Semple Stadium & Eightball.IE proudly presents the August Line-Up Live at The Dome, Tipperary’s new live music venue with TWO very special SHOWS from THE SHARON SHANNON BIG BAND and DECLAN O’ROURKE. Following a sold out and hugely successful launch in July with million-selling Mexican acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Semple Stadium opens the doors of Live at The Dome again in August with special guests The Sharon Shannon Big Band on Friday August 19th and Declan O’Rourke on Saturday, August 20th.

Among those also confirmed for upcoming Live at The Dome shows are Mary Black, Mick Flannery and The Wolfe Tones, with more to be announced in the coming weeks. All show details and full information about Live at The Dome is available at www.liveatthedome.com, along with regular updates through the venue’s facebook page and mailing lists. David Morgan, Stadium Director at Semple Stadium spoke following the Live at The Dome launch. “We’re delighted with both the show that Rodrigo y Gabriela put on and the reaction we got to them and the venue as a whole. People really seemed to enjoy it, and the comments after the show were all about how it was great to have events like this on the doorstep in Thurles. Personally, I’m a big Sharon Shannon fan, and really looking forward to her show. I wouldn’t be as familiar with Declan O’Rourke, but we’re working to cater for all audiences in The Dome, and I know he has a very big following around the country, so I’m looking forward to that show as well. We hope people enjoy these shows as much as the launch, and look forward to welcoming back the people of Thurles and all over Tipperary again and again.”

Sharon Shannon has music at her fingertips….literally! The accordionist has achieved legendary status throughout the world and has succeeded in making the accordion ‘cool’. Renowned for her collaborations, not just in Irish traditional music, but through all musical genres including Hip-Hop, Cajun, Country and Classical, Sharon has recorded and toured with a who’s who of the Irish and Global Music Industry, including Bono, Adam Clayton, Sinead O’Connor, Jackson Browne, John Prine, Steve Earle, Mark Knopfler, The RTE Concert Orchestra, The Chieftains, The Waterboys, Willie Nelson, Nigel Kennedy, Alison Krauss and Shane MacGowan - a list that is testament to Sharon’s versatility as well as talent. She has entertained US President Bill Clinton and Irish Presidents Robinson and MacAleese and more recently The Sultan of Brunei in Australia. Sharon records and produces her albums at her own studios, ‘Poets Corner’, outside Galway, along with owning her own record label, The Daisy Label.

The genre-defying star has had multi-platinum album sales and has had several number one albums, singles and DVDs here at home. A prolific composer, Sharon is currently writing an album of traditional tunes for full Concert Orchestra arrangement and scored the music for the recent Neil Jordan film ‘Odine’, which starred Colin Farrell. 

Sharon’s last album ‘The Galway Girl’ has gone 4 times Platinum in Ireland and the title track has won the Meteor Award for most downloaded song for the last two years. The 2009 Meteor Awards honoured Sharon as the youngest ever winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Declan O’Rourke used to be one of Ireland’s best kept secrets, but rave reviews for his debut album ‘Since Kyabram’, a growing international fanbase and an enviable collection of eminent devotees, including Paul Weller, Snow Patrol and Kate Rusby, are rapidly changing that. On its release in Ireland, ‘Since Kyabram’ reached double platinum status and garnered Hot Press magazine’s ‘Best Debut Album’ award. A major record deal with V2 and a publishing deal with BMG followed, as did patronage from his peers and invitations to support Snow Patrol at Marlay Park in Dublin, Teddy Thompson on his UK tour, The Divine Comedy for dates in Germany and the U.K., and to perform at the legendary 100 Club at the request of Paul Weller. The buzz about Declan O’Rourke is growing, based on the simplicity of great songs and a unique voice. Declan’s lyrics touch on all aspects of the individual, his songs focus on the centre of everyday emotions and his voice irresistibly draws the listener in. He has an understated charm, a quick-wittedness that make him highly endearing live and equally at home playing to one person as he is to thousands. From the opening melody of ‘No Place To Hide’, the first song on ‘Since Kyabram’, to the final key of ‘Marrying The Sea’, Declan’s ability to tell a story unfolds. Each track on the album gives a feeling of being part of a collection of short films; the connecting thread being Declan’s flowing and dreamy lyrics. The album embodies the roots of his Irish heritage, but also has a distinct rock edge, reflecting, in part, his time spent in Australia from age fourteen to his return to Ireland in recent years.

The Sharon Shannon Big Band and Declan O’Rourke play ‘Live at The Dome’ at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Friday, August 20th and Saturday, August 21st respectively in association with Tipp FM, The Tipperary Star, The Anner Hotel and eightball.ie. Tickets are available from ticketmaster.ie and from Lar Na Pairce (0504-22702). Check www.liveatthedome.com and all local press for full details.