Generations of Athlone musical talent join forces

Generations of local musical talent came together pre-Christmas for the hugely popular Afternoons of Entertainment at Athlone's Shamrock Lodge Hotel.

This year featured the Keith and Lorraine Showband Show, with special guests Frankie McDonald and Joe Flynn, and Brendan Shine and Friends, along with comedian and impressionist Frank Forde.

The musical acts all share a lineage back to the Ciaran Kelly Band, the famous Midlands céili band.

Brendan Shine played with the band in the early 1960s, as did Johnny Dawson, drummer with the Brendan Shine and Friends, and Frankie McDonald, before he joined The Drifters. Ciaran Kelly is also the grandfather of Keith and Lorraine McDonald, who have carved out their own niche with the Irish musical scene.

The presence of the legendary 94-year-old Joe Flynn was an added bonus for the huge crowds who gathered for the series of afternoon concerts.