About Tipperary, the Tipperary Peace Convention and International Song of Peace Contest
Tipperary is Ireland's best recognized county, popularized in the World War One song 'Its a Long Long way to Tipperary'. In fact, many songs commemorate Tipperary, The Tipperary Lass, The Forty Shades of Green & Slievenamon, to name a few. Tipperary has a long and fabled history, and when traveling there, must-see's are the fabulous ruins at the Rock of Cashel,once a seat of the kings of Munster, is the most notable landmark. The monastery at Holy Cross and the castle at Cahir. Tipperary has beautiful lush mountain scenery and the most famous of these hills is known as the Devil's Bit, named for the bite taken out of it by the devil as he rode over Ireland, and the hunk he spat out is now the Rock of Cashel! The beautiful Glen of Aherlow is a breathtaking valley...nature at her best. The mighty River Shannon, Ireland's longest, flows through Tipperary, and Lough Derg, which is the biggest of its 3 lakes.
Tipperary Excel is a cultural resource for Tipperary, providing the people of the region with access to a multi-disciplinary programme of events and activities in the performing and visual arts, at the highest possible standard of excellence. The Excel houses a theatre, cinemas, tourist information point, gift shop, café and interpretative facilities.
The stage at Tipperary's Excel Centre for the 2018 International Song of Peace Grand Final.
Tipperary Peace International Song of Peace Contest
The Tipperary Peace Convention Song Contest was formed as part of the annual Tipperary Peace Convention in 1983. The Convention, aware of having long been associated with the popular music hall song "It's a long way to Tipperary" which itself is associated with the Theatre of War, felt it appropriate that the real Tipperary should stage and thereby promote the concept of peace through the Tipperary International Peace Song Contest. Each year, ten finalist songs are selected from among all of the entries for live presentation in the Simon Ryan Theatre at Tipperary’s Excel Centre.
Don Gnecco’s “Touch the World” was one of the ten finalist songs in the 2002 Song of Peace Contest, which was performed by Sherry Allen. "One Light" was a finalist song in the 2006 Song of Peace Contest and was performed by Sherry Allen. Lydie Koffi Omesiete performed "Love Lifts Me Up High" in the 2018 contest.
Tipperary Peace Convention and the International Peace Award
Tipperary Peace Convention was founded in 1983 with the aim of promoting peace through music, song, discussion and debate, and through the selecting and rewarding of a person or persons who make a noteworthy contribution to peace related issues and to advancing the cause of peace.
Previous recipients of the Tipperary International Peace Award include World Leaders, Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev and Bill Clinton, Peace Brokers, Mona Juul & Terje Larsen, Rev. Roy Magee, Fr. Alex Reid and Dr. Martin Mansergh and Senator George Mitchell, Aid & Humanitarian Workers, John O'Shea, Bob Geldof, Sr. Ethel Normoyle and Geoff Loane, the late Sen. Gordon Wilson and one of the founders of Amnesty International, and the late Sean McBride and Margaret Hassan.