Inishowen Gospel Choir with The Henry Girls & Duke Special

Founded in 2005 in Carndonagh by two friends, Siobhán Shiels and Lorna McLaughlin, who wanted to bring the spirit of gospel music to their community, the Inishowen Gospel Choir is celebrating 20 years of uplifting performances which have seen it perform at festivals and events across Ireland and with some of the best-known names in Irish music.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the choir will be joined by friends and collaborators from its two joy-filled decades, including The Henry Girls and Duke Special, in the historic cinema in Buncrana to celebrate the town’s Night Time Economy designation.

Malin sisters Karen, Lorna & Joleen McLaughlin are collectively known as The Henry Girls. Over many years on the national and international music scene, they have created their trademark sound, which nourishes the seeds of old with a bright, refreshing approach.  They have a knack for creating authentic original material rich in traditional values. Their tight three part harmonies are matched by soulful musicianship across a range of instruments including harp, fiddle, piano, accordion, ukulele and tin whistle.

By nature, Duke Special (aka Belfast’s Peter Wilson) is a curious person. He is curious about music, theatre, books, poetry, art, love, life, redemption, death and 78RPM records. All of this is evidenced by the variety of musical adventures throughout his career.

He has released 14 albums and EPs, toured all over the world and has been involved in a diverse array of other projects, including writing the music for Deborah Warner’s critically acclaimed 2009 production of Mother Courage and Her Children at London’s National Theatre and being commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to write a series of original songs based on photographs for their exhibition of the photographers Stieglitz, Steichen and Strand.

In the world of theatre, since Mother Courage, Duke has written music for four shows with Andrew Doyle: Gulliver’s Travels (BYMT, 2015), Paperboy, (BYMT, 2017), Huckleberry Finn (Lyric Theatre, Belfast, 2018), and Breadboy (BYMT 2022) and with Bob Kelly: Breakfast on Pluto (Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival, in development).

Performing live is still one of Duke Special’s main passions, and over the years he has played to captive audiences across the world. Whether he performs solo, as a duo with his long-time friend and percussionist Chip Bailey, with a full band, a string quartet or full orchestra, a Duke Special show is always a unique experience.