The Gleneagle Concert Band recently returned from a highly successful tour of Seville and Gibraltar.

The Killarney-based band, now in its 44th year, performed a joint evening concert with the Midleton Concert Band beneath the spectacular Las Setas structure in the heart of Seville.

Las Setas, a large, predominantly wooden structure, features restaurants, a performance square, an archaeological museum, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Seville’s old town, providing a truly unique setting for the concert.

This marked the band's 8th international tour, following previous visits to Holland, Germany, and Sweden in the 1980s, Austria in 2002, Paris in 2007, Lisbon in 2013, and Monaco & Cannes in 2017.

Tour organiser and Music Development Officer Vincent Condon commented: “The concert at Las Setas, with its spectacular backdrop, was a wonderful spectacle and an amazing experience for the players. There was a huge band on stage under the baton of Robert O'Brien, and the audience response was fantastic, with long applauses, cheering, singing, and clapping. Both bands performed superbly on the night, and the tour offered an unforgettable cultural, musical, and social experience for everyone who travelled. It was a stunning success, and we are already making plans for our next concert tour to Italy.”

Highlights of the five-day tour included visits to the Royal Alcázar of Seville, Plaza de España, a cable car ride to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar, a Guadalquivir River cruise, swimming at Catalan Bay Beach, and a tour of Seville Cathedral, among many others.

Band Manager Ciarán Lynch added: “The tour was outstanding and was enjoyed immensely by both bands. Memories and friendships that will last a lifetime were created, and we were delighted to share such a wonderful few days with the Midleton Concert Band.”

Parents interested in enrolling their child in lessons at the Gleneagle School of Music or in joining the Gleneagle Concert Band should contact Vincent Condon at 087 2229513. Past members and adults with prior musical experience are also welcome.