Young Athlone rock band to perform at Croí na hÉireann festivities

Athlone band COPA is set for two home town performances in the coming days as part of the Croí na hÉireann festivities organised on and around St Patrick's Day.

The band is looking forward to entertaining local crowds at 2pm, under the canopy on Church Street, both this Saturday, March 14, and on St Patrick's Day itself.

Croí na hÉireann organisers Cllr Frankie Keena and John Henson said they're delighted to have secured this up-and-coming youth rock band to perform at next weekend’s festival.

They described COPA's members as extremely talented musicians with excellent vocals.

A major highlight in COPA’s young musical journey to date has been their performance on the Hazelwood Stage at Electric Picnic, one of Ireland’s most prestigious music festivals.

This opportunity came after many arduous rounds in a national Battle of the Bands competition, culminating in their victory in the Electric Youth Talent Competition.

The band is made up of Athlone teenagers Joey Dunne (guitar/vocals), Antonio Quinn Canton (drums), Nathan Quigley (bass), and recent addition Aoife Naughton (vocals).

They describe their sound as a fusion of grunge and indie rock, drawing inspiration from classic bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, while maintaining an eclectic taste across genres.

Formed just one year ago, COPA have already built an impressive performance résumé.

They have played several local and regional gigs, including Athlone’s Féile na Sionnaine festival, numerous Christmas markets across the Midlands, the Esker Arts Centre in Tullamore, and the Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise.

Singer Joey Dunne explained how the band first came together. "Myself and Antonio are in school together at Athlone Community College, and we decided to form a band," Joey said.

Drummer Antonio Quinn Canton added: "Our music teacher put us in contact with Nathan, and COPA was born about a year ago. The great singer Aoife Naughton recently joined the band as well.”

Last July, the fledgling band entered the Electric Youth Contest, hosted by Youth Work Ireland Laois, which featured over 120 acts from across Ireland.

After reaching the final at Portlaoise’s Dunamaise Arts Centre, COPA secured the highly-coveted performance slot at Electric Picnic.

While their live set currently consists mainly of crowd‑pleasing covers, the band are actively working on original material, which they hope to release in the near future.

COPA wishes to extend their gratitude to their parents for their continued support, and to Ann Flannery for giving them their start and ongoing opportunities to perform at Flannery’s pub in Athlone. They also thank fellow bands Overbored and What’s That Smell for their encouragement and support.