Ger O'Brien, producer of the annual Waterford City Massed Band concert, is to receive a Mayoral reception.

A Mayoral Reception will be held for Ger in City Hall Waterford at 2pm on Friday May 17th. It will be presided over by Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr Declan Doocey, and Metropolitican Mayor Cllr Joe Kelly. It's in recognition of the thousands of euro Ger has raised for various local charities, through his annual Massed Band concert at the Sacred Heart Church in the Folly, over the past 15 years.

How did it all start for Ger?

It was the long-term ambition of Ger's Dad to go to Scotland to see the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, but he sadly died when he was 48. Ger used to watch this Tattoo on telly and he kept up the dream of going there after his father's passing. You can find out more about the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo here. 

Ger believed that the talent existed in Waterford to created a massed band here.  He did make it to Scotland and started going there year on year, attending the Military Tattoo. Ger was ill at the time, so he thought he'd do a once off charity concert. He knocked on doors of people high up, until he was able to get a piece of music he'd heard at the Tattoo called Highland Cathedral, as he tells us in his interview.

The eventual obtaining of this music was what kick-started the now annual charity Massed Band Concert at the Sacred Heart in the Folly. It also lead to the forging of an important friendship for Ger, and one that has lasted through the years, with Steve Walsh from the Royal Edinburgh Tattoo .

The Charities

Too many charities to mention here have benefited from the annual Massed Band concerts, in fact the total number now stands at 43.

Ger says he's honoured and humbled that he's been able to keep this amazing concert going year on year, and nowadays people come from all over the world to see it.

If you like hearing about events in Waterford, have a listen to what's upcoming at the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival

And below is Ger's chat with me On the Fringe..

https://soundcloud.com/wlrfmwaterford/ger-obrien-of-the-waterford-city-massed-band-to-receive-a-mayoral-reception