Writes Leo McMahon
Carrigaline Gospel Choir will be celebrating its 20th anniversary at 6pm Mass in the Church of Our Lady and St John on Saturday, March 29th and everyone is invited to what promises to be an uplifting and joyous service.
‘We want to give thanks for the wonderful gift of singing and the friendships that have blossomed within the choir. This Mass is a heartfelt acknowledgement of the support from our parish,’ said musical director Sinead Coakley-Murphy who pointed out that Carrigaline Pipe Band will also play a special part in the Mass. Following their weekly 7pm Wednesday night rehearsal in the Parish Centre recently, I spoke to Sinead, chairperson Jackie Cronin and founder members Pauline McCarthy, Marie Claire Healy, Virginia O’Connor and Mary Walsh, (Another founder member is Claire McCormack).
The choir, they told me, was the brainchild of Presentation Sr. Noirin Foster who brought together a group of people who longed to sing gospel music. A meeting was held in the back room of the old Parish Centre in autumn 2005, and there was great encouragement from then parish Priest Canon Bertie O’Mahony.
The first performance at the last Sunday Mass in October 2005, they recalled, took some in the congregation by surprise when they entered via the front door, sang down the aisle at the start and initially performed in front of the Altar. In addition to singing in the Church, Carrigaline Gospel Choir members, over the past two decades, have great memories of harmonising on stage with tenors Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo, soprano Katherine Jenkins and City of Cork Symphony Orchestra and also combining with others in the 100 Gospel Voices Concerts the Gospel Rising Festival. Venues included Musgrave (Virgin Media) Park, City Hall and for fund raisers organised by the local Lions Club in Carrigaline Court Hotel, the church and the band stand in Carrigaline Community Park.
In August 2018, Carrigaline Gospel Choir was part of the massed choir who sang before Pope Francis at Phoenix Park, Dublin and last year, the singers were on stage at Cork Opera House in the revival of ‘Summer Revels’ with the One Voice Choir whom they also travelled to London with to work with choirmaster and broadcaster Gareth Malone.
Every year, the choir performs at Cope Foundation, at ‘Gospel in the Cathedral’ (St Finbarr’s) and before Christmas at Cork Airport to raise money for charity and takes part in Cork International Choral Festival (non-competitive). The choir itself also has some excellent soloists and musicians.
To mark the 10th anniversary in 2015, the choir recorded a CD ‘Joy and Harmony’ in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland.
In October, as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, members will be travelling to the ‘Music Capital of the UK’, Liverpool. The main priority for the choir, the members stressed, was singing in its local church, at 6pm Vigil Mass on the third Saturday of the month (except June, July and August).The members particularly enjoy singing 8pm Mass every Christmas Eve and at Easter Sunday Mass. Sinead, a member for ten years and director for the past two and a half, said people contact her and others asking when and where the choir will be singing. She took the opportunity to thank past and present clergy and sacristans, the parish centre and their friends in the other Parish choirs who regularly support them in various ways. Great friendships have been forged over the years in Carrigaline Gospel Choir which has 42 members. Officers are: Jackie Cronin, chairperson; Fidelma O’Sullivan, secretary; Michelle O’Brien, treasurer and Mary Carmody, PRO. Colin Ross is keyboard player, Sharon Eaton drummer and Jack Eaton, guitar player.
At the end of the busy practice, I spoke to choir member Regina Darcy who said: I’m in the choir 15 years. I love singing. It does my heart and soul good. I might come in with a worry but I come out with a song and more importantly, there’s a lovely vibe and sense of community.’
Alleluia Carrigaline Gospel Choir!.