony said he would do the same again this year, and we decided to give a donation to a Motor Neurone charity.” The committee presented a cheque for €3000 to Sheila Allen (wife of the late Jack) for the charity at the concert.

The fundraising on the night will also benefit the community centre, and the concert venue, Corpus Christi Church.

“The crowd that came on the night travelled from far and wide, from Athlone, Mullingar, Ballinasloe, Kilbeggan and Kinnegad and from the local area, and it was a beautiful evening,” said Marie.

“We had volunteers in the yard helping people park... We had up to four hundred people at the concert.”

Marie paid tribute to the committee members and volunteers who helped to make the visitors welcome at the door of the church, and comfortable throughout the performances.

Tony Allen said that he was “really chuffed” with the night.

“Marie took the whole weight off everyone by the organising and the selling of tickets,” said Tony. “I had great craic there and I really enjoyed the night, and there was great sound arranged by Gerard Dornan, which was lovely and not too loud.”

Tony Allen and Marie Allen also paid tribute to singer, Tony Stevens, who they said wasn’t able to attend on the night.