One year after performing in St Peter Basilica in the Vatican, the North Clondalkin Community Choir will sing in St John’s Cathedral, Limerick on March 9. The Choir’s Musical Director, Noel Collins said this is an opportunity for the people of Limerick “to hear the music we performed in the Vatican” during Mass led by Bishop Brendan Leahy.
“The Gospel reading for this coming Sunday recalls the temptation of Jesus in the Desert,” Mr Collins said and continued, “our greatest temptation that we face as a choir is to give up despite the positive difference that music can have in the community and world around us.”
The Music Director said that “music is food for the soul. With the war in Ukraine continuing, the world needs examples of harmony more than ever. Our choir provides a small model of unity that has the potential to send ripples far and wide.”
The choir has currently 63 member and 58 will sing in Limerick on the weekend. Mr Collins said the choir “started after Covid. There was a lot of isolation and loneliness because of the multiple lockdowns.” So they created the choir “to try and bring people together.”
Mr Collins has only realised in the past few years how important it is to have a group to come together sharing their love for music. “How important it is in terms of mental health… And it puts faith into practice, it makes [it] much more interesting and it involves kids and adults. We are an intergenerational community.”
Those interested in joining the choir do not need experience with music. Mr Collins has been a post-primary music teacher for over 20 years and will teach anyone with a passion how to read music sheets. Just email northclondalkincommunitychoir@gmail.com.
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Maranatha 2025 – Cork youth singing with faith
The Maranatha 2025 is happening in Cork this week in Cork City Hall is expecting to gather up to 500 students for a full day of activities, including catechesis and music.
Maranatha is a faith-based day full of high energy music for young people from across the diocese of Cork and Ross attending post-primary schools. The event was created to bring young people together to celebrate their faith through music and have fun together as a community.
The day will lead to a concert happening from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. The concert consists of liturgical and inspirational contemporary music, the doors open at 6.45pm.
