A Stornoway singer was on stage in Japan when the earthquake struck this morning – but she carried on singing.
Alyth McCormack, who is travelling round the world as part of the farewell tour by Irish traditional band The Chieftains, was doing a soundcheck ahead of the final concert before they headed back to Ireland.
Alyth with the Lady Chieftains
As they were running out of time before the important final gig, Stornoway-born Alyth decided to press on singing the song Carrickfergus as the non-Japanese members of the crew ran for cover and all the chairs and equipment began to move around the hall in Matsumoto in Nagano province.
She said: “It probably hit us about 5.15pm Japan time before the 7pm concert. I wasn’t as aware as everybody else but there was a definite shift in the earth. All the chairs in the auditorium began to move around. I was actually glad to have been singing the song at the time. It took my mind off it.”
The Chieftains and Alyth had been joined on stage by a tribute band of Japanese lady singers who call themselves the Lady Chieftains. Alyth, who is now based in Ireland with her husband Noel Eccles, said that everyone in the Chieftains and the touring party she was with were all accounted for and there were no injuries.
Probably did her apprenticeship singing in the Clachan. So chairs, tables, glasses etc flying through the air wouldn’t faze the lass
Would that be around the time the russian klondykeing fleet was in harbour?