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By Sean Moriarty

The 'Tatler Jack’s Lockdown Lounge Live' weekly music session is attracting thousands of viewers each weekend and will expand into a three-day format to coincide with the Bank Holiday weekend.

The Tatler Jack on Plunkett St has been hosting online live music sessions every weekend since pubs were closed as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

The idea was a joint initiative between bar manager David Looney and local musician Ray Kennedy.

Last weekend’s gigs, hosted by local musician Kieran Healy and Simon Hall, a UK-based musician that David met while on holiday in Portugal, reached 13,500 people all over the world.

This weekend’s line-up includes Listowel blues artist Fiachara Mac Iomhair, Beale’s country-rock performer Stefan Gleeson and founder Ray Kennedy who is a regular performer in the landmark town centre premises in more-normal times.

“It started off with around 4,000 viewers the first week but that has now grown to over 13,000 last weekend. Each of the performers would have their own fan base and they are tuning in too,” David told the Killarney Advertiser. “We are sharing it with quarantine music groups all over the world and that is helping it grow too.”

After this weekend’s Bank Holiday triple act, future acts to look forward to include London-based Lorraine O’Reilly, originally from Cavan, who made it to the UK’s 'The Voice' finals five years ago and went on to tour with Russell Crowe. She will perform on Friday, May 8.

Corkman Dylan Brickley, who was on his way home from Australia and is currently stranded in Cambodia, will perform a second gig, live from the Asian country. Looney and Brickley met while the latter was busking on the streets of Killarney and was invited to play a few gigs in The Tatler by the bar's manager.

Further performances in May include Jennifer Lyons (Cork); Seamus Harty (Tralee), Shane Kennedy (Firies) and the return of Simon Hall (Worcester), and Ray Kennedy (Roscommon/Killarney).

'Tatler Jack’s Lockdown Weekends Live' can be viewed via the pub’s Facebook page every Friday and Saturday night at 9pm – and for this weekend only, at the same time on Sunday evening.