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belfast

Musical about Victoria Cross hero set for Remembrance Sunday 150 150 mhamer

Musical about Victoria Cross hero set for Remembrance Sunday
Come here, come here! We were bowled over by the legendary Jimmy Cricket promoting his brilliant new concert, to be performed at Rochdale Town Hall on Sun 10 Nov, 4pm-5pm. And there’s more! Here’s Jimmy and @RochdaleMayor Coun Billy Sheerin having a good old yarn about the James Magennis play

Jimmy Cricket’s musical about Northern Ireland’s only recipient of the Victoria Cross takes place on Remembrance Sunday.

Let’s hear it for the wee man will be performed at Rochdale Town Hall on 10 November in aid of the Mayor of Rochdale’s charity appeal.

It tells the courageous story of submariner James Magennis who grew up in abject poverty in Belfast and joined the Royal Navy aged 15.

He won the UK’s highest military honour for his bravery onboard a midget sub that attacked the Japanese cruiser Takao on 31 July 1945.

His job was to attach six mines to the enemy vessel in the risky covert operation in Singapore Harbour.

Jimmy and @RochdaleMayor Coun Billy Sheerin having a good old yarn about the James Magennis play

However, he ran into difficulties and faced grave danger.

But he persisted with the mission before returning to the sub exhausted.

King George VI recognised his heroics by awarding him the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry.

Magennis continued his service until 1949 when he returned home with his wife Edna Skidmore and their four sons.

In 1952, he lost his job and was forced to sell his VC medal.

However, an anonymous benefactor later returned it to him on the condition he did not sell it again.

Blue plaque

Magennis spent the rest of his life in Yorkshire working as an electrician before dying of cancer in 1986 aged 66.

His heroics were commemorated in 2018 with a special blue plaque in his honour.

Belfast-born Jimmy has written both the words and the music for the play.

It features actor Charles Lawson, actress and singer Sue Devaney, actor Nick Newbould and comedian Jimmy himself.

Tickets are available at Rochdale Town Hall from the reception or by contacting 01706 924773. Tickets cost £10.

Read more about the Mayor of Rochdale’s charity appeal here.

Jimmy and the mayor met up recently to promote the play.

Rochdale Council tweeted: “Come here, come here!

“We were bowled over by the legendary Jimmy Cricket promoting his brilliant new concert, to be performed at Rochdale Town Hall on Sun 10 Nov, 4pm-5pm.

“And there’s more! Here’s Jimmy and@RochdaleMayor Coun Billy Sheerin having a good old yarn about the event.”

Find out where Jimmy is performing and his other forthcoming shows by viewing all his tour dates on this website.
My visit to Ruby Murray mural on eve of Newry show 150 150 mhamer

My visit to Ruby Murray mural on eve of Newry show

David Hull Promotions 6 September at 16:53 · Before their comedy show in Newry last night. Jimmy Cricket and John Linehan aka May McFettridge's driver stopped by to look at this Ruby Murray Mural on the Donegall Road Belfast.

Jimmy Cricket went to see a mural of an old friend – Ruby Murray – when he returned to the Emerald Isle recently.

The popular entertainer was in his birth city of Belfast preparing to appear in the You Must Be Joking show at Newry Town Hall.

The night before the performance, he went with John Linehan, aka May McFettridge, to look at the mural (above) on the Donegall Road.

Ruby was a Northern Irish singer and actress. She was one of the most popular singers in the British Isles in the 1950s, having several hits in the UK Singles.

In March 1955, she made pop chart history by having five singles in the Top Twenty in one week.

Jimmy said: “I had the great pleasure of knowing Ruby when she lived down in Torquay, Devon. Mrs C and myself shared many a laugh with this great lady of song!”

You Must Be Joking' - Join George Jones as he introduces a night of the best of Northern Irish stand-ups for an evening of pure comedy heaven on Thursday 5th September at Newry Town Hall.Also appearing in the show on Thursday 5 September with Jimmy and John were Gene Fitzpatrick and George Jones.

Added Jimmy: “My thanks to #DavidHullPromotions for all the hospitality yesterday while doing the show with John, Gene, George and Ivan on keyboards, it was very much appreciated! ????”

David Hull Promotions, one of Northern Ireland’s leading Entertainment Agencies for over 30 years, co-produced the performance.

The show was part of lur Cinn Fleadh, an annual traditional Irish music and community festival in Newry City, County Down.

It took place from 5–8 September in various venues.

May McFettridge is known as Northern Ireland’s very own queen of comedy.

She has earned a special place in the hearts of audiences young and old alike with her distinctive brand of affectionate but well-aimed gibes and witticisms.

May has been the Panto Dame in the Grand Opera House Belfast for almost 30 years.

You Must Be Joking tour: Watch the finale song 150 150 mhamer

You Must Be Joking tour: Watch the finale song

Jimmy Cricket has posted on social media a video of the finale song at the end of the popular You Must Be Joking tour 2018.

The three-week series of shows featuring Jimmy and three fellow Northern Ireland comedians ended at the Island Arts Centre on Lagan Valley Island in Lisburn.

Other team members were: John Linehan (aka May McFettridge), Gene Fitzpatrick and William Caulfield.

Afer the final night, Jimmy,  72, tweeted: Been a blast the, “You Must Be Joking Tour”, for and here alongside, singing for the last time our finale song, my partners in crime, John Linehan and and ?

The eight-show tour had opened on 20 January at the Grand Opera House in Belfast, Jimmy’s birth place though he has lived in Rochdale for many years with his wife May Mulgrew.

You can see the clip of the You Must Be Joking team singing their finale song on Jimmy’s Twitter feed here.

Lisburn hosts last night of You Must Be Joking 2018 150 150 mhamer

Lisburn hosts last night of You Must Be Joking 2018

The You Must Be Joking tour 2018 involving Jimmy Cricket and three fellow Northern Ireland comedians has finished after eight shows in just three weeks.

It ended on Saturday night at the Island Arts Centre on Lagan Valley Island in Lisburn.

Jimmy, 72, performed along with John Linehan (aka May McFettridge), Gene Fitzpatrick and William Caulfield.

The tour had opened on 20 January at the Grand Opera House in Belfast, Jimmy’s birth place though he has lived in Rochdale for many years with his wife May Mulgrew.

William Caulfield posted a picture (above) of the whole You Must Be Joking team on Twitter.

 

‘Belfast’s Grand Opera House was place to be’ 150 150 mhamer

‘Belfast’s Grand Opera House was place to be’

Jimmy Cricket performed as usual with fellow Ulster comedians, John Linehan (aka May McFettridge), Gene Fitzpatrick and William Caulfield

Jimmy Cricket returned to his home town of Belfast to take part in another successful show with some old friends and comedy colleagues.

The famous entertainer, who has now lived in Rochdale for many years, performed with fellow Ulster comedians, John Linehan (aka May McFettridge), Gene Fitzpatrick and William Caulfield as part of the You Must Be Joking tour of Ireland.

And Jimmy later thanks writer Sean Hillen for his glowing review of the show.

He posted on Twitter: “Thank you to for the lovely write up of the show last Saturday night with John, Gene, William and myself!”

Sean began his article by saying: “If you were in the mood for a dose of old-fashioned, clean-as-a-whistle, stand-up comedy – not the ‘modern’ version laden with swear words – then Belfast’s historic Grand Opera House was the place to be this week.

“Aptly entitled ‘You Must Be Joking,’ four of Northern Ireland’s most experienced comedians took to the stage and offered up a non-stop series of gags, impersonations and light-hearted songs that easily curried the audience’s favor.”

And he finished the piece with: “My favorite act of the evening was the last one, James Mulgrew, best known as Jimmy Cricket. Appearing in his trademark outfit of cut-off evening trousers, dinner jacket, hat and Wellington boots marked ‘L’ and ‘R’ for left and right, but worn on the wrong feet, his routine was a fast-moving, gag-a-minute, focusing on his unique interpretation of Irish logic.”

Jimmy Cricket: What I want for Christmas and Strictly Come Dancing 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy Cricket: What I want for Christmas and Strictly Come Dancing

Jimmy Cricket appeared in the 50th edition of Rochdale Style

Jimmy Cricket was the subject of a special feature in the 50th edition of Rochdale Style.

The article about the Rochdale-based, Belfast-born comedian, 72, was in a question-and-answer format.

Among the questions were what does the Northern Irish entertainer want for Christmas.

His reply? “Peace or the box set of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers! I just watch Fred on YouTube and think he’s incredible. He’s a big inspiration to me.”

And when asked if he would appear on BBC’s popular Strictly Come Dancing, Jimmy said: “Oh Yes? Tomorrow!”

The Rochdale Style magazine is edited by actor Colin Meredith, a good friend of Jimmy.

Jimmy is currently playing Professor Fitzwarren in pantomime Dick Whittington, which is running at Rochdale’s Gracie Fields Theatre until New Year’s Eve.

The panto also features The Chase’s Mark Labbett (also known as The Beast), who plays King Rat.

Dick Whittington panto details

 

Jimmy Cricket’s nostalgic return to west Belfast 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy Cricket’s nostalgic return to west Belfast

Jimmy Cricket and Owen O'NeillA recent nostalgic trip down Memory Lane for Jimmy Cricket was the subject of a BBC radio programme.

The famous Northern Irish entertainer returned to west Belfast, where he was born nearly 71 years ago, to tell fellow comedian and BBC Radio Ulster presenter Owen O’Neill all about his childhood.

In his radio series, Owen spends the day with a well-known local face as they show him around a place that they hold in affection, uncovering stories about their home territory.

And last month Rochdale-based Jimmy took Owen to his childhood home off the Andersonstown Road, which included playing the saxophone on the street corner where he used to perform with his mates.

They also went to the former family-run bar where much-loved funnyman Jimmy cut his teeth telling jokes to the customers.

BBC Radio Ulster posted the following tweet about Jimmy’s return home.

BBC Radio Ulster (@bbcradioulster)
In a new series Owen O’Neill spends the day with @jimmy__cricket on home turf in West Belfast. Saturday at 10:30am bbc.in/2uLCFd9 pic.twitter.com/0qWvmSJOM1