She’s been to Dublin to see the Queen…

AN Ennis harpist joined some of the biggest names in Irish music to perform in front of the Queen of England during her recent visit to Ireland.
Elaine Hogan, who is a Bunratty entertainer, accompanied The Chieftains for the special concert in Dublin’s National Convention Centre, planned by the British Embassy and hosted by Queen Elizabeth II herself.
Speaking about performing in front of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and 2000 invited guests, Elaine told The Clare Champion, “Funnily enough, it wasn’t that nervous. The whole thing was just very surreal. I was there on the Wednesday doing rehearsals and then there on Thursday all day. They ran such a tight ship that there was very little margin for error, which is great because that’s how I operate best.”
Elaine, who is currently studying for an MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in the University of Limerick, revealed that the opportunity to perform for the royal couple came about “by chance”.
“I was extremely fortunate to get a chance, and that’s what it was a chance, it was all just down to timing. Niall Keegan, director of the MA in traditional music performance was called and told they were looking for a harpist. He put my name forward, and the details were very scant, I suppose because of security. I thought it was for something different, a solo gig with Paddy Moloney. But as the emails were going back and forth I started putting two and two together.”
As well as The Chieftains, other acts performing on the night included Westlife, Riverdance and X Factor star Mary Byrne.
Elaine said the best part of the evening was the standing ovation the Queen received from the audience. “It went on for six or seven minutes, you could feel the power in the room. We all lined up for the finale and they came up on stage, Prince Philip is a sprightly man for his age,” she smiled.
Although Elaine was very close to the Queen at the event, unfortunately she did not get a chance to speak with her. “When they were on stage at the end she was just in front of me, I could have touched her. But they exited from the side of the stage, just two foot away from me. I never got a chance to shake her hand, but it was just a brilliant thing to be a part of,” she recalled.
This isn’t the first time that Elaine has performed for royalty, her work in Bunratty has seen her play for the King and Queen of Belgium among other high profile visitors.
The concert was also the first time that Elaine had played with The Chieftains. “It was my first time ever meeting them on the Wednesday, they were all dead sound. They were very welcoming to a new person and they are all great musicians,” she said.
Clare musician Tara Breen also performed for the Queen during her Irish visit.