The Commitments Are Back & They're Proud...

Are they not, well, a bit white for a reunion tour? Seems not folks. That band of North Dublin soul searchers 'The Commitments' are returning from relative obscurity for a 20th Anniversary Tour. Say it once and say it loud Terry, they're back and they're proud...

Bronagh Gallagher (Bernie McGloughlin), Angeline Ball (Imelda Quirke)

Arguably the best ever Irish film ever made because for the first time us natives weren't hell bent on depicting ourselves on celluloid as perpetual inbred winking red cheeked farmers clad only in flatcaps, stale porter and pipesmoke. Bejasus.

The Commitments (Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Felim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Ken McCluskey, Andrew Strong)

Yup that Roddy Doyle scripted movie showed Dublin as it really was back in bleak 1991 - a bleedin' kip! But back then it felt far better to be an unemployed musician in a dole queue as opposed to an unemployed pipe-fitter in a dole queue... Now’er days it feels far better to be an unemployed property developer in a dole queue as opposed to an unemployed banker. Apparently.

Andrew Strong (Deco Cuffe)

But a lot has changed since the likes of Deco Cuffe and Imelda Quirke brought sexy soul to the masses and almost got a recording deal with Eejit Records. Now our dole queues are twice as long and we have a load of empty Seanie Fitz inspired glass cages along the quays where once stood authentic period examples of irreplaceable Georgian and Victorian architecture. Progress eh?

Glen Hansard (Outspan Foster), Angeline Ball (Imelda Quirke)

Plus there's been a mixture of fortunes for the former Commitments. Jimmy Rabbitte dropped off the face of the planet, Billy Mooney formed a tribute band, Deco Cuffe is apparently big in Denmark, and Outspan got a fricken Oscar for his troubles. Oh, and Bernie McGloughlin turned-up in Pulp Fiction.

Robert Arkins (Jimmy Rabbitte)

Yesterday, almost all of the original cast from the hit movie showed-up at Liberty Hall to announce the 20th Anniversary Tour. Amongst them were: Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Felim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Ken McCluskey, and Andrew Strong...

Dave Finnegan (Mickah Wallace)

The Commitments will perform concerts from next March, with shows planned in Castlebar, Killarney, Belfast and Dublin's O2. Tickets for the concerts go on sale next Friday from Tickmaster.

Dick Massey (Billy Mooney), Ken McCluskey (Derek Scully)

So there you have it folks, just like the last time The Commitments will hopefully bring us out of recession and everything will be alright with the world once more... Just think brother Rabbitte - if only Wilson Pickett had of shown up that night, it could have been so different.

Michael Aherne (Steven Clifford ), Ken McCluskey (Derek Scully)

Felim Gormley (Dean Fay)

Andrew Strong (Deco Cuffe)

Angeline Ball (Imelda Quirke)