Hitting the perfect note in Roscrea

Roscrea Community Choir's 25th anniversary event

Roscrea Community Choir held its 25th anniversary celebratory festive-themed concert ‘Christmas Joy’ on Saturday, December 9, in the Church of Ireland, Roscrea.

With a varied programme including guest artists Yvonne O'Toole, Soprano, VOICE academy by Yvonne O'Toole, the Midland String Quartet and the Roscrea Cistercian College Choir singers; the performances delighted the packed audience with carols and seasonal classics, newer favourites and beautiful instrumentals.

MC Seamus Mullaney welcomed all to enjoy the second event of our 25th anniversary celebratory revival year, having held a commemorative dinner and presentation night in October last, at which revivors Mary Ryan, the late Terri Horan and musical director Lucy McCarthy were honoured. Lucy retired as musical director of the choir last July after an incredible 25 years of outstanding commitment. We are blessed that William Cullagh joined our choir as musical director and accompanist last September and had diligently prepared the choir for this night of seasonal music in the beautifully decorated Church of Ireland.

The repertoire included a selection of traditional carols and a sprinkling of more unfamiliar contemporary seasonal songs and hymns including ‘The First Noel’, Vivaldi's ‘Gloria’, John Rutter's ‘Look at the World’, ‘Christmas Lullaby’ and ‘Somewhere in my memory’, to name but a few. The Cistercian College Roscrea choir singers joined the choir for the concert.

The Midland String Quartet delighted with Mozart's ‘DK136’ and their jazzy version of the popular ‘Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree’, with the heavenly acoustics of the church perfectly highlighting the music. The Quartet also accompanied the choir and the other guest artists with great aplomb!

Yvonne O'Toole's VOICE academy pupils treated us all with their lovely Christmas selection programme including ‘Snowman’ by Sia, Keane's ‘Somewhere We Know’ and the Picture This group's hit song ‘This Christmas’. They brought a smile and magic to this atmospheric night!

Cistercian College Roscrea’s Boys Choir thrilled the audience with the beautiful Ukrainian Bell Carol and the harmonious Irish carol ‘Codail Iosagáin’ with Macdara Fitzpatrick soloist, David Purcell thrilling with ‘Holy City’ accompanied by the community and college choirs.

The audience were encouraged to join in with the combined choirs, including the VOICE academy with a selection of Christmas songs, before Yvonne O'Toole 's showstopper ‘O Holy Night’, accompanied by the choirs at the end of the concert. Indeed, Yvonne O'Toole, soprano, gave us moments of pure brilliance with magical performances of ‘Walking in the Air’, ‘The Prayer’ and the ceiling-lifting ‘O Holy Night’.

MANY THANKS

Roscrea Community Choir extends its sincere thanks to all who contributed in various ways to help stage this wonderful celebratory concert especially the Rev Jane Galbraith and the Church of Ireland vestry for allowing us to host our ‘Christmas Joy’concert in the Roscrea Church of Ireland. Huge thanks also to the following: The Roscrea Lions Club who planned and organised the logistics for the concert to the highest standard and provided our highly efficient front of house team and stewards.

To the Order of Malta who were on hand on the night for the safety of all and to the Church of Ireland Community members and choir members and committee who helped prepare the church and organise decorations and raffle hampers. As you can appreciate, months of hard work on behalf of the committee and choir members was needed to pull off such a big event!

To Seamus Mullaney for his great work as MC and to Lumatech light and sound systems who illuminated the church beautifully and balanced the sound and music so well. To Andrew Walsh for the choir acknowledgements at the end of the concert. To photographers Brian Redmond and PJ Wright for the lovely photographs on the night.

A special thanks to our guest artists Yvonne O'Toole Soprano, VOICE academy by Yvonne O'Toole, the Midland String Quartet and the Cistercian College Roscrea Boys Choir and soloists David Purcell and Macdara Fitzpatrick.

We greatly appreciate our musical director William Cullagh for his vision, planning and direction over the past few months, ensuring the great success of our ‘Christmas Joy’ concert.

A special presentation cheque for €1,000 was presented on the night by Andrew Walsh, on behalf of the choir to Liam Spooner, Roscrea Lions Club president to aid the enormous work done by the Roscrea Lions club in the locality.