Irwin set for show-stopping Fermanagh homecoming

AWARD-WINNING operatic tenor Andrew Irwin is set to return to the Enniskillen stage this week, following a standout performance last year that left audiences wanting more.
The Monea native, who has performed across the globe, will once again be joined by English jazz pianist Joe Hill, for  ‘Swingin’ in Saddlers’ at Saddlers Bistro, Enniskillen, this weekend.
Last year the duo performed to a full house and delivered an evening that blended classical voice with jazz and popular standards.
Mr Irwin, a versatile performer based at Stadttheater Bremerhaven in Germany, had previously explored traditional Irish songs, but this event saw him take on a mix of jazz standards and classic ballads alongside Hill, who is known for his work on the 2024 album Moonray.
The two musicians, who first met as students at Chetham’s School of Music, alma mater of the great jazz pianist Gwilym Simcock, showcased their longstanding musical connection and shared sense of humour through a wide-ranging and unconventional setlist.
Highlights included “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” “There May Be Trouble Ahead,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “One for My Baby,” and Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Mr Bojangles,” a highlight of the evening.
Mr Irwin stirred the crowd with his unexpected yet effective take on Paul Anka’s “My Way” and a moving rendition of “Abide With Me,” the latter having local resonance due to its writer’s links to Enniskillen.
While he has earned a reputation for his performances across Europe, Andrew also is hugely respected locally, with Music in Fermanagh paying tribute to the award-winning Enniskillen tenor.
“Equally at home on the concert platform Andrew has performed works by Schütz, Mozart, Rossini and Stainer,” an extract from Fermanagh in Music read, in a biography on Andrew.
“A keen recitalist, his repertoire includes Schubert Die Schöne Müllerin, Schumann Dichterliebe, Britten Winter Words, Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel and Finzi Oh Fair to See.
“He has recorded Irish songs for BBC Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Opera and recently released a disc of Irish, English and German songs with Ruth McGinley on piano.”
The pairs’ next gig together in Enniskillen will be on August 8 at Saddlers Winebar. Tickets are available behind the bar in the Horseshoe and eventbrite.