Drogheda's musicians and poets are to come together in ''Poems, Bells and Synths’’, a free concert taking place in the Augustinian Church in Shop Street on Culture Night, at 8pm on Friday 20th September to celebrate 800 years of the Dominicans in Drogheda.       

The Augustinian Church in Shop Street possesses a unique bell tree comprised of 40 chimes which is used during mass and rituals. Composer Michael Holohan will premiere a new work called Sounds from a Cloister using the bells to commemorate 800 years of the Dominican Order in Drogheda (1224-2024). 

The piece will be celebratory in nature and will acknowledge the great contribution of the Dominicans to the history of medieval Drogheda and not forgetting the huge contribution also made by The Augustinian and Franciscan orders. The composition will integrate the sounds of the other church bells of Drogheda - St. Peter's Church of Ireland, St. Peter's Catholic Church and The Tholsel.

The sounds of these bells will be recorded and mixed with the live sounds in the church. This live performance will be accompanied by percussion. The audience will be surrounded with 'retro synthesiser sounds', percussion and bells thus giving our listeners a unique experience of 'spatial music.'

The performers will be Breifne Holohan, John Mc Crea, Grace Dillon, Trudy Maguire, Martin Shields, Joanne Kieran, Juliet Barrow, Barry Leahy and Michael Holohan, director. Singer songwriter SJ Mc Ardle, will perform songs from his CD and song cycle Port.

Composer Breifne Holohan will perform pieces for electric guitar and electronics including Guth na Gaoithe, an improvisation featuring samples of Bronze age horns by Ancient Music Ireland.

Between the musical items readings will be given by the widely published Drogheda poets Susan Connolly, Roger Hudson, Emir Ní Daibhís, Paddy Dillon, John O'Rourke and Tom White.

With the support of Create Louth, The Voices of St Augustine, Drogheda on the Boyne Tourism and Drogheda Contemporary Arts.  Admission is free and no booking is required. There will also be a free wine reception after the concert.