Three entertainers who have made a lasting and indelible mark on Cork theatre were granted the Freedom of the city at a ceremony in Cork City Hall today. <\/p>\n
Frank Duggan, Michael Twomey and Billa OConnell were recognised for their contribution to theatre in Cork. <\/p>\n
Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr John Buttimer said the three men were instantly recognisable in their native city. <\/p>\n
They are the essence of what it means to be Cork. The list of their endeavours is endless. <\/p>\n
Frank Duggan attended a ceremony at Cork City Hall fifty years ago when President John F Kennedy was granted the Freedom of the City. Mr Duggan said it was unimaginable that he was receiving the same honour as the late US President. <\/p>\n
Michael Twomey said he was fortunate to have worked with a myriad of talented actors. Mr Twomey and Mr OConnell paid particular tribute to the late entertainer Paddy Comerford who formed part of their inseparable comedy team. <\/p>\n
Billa OConnell performed in his first pantomime in 1947. His biggest ambition was to perform on the stage of Cork Opera House. Having performed in various pantomimes he finally got the call from Cork Opera House in 1955 only for a fire onsite to delay his debut. <\/p>\n
However, he subsequently became involved in Summer Revels at Cork Opera House and performed annually on site for several decades. <\/p>\n
Frank Duggan appeared in every performance of Summer Revels in Cork Opera House for twenty one consecutive years. His partnership with Michael Twomey in the comedy act Cha and Miah commenced in 1969 and continued for 43 years. The duo appeared weekly on Halls Pictorial Weekly. <\/p>\n
Michael Twomey wrote and directed the annual pantomime at Cork Opera House for almost thirty years. <\/p>\n
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Freedom of Cork city conferred on entertainers<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Three entertainers who have made a lasting and indelible mark on Cork theatre were granted the Freedom of the city at a ceremony in Cork City Hall today. Frank Duggan, Michael Twomey and Billa OConnell were recognised for their contribution to theatre in Cork Continue reading