A special day in Cong as Tony is ‘handed’ a unique honour
Pupils and teachers from Cong National School and Annette Griffin, of Ashford Castle, performing for Tony Christie, who is pictured with them. Pictures: Trish Forde
It was another momentous occasion in the South Mayo village of Cong as legendary singer Tony Christie was inducted into the Cong Hands of Fame Wall, which fittingly concluded the month long ‘Home to Mayo’ festivities.
Once Tony and his family arrived in the quaint, yet busy tourist village on Friday, May 31st, his first duty was to officially illuminate the world-famous Quiet Man Statue, featuring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, situated near the ‘Hands’ wall.
The next day, following a reception at Ashford Castle, Tony unveiled the specially commissioned bronze mould of his hands, sculpted by Swinford-based artist Mark Rhode. On location, Ashford’s entertainers Annette Griffin and John Staunton, along with pupils from the local primary school sang some of Tony’s famous hits from the past, a performance that was appreciated by the audience.
Cong’s Mayor Ciaran Hughes presented a scroll to honour Tony Christie with the Freedom of Cong, which allows him to walk ducks freely around the streets at any time. Tony got in a little practice, guiding a pair of ducks around the wall during the ceremony.
On receiving the award, now in its 11th year, Tony became the 13th recipient, joining such luminaries such as Daniel O'Donnell, Big Tom, Matt Molloy and John Sheahan.
Best known for a number of worldwide hit songs such as ‘(Is this the way to) Amarillo’, ‘I did what I did for Maria' and ‘Avenues and Alleyways’ from the 1970s, Tony continues to record and perform and has just concluded a successful tour of Germany. He is about to headline a number of outdoor concerts and festivals around Britain during the summer.
On receiving this special tribute, an emotional Tony said: “I am deeply proud and honoured to have been selected as a recipient of this unique award and it will stand aloft alongside my many golden discs and other accolades. This was a great year to have received such an award especially as the annual ‘Home to Mayo 2024’ campaign is happening during the month of May. The fact that my grandfather was born and lived near Claremorris makes it even more special.”
Paddy Rock, who founded the Cong Hands of Fame initiative, said that Tony was a worthy recipient of the award and welcomed his wife Susan and daughter Sarah to Cong once again and looked forward to further visits in the near future. He thanked everyone involved in making the event happen and the support from Mayo County Council.
