THIS week at the Ardhowen, Premier Theatrical Productions present Willie Russell’s moving play ‘Blood Brothers’ on Friday and one of Ireland’s most popular rock/pop bands, The 4 Of Us, perform in the Gallery Bar on Saturday night at 9pm.

BLOOD BROTHERS Following the success of their 2013 tour, Premier Theatrical Productions return with their acclaimed production of ‘Blood Brothers’ on Friday, March 20, at 10.45am, 12.45pm and 8pm. Produced and directed by Sean Faloon, Willie Russell’s classic play set in Liverpool, tells the story of fraternal twins, born into a large, poor, working class family. Faced with the terrible dilemma of how to raise two more children, their mother makes the heart wrenching decision to give one of her babies away to a wealthy family. The twins’ contrasting upbringing takes them to opposite ends of the social spectrum, one becoming an Oxbridge-graduated councillor and the other unemployed and in prison. The play looks at the differences and conflicts of their childhood environment, their relationships with each other, with their real and adopted mothers and finally with the girl they both ultimately fall in love with.

‘Blood Brothers’, the play, was first commissioned by Paul Harman’s Merseyside Young People’s Theatre Company for Secondary school children in November 1981 and the play is now featured on the English GCSE curriculum. Funny, tragic and incredibly moving, this production is not to be missed.

THE 4 OF US The 4 Of Us bring their critically acclaimed acoustic show to the Ardhowen Gallery Bar on Saturday at 9pm, performing songs from their brand new album, as well as songs from their extensive back catalogue.

The 4 Of Us, originally from Newry, are best known outside Ireland for their output in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Founding members, Brendan and Declan Murphy, released their first album, ‘Songs for the Tempted’, with CBS Records in 1989, with the single ‘Mary’ becoming one of the most played songs on Irish radio that year. Consequently, the album went double platinum in Ireland and won Best Album of the Year at the Irish Music Awards, defeating U2 among others. The album ‘Man Alive’ followed in 1992, and saw the group enter the UK charts for the first time, with the single, ‘She Hits Me’ spending four weeks on the chart.

Following a few quiet years, in 2003 the single ‘Sunlight’, which would appear on the album ‘Heaven and Earth’, began to receive airplay and was voted fourth in a poll to find the “best Irish single ever” conducted by the radio station, Today FM. In November 2006 the band released the studio album, ‘Fingerprints’, followed by a live album, ‘Live At Vicar Street’, and were also voted No.7 in the Top Irish Bands Ever category along with U2 and Thin Lizzy on Irish television’s TV3.

From their first anthem, ‘Mary’, through to the UK charting ‘She Hits Me’, to ‘Sunlight’, the band has notched up over two decades of radio hits and six top 20 charting albums. Don’t miss this rare chance to catch them live.

NATHAN CARTER – ‘THE LIVE SHOW’ Back by popular demand, Country music star, Nathan Carter makes a welcome return to the Ardhowen stage for two sell-out nights on Wednesday, March 25 and Thursday, March 26, at 8pm. Nathan has had a tremendous year to date, with his new album, ‘Where I Wanna Be’, topping the Irish Charts and numerous TV appearances, most recently on RTE’s ‘Late Late Show’ and as a guest on ‘The Rose Of Tralee’.

THE KILKENNYS IN CONCERT The Kilkennys are at the very forefront of the new generation of folk groups and have received rave reviews from Enniskillen audiences following their previous appearances.

Not only can these young balladeers sing but they are incredible musicians and have been credited with keeping Irish folk music and ballads alive. Over the past decade The Kilkennys have emerged from the traditional setting of the Irish pub scene as a group of musicians with the ability to reinvigorate traditional Irish music and ballads for the modern audience.

The band consists of four fantastic vocalists and musicians who have been great friends for many years and that bond is evident in their seamless performances. With the ever charming and multi-instrumentalist Davey Cashin on vocals, mandolin, banjo and whistles, Robbie Campions on acoustic guitar, vocals and banjo, the thumping bass lines and high harmonies from Tommy Mackey and of course the power house drumming and driving bodhran from Davey Long who also brings fantastic song writing and vocals to the mix, The Kilkennys really have it all.

Topped off with a youthful image and modern sound, The Kilkennys have revitalised some of the finest Irish songs while also introducing us to some of their own. Expect plenty of good old Irish craic and banter, when The Kilkennys perform at Ardhowen on Saturday, March 28 at 8pm.

COMING UP The Ulster Orchestra concert on Thursday, April 2, features Symphonic Strings with Chief Conductor Rafael Payare. Over the Easter break popular country artists Philomena Begley and Ray Lynam perform together once again, Borderline Players are back with the pantomime ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ and there is comedy from William Caulfield.