{"id":563382,"date":"2026-07-22T23:51:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T23:51:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/563382\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T23:51:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T23:51:23","slug":"nashville-songwriters-set-for-tipperary-song-contest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/563382\/","title":{"rendered":"Nashville songwriters set for Tipperary song contest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three Nashville-based songwriters have qualified for the final of the 2026 Tipperary International Song of Peace.<\/p>\n

Leslie Bowe, who is originally from Pennsylvania, South African native Ceri Earle, and Don Gnecco from Georgia will compete in the event alongside Irish songwriters on 20th August, at Templeneiry Old Church, Bansha, Co. Tipperary.<\/p>\n

Hosted by the Tipperary Peace Convention, the Tipperary International Song of Peace is an annual cultural competition that invites original songs celebrating themes like love, harmony, and hope.<\/p>\n

\"Cristina
\nCristina Movileanu<\/p>\n

The Tipperary Peace Award was founded in 1984 to recognise people who promote the ideals of peace and peaceful co-operation both in Ireland and abroad. Previous winners have included former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, US politician John Kerry, and former US President Bill Clinton.<\/p>\n

The final of the Song of Peace will once again also feature the final of the Darby Ryan International Poetry Contest, honouring the legacy of the Bansha poet Darby Ryan and showcasing original poetry from writers in Ireland and abroad.<\/p>\n

The 2026 Finalists are:<\/p>\n

Cristina Movileanu and Keith McLoughlin (Ireland) – Something’s On My Mind<\/p>\n

\"Keith
\nKeith McLoughlin<\/p>\n

Originally from Moldova and now based in Ireland, Cristina is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. She composed the music for Something’s On My Mind, with lyrics by Dublin songwriter and broadcaster Keith McLoughlin. Their song “highlights the importance of honest communication as a pathway to healing, understanding and peace.”<\/p>\n

Leslie Bowe (USA) – Imagine If<\/p>\n

\"Keith
\nKeith McLoughlin<\/p>\n

Nashville-based songwriter Leslie Bowe co-wrote Imagine If with Scott Voelkerding and Steve Smentek.<\/p>\n

Frank O’Dea (Ireland) – Peace Beneath the Olive Trees<\/p>\n

\"Frank
\nFrank O’Dea<\/p>\n

Dublin songwriter Frank O’Dea brings more than three decades of songwriting experience to the contest. Performed by Dave Gleeson, his song “uses the olive tree as a timeless symbol of hope and unity, inspired by the human cost of conflict in the Middle East.”<\/p>\n

Ceri Earle (USA) – Peace of Mind<\/p>\n

Originally from South Africa and now based in Nashville, Ceri Earle co-wrote Peace of Mind with Corben Champoux and Alayna Kowal. Inspired by today’s global conflicts, “the song reminds us that lasting peace begins within each individual.”<\/p>\n

Gerry O’Brien (Ireland) – This Moment<\/p>\n

\"Gerry
\nGerry O’Brien<\/p>\n

Nenagh, Co. Tipperary songwriter Gerry O’Brien has spent a lifetime writing and performing music. Inspired by the sudden loss of a close friend, This Moment “celebrates life’s simple pleasures and reminds us to treasure every day.”<\/p>\n

Don Gnecco (USA) – Together We Are One<\/p>\n

\"Don
\nDon Gnecco<\/p>\n

Award-winning songwriter Don Gnecco, from Demorest, Georgia, has performed at major events and recorded on numerous albums. His song “celebrates the power of unity, cooperation and mutual respect in building a more peaceful world.<\/p>\n

Speaking ahead of the final, Martin Quinn, Honorary Secretary of the Tipperary Peace Convention, said: “The Tipperary International Song of Peace continues to demonstrate that music is one of the world’s most powerful forces for bringing people together.<\/p>\n

“This year’s finalists have produced songs that inspire hope, compassion and understanding at a time when those values are needed more than ever. It would not be possible to showcase our songwriters and performers without the valued support of IMRO.<\/p>\n

“Together with the Darby Ryan International Poetry Contest, the final promises to be a memorable celebration of creativity, cultural heritage and our shared commitment to peace. We warmly invite everyone to join us in Bansha for what promises to be a very special evening.”<\/p>\n

Tickets for the finals are available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Three Nashville-based songwriters have qualified for the final of the 2026 Tipperary International Song of Peace. Leslie Bowe,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":563383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[93,61,60],"class_list":["post-563382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=563382"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563382\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/563383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=563382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=563382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=563382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}