Manchester Irish Festival performer to feature in Coronation Street

From Tony Hennigan

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Manchester Irish Festival performer to feature in Coronation Street

One of the performers at this years’ Manchester Irish Festival has won himself a six episode stint in Coronation Street. Accomplished Irish actor and singer songwriter Kieran Cunningham is to appear in the world famous soap in front of an estimated 14 million people on Friday 12 March. Levenshulme’s Union Inn Irish Music venue where Kieran is a regular performer is holding a two day Kieran’s on Corrie Party to mark the actors debut and the St Patrick’s weekend celebrations. On Friday the 12 March they will screen the episode live and then follow it up with a live traditional Irish Music night with Liverpool’s premier Irish band Innisfree. Then on Saturday Kieran will be performing his regular Saturday night spot at the venue with his band Quare Craic. The two day party is just one of the numerous free tradfest events which take place in Levenshulme village for the annual Irish Festival which is home to the biggest Irish community outside of London.

Kieran has been asked to perform the part of a new character called Dave Bonsall an Adult Education Officer alongside John Stape (Graeme Hawley). When asked about how he felt about appearing in the legendary TV series Kieran who was born in Newry in County Down said “I am really excited about the part they have given me. It was very daunting walking into the Green room for the first time, but they were all very welcoming and put me at ease straight away.”

Levenshulme seems to be earning itself as a bit of a celebrity hang out with both Coronation Street’s Graeme Hawley who plays Richard Snape in the soap and the TV comedian Jason Mansford recently setting up home in the area. A number of the Coronation Street cast popped into the Union Irish Music venue over Christmas for a celebratory drink and Keith Duffy who has made a welcome return to the series has been spotted behind the bar pulling pints of Guinness.

Kieran is a regular performer in the annual Manchester Irish Festival both as an actor where he starred in the award winning Irish play ‘The Flags’ at the Royal Exchange and in his role of Irish singer songwriter. This is not his first part in a TV soap, last year he was filming Emmerdale on Saint Patrick’s day itself and he has also been featured in Shameless and Hollyoaks, as well as RTE’s Fair City which is seen as Ireland’s very own Coronation Street.