Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

There's good news for young performers in South West Wales with the announcement of new bursaries to help young talented singers and instrumentalists. The Trustees of the Loud Applause Rising Stars (LARS) have announced that the charity intends to offer a number of bursaries to individual members of the mentoring scheme. Loud Applause Rising Stars chairman Cerith Owens said: "Since LARS was set up as a charity just over a year ago we have been amazed at the goodwill and praise we have received from both the Friends of Loud Applause Rising Stars and the wider community, who have enjoyed the quality performances delivered consistently by our talented young performers. "This success has led to our ability to set aside surplus income generated this past year to enable us to offer financial assistance to singers and instrumentalists. "It is our intention to continue to offer bursaries annually for youngsters who require (and are deserving of) additional support and ar...

Ammanford singer-songwriter Padraig Lalor's debut album has been timed to coincide with the centenary of the Titanic disaster. Called Ismay's Dream, the album focusses on different characters in Lalor's home city of Belfast. Lalor takes a keen interest in the history of  Belfast. He provides vocals on all but one track and is accompanied by various combinations of acoustic and bass guitar, piano, drums, percussion, violins, viola, whistles and accordion. The songs on the album focus on different characters who were associated with the Titanic in various ways - those who built her, those who sailed on her, and those left behind. The songs are all original, but they have a quintessentially Irish feel to them. Padraig was born in Belfast. He lived his formative years in the 1970s against the backdrop of the troubles in Northern Ireland. He worked as a freelance journalist in the 1980s; becoming Northern Irish correspondent for the Irish Post, before gaining a...