A MUSICAL is hitting the high notes on stage in Salisbury to mark the centenary of one of the pivotal events in Irish history – the 1916 Easter Rising.

Ireland’s Call is an adaptation of the critically acclaimed show Essence of Ireland and comes to City Hall on Saturday, March 5, 7.30pm, as part of a UK tour.

Inspired by true events and spanning three decades, the musical tells the story of one man’s love for his Irish homeland.

The story follows the extraordinary journey of the strong-headed Sean Dempsey, who at the end of the Second World War leaves behind his childhood sweetheart Cora and his beloved homeland Ireland, in search of a better life in the Big Apple.

Creative director Ged Graham believes 2016 is the perfect time to launch the show.

He said: “We are really looking forward to bringing the show to stages across the world, starting with some of the UK’s most prestigious venues in 2016, a year set to be a huge celebration of Irish culture to commemorate the centenary of The Easter Rising.”

On Easter Monday in 1916, members of the Irish Volunteers and the Citizen’s Army occupied buildings in Dublin and proclaimed an Irish Republic. The rebellion was quashed after six days by the British Army.

For Irish nationalists, Easter 1916 signalled a rebirth of a nation — a key event leading to Sinn Fein’s landslide victory in 1918, the war of independence against Britain (1919 – 1921), and the creation of the Irish Free State.

Ged Graham was born in the Liberties in Dublin and remembers moving to the UK when he was nine years old.

He said: “Everyone has been separated from loved ones and their homes at some point in their lives, so this is a story that people can really engage with and relate to, myself included. The audience is drawn in to the story and swept on a journey that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

“It is set against a backdrop of key historical events including America’s introduction to rock and roll, the rebuilding of London post World War two and John F Kennedy’s historic Presidential visit to Ireland in 1963. It’s a story full of emotional highs and lows.”

Ireland’s Call features a mix of original scores and well-known songs such as Galway Girl, Isle of Hope Isle Of Tears, I Loved Her First, Tell Me Ma, and Irish Rover.

Tickets are available by calling the box office on 01722 434434 or online at cityhallsalisbury.co.uk