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music · Wednesday 9 September 2026 · 8:00pm 
Songs That Built a Nation
At Backstage Theatre · Farneyhoogan, Longford, Co. Longford
At Backstage Theatre · Farneyhoogan, Longford, Co. Longford
The Roscommon Solstice Choir brings Songs That Built a Nation to Backstage Theatre for two nights, Wednesday and Thursday, 9 and 10 September 2026. Developed with local playwright and historian Tommy Murray, the show traces key moments in Irish history, from the 1798 Rebellion through to the War of Independence, told through ballads, songs, poetry and music rather than a conventional history lecture. The choir first staged it in Roscommon earlier in 2026 before taking it on the road.
Expect a structured narrative rather than a standard choir concert, moving chronologically through roughly 120 years of Irish history with each section built around the ballads and songs associated with it. The Solstice Choir has performed nationally and internationally and built its reputation on exactly this kind of large-scale themed programme rather than a mixed set list of unconnected pieces. Tommy Murray’s narration and historical framing ties the music together between numbers, giving the evening the feel of a guided journey through the events of 1798 to 1921 as much as a concert. It suits anyone with an interest in Irish history as well as choral music, and the two-night run at Backstage suggests demand from the wider midlands audience beyond Roscommon itself.
Backstage Theatre is at Farneyhoogan on the edge of Longford town, with its own car park on site. It is a short drive from Main Street and the town’s bus and rail station, making it manageable for either night without needing to stay over.
Longford town’s pubs and restaurants on Main Street are close enough for dinner before either evening performance, whichever night you choose to attend. There is more to see in Longford and across Co. Longford.
Heading to Backstage Theatre in Longford? Longford has plenty more to see. Read the Longford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.
In town for Backstage Theatre? These Dublin tours book out in summer.