# CMAT joins Philomena Begley on stage in surprise appearance

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/cmat-joins-philomena-begley-on-stage-in-surprise-appearance/
- Published: 2026-11-12T12:06:28+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T22:12:34+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Entertainment (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm1dv7v4x0z2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Entertainment

## Key points

- CMAT surprised the audience by joining Philomena Begley on stage.
- Begley received a Lifetime Achievement Award for 64 years in music.
- They performed “Blanket on the Ground” at the NI Music Prize.

## Summary

Pop singer CMAT made a surprise appearance at the NI Music Prize in Belfast, joining Philomena Begley to perform “Blanket on the Ground”. The moment celebrated Begley receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for a career spanning 64 years, bringing together two generations of Irish music.

The ceremony marked the prize’s 15th anniversary at Ulster Hall, with broadcaster Hugo Duncan presenting Begley’s award. Begley’s version of “Blanket on the Ground” reached number five in the Irish charts in 1975; the song remains one of her best-known performances. Organisers described the duet as a special moment, following CMAT’s earlier public tribute to Begley.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.