Meet the Dancers (11): Helen and Ray …

Helen and Ray are probably the most experienced stage performers taking part in Strictly Shamrocks but both will be outside their comfort zones on May 12.

Ray Purcell works as a community psychiatric nurse in Mullingar and played football for Shamrocks for many years at underage level. In more recent times, Ray has been more at home performing on the stage, and has been in many productions in the Mullingar Arts Centre including: Jesus Christ Superstar, Of Mice and Men, Singing in the Rain, Annie, Oliver and several Mullingar pantomime group productions. Ray was the one who brilliantly played the role of Danny Zuko in the Mullingar Shamrocks production of Grease-The Musical in July 2016.  This was of course produced by Jemma McNamee, one of the contestants in Strictly Shamrocks. Ray is also a talented photographer and his impressive photos attracted much positive comment in the booklet produced for Grease

Helen Hassett, a graduate of University College Cork, the Cork School of Music and the London Guildhall School of Music, normally performs at the elite end of the musical spectrum. Helen has performed as an oratorio soloist with most of Ireland’s leading vocal and orchestral ensembles including the RTE Symphony and Concert Orchestras and memorably Helen sang for USA President Barack Obama at The White House. Helen has performances in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man, and as soprano soloist in Mendelssohn’s Elijah to her credit as well as several lead operatic roles including Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Galatea in Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Suzanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze Di Figaro.

Helen has a long association with Mullingar Shamrocks: husband Paul Aherne is a former Shamrocks and Westmeath county player and she is an extremely proud mother to Mullingar Shamrocks players Zach (Under-16), Jodi (Under-14) and Ted (Under-10). And if that wasn’t enough, Helen is a co-founder and an active member of the club’s Gaelic4Mothers and Others LGF ensemble. 

Helen Hassett might be a specialist in Renaissance and Baroque performance but on May 12 the Baroque is out the window and its’ rock all the way as herself and Ray, Quickstep on to the stage to Are You Gonna Be My Girl.