Josh Ritter. Photo: Mark Fearon
IT’S a big week at The Balor Arts Centre, Ballybofey as the venue hosts two of the biggest names in Irish entertainment.
Comedian Tommy Tiernan comes to Ballybofey as part of his World Tour Of Donegal on Thursday Dec 12th while the Balor hosts Josh Ritter on Sunday December 15th.
Tommy Tiernan is arguably the most successful, popular and in demand comedian in Irish comedy. His mastery of stand up allows him to take risks other comedians dare not.
Through hilarious storytelling and a high energy, non-apologetic delivery he continually challenges as well as entertains.
To see him live is a rare treat. As his stories unfold and themes are elaborated his performance mesmerises as his lyrical way with words that make you laugh harder than you’d ever believe possible.
Tommy did his first World Tour of Donegal four years ago. “We did the Highlands Hotel in Glenties on the first two tours and the drop-off from the first year to the second was incredible, from 400 to around 130, and it was sadly all down to emigration.
“But we still enjoyed one of the best music sessions of our lives. There are seven sisters there and six of them are musicians, it was phenomenal. The expectations are always the same, but I still look forward to every tour of Donegal. Two years is a long enough gap for me to be excited about returning to Buncrana or Letterkenny.
“I was born in Carndonagh and lived there until I was 3, so there is some kind of old imprint of Donegal in me that I really love being there,” he said.
Following a string of outdoor, full band rock and roll shows in the summer (including Nowlan Park, Kilkenny with Bruce Springsteen), Josh Ritter comes to Ballybofey on Sunday, December 15, as part of an Irish tour of intimate, seated acoustic shows which see him work in a trio format.
Given that his latest album, The Beast In Its Tracks, was acclaimed across the board for its intimate and stripped down sound, there’s probably never been a better time to see Josh in an acoustic format.
And with the Balor’s trademark atmosphere and acoustics that lend themselves perfectly to this type of intimate gig there’s arguably no better place to see him perform. Tommy Tiernan is at The Balor on Thursday, December 12, and Josh Ritter plays The Balor on Sunday, December 15.
Tickets for both shows are available from The Balor Box Office on 0749131840 or online at www.balorartscentre.com
Tommy Tiernan.