Michael O’Donoghue has been a member of St. Mary’s Choral Society, Clonmel since 1971 when he joined for their production of "La Vie Parisienne". He began directing for the society a few years later. Well known the length and breadth of the country as a gifted director and choreographer, Michael has directed for Dungarvan, Newbridge, Nenagh, Fethard, Kilkenny, Naas, Tipperary and Ennistymon. He is also a founder member of Tipperary Musical Society and was made an Honorary Life Member of TMS at their 25th Anniversary Ball in November 2005.

Michael has won the AIMS Best Director award on numerous occasions, including awards for "Man of La Mancha" and "Guys ’N’ Dolls" for Clonmel and "Fiddler On The Roof" and "Oliver!" with Tipperary. He also won the Best Choreographer award for "Man of La Mancha" which swept the boards at the AIMS awards in 1989, including winning the award for Best Overall Show. Michael also received a Choreography nomination for Clonmel’s "Iolanthe" in 1985 and a Best Amateur Director nomination at the 47th Waterford Festival of Light Opera for Clonmel’s "The Pirates Of Penzance".

Michael is known as a man of many parts - Jud Fry in "Oklahoma!", Emile De Becque in "South Pacific", Stephen Foster in "Oh! Susanna", Taboret in "The Vagabond King", Bizzard in "The Count of Luxembourg", Frank the Prison Governor in "Die Fledermaus", Baron Zeta in "The Merry Widow", Sergeant of the Police in "The Pirates of Penzance", Colonel Pickering in "My Fair Lady" and Ebenezer Scrooge in "Scrooge" are just a few of the many roles he has played over the years.

He has directed "The Pirates of Penzance" for Ennistymon Musical Society and "Show Boat" for St. Mary’s, Clonmel, in which he played the role of Joe.

Each year Michael directs the High School/Presentation School musical in Clonmel and in May of last year Michael was the recipient of the Vodafone "Passion for the World Around Us" award for his work over the last 28 years with school musicals. He was also created Vice-President of St. Mary’s Choral Society last June in recognition of his long commitment and service to the society.

A member of Thurles Musical Society, Noel Dundon is the AIMS Programme Adjudicator again this year, having been the programme editor with Thurles for more than a decade now. A journalist by profession, he has been on stage with Thurles for many years and played a number of roles in various shows, including "Show Boat", "Parade", "Ragtime", "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "Crazy For You". Noel also acts as PRO for Thurles Musical Society and was Runner-Up in the Best Programme category of the AIMS Awards in 2003 for the Camelot programme.

Noel really enjoyed the experience of being Programme Adjudicator last year and was lavish in his praise for all those who work so hard to ensure that the programmes are of a high standard, informative and attractive for patrons. Noel is also involved in programme production in Semple Stadium, Thurles through his role as GAA correspondant - he is heavily in involved in GAA at club level and is still playing the native games.

Noel is married to Brid and has two daughters, Cathy and Eve, both of whom are regular attendees at the show.