Scoil Chrónáin Choir play their part in A Nations Voice

Thousands of people including President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny were present in Collins Barracks in Dublin for the concert which featured Seán Ó Riada’s Mise Éire Orchestral Suite, excerpts from The Connemara Suite by Bill Whelan with soloists Helena Wood (violin), Zoë Conway (fiddle), and Colin Dunne (dance percussion), and a massed choir performance of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. It also featured that premiere of One Hundred Years A Nation - a joint work by composer Shaun Davey with text by poet Paul Muldoon.

The concert was presented by the Arts Council and RTÉ, in association with the National Museum of Ireland, the Association of Irish Choirs and Music Generation, as part of Ireland 2016. Conducted by David Brophy, some of the choirs featured singers ranging in age 8-85. Some choirs, like Scoil Chrónáin Choir were formed especially for the occasion.

The concert has been months in the planning and has seen mewmbers of the Scoil Chrónáin Choir rehearse with choral leader Amy Ryan and accompaniest Sam Kavanagh every Friday after school and learn not only the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah but One Hundred Years A Nation completely off by heart! They also atteneded two regional rehearsals in the Helix Theatre and Athlone I.T. with their choral leader Amy Ryan.

RTÉ estimates that 66,000 voluntary hours have gone into the project. Around 25,000 kilometres have been travelled by buses bringing participants to rehearsals, it says.

The show was presented by Miriam O’Callaghan and broadcast live on RTÉ One - you can watch it back on the RTÉ Player here.

Congratulations again to all the members of Scoil Chrónáin Choir who performed on the day! It will definietly be a concert and a day to remember.