"In the Bleak Mid-Winter"

There were rumours of a strange new Santa-type monster stalking the Town Square in Cavan on Dec 14th, rattling a bucket! Ah, but those 'in the know' who will tell you it was our intrepid Treasurer Dr Áine Sullivan (alto) who wanted to ensure the dreadful weather did not reduce donations at our street Carol Singing in aid of St Vincent de Paul. Check the Met Office report for the day if you have doubts - anyone who braved this weather to sing deserves a medal, or at least a mince pie! Well done to all, not least Áine, and especially our (truly adaptable) accompanist Eileen Tackney.

"The Joy of Christmas" - Cavan Cathedral Carol Concert 2013

In the mildest winter weather for many a year, we joined in the seasonal celebrations in Cavan Cathedral, where our former Chair (and bass) Fr. Kevin Donohoe is currently the ADM. This is the program for the evening, which was attended by a large appreciative congregation. It was great to be part of such a wonderful evening.

Entrance - All choirs - O Come All Ye Faithful
Words of Welcome - Fr Kevin
Lighting of Candles - Youth of the Parish

Cathedral Choir
So Many Stars
God Rest You Merry Gentlemen

Cavan Singers
Coventry Carol
Advent Carol

Cavan Sinfonia
The Snowman
Silent Night

Claire O'Reilly & Brian McKeever
Still A Bach Christmas

Priests of the Parish - Fr Ultan, Fr Darragh, Fr Kevin
Gabriel's Message

Cathedral Choir & Cavan Singers
Soloists - Carmel O'Donoghue and Martina Lee Boyle
O Holy Night

St Patrick's College Choir
When Christ was born in Bethlehem

St Patrick's College Ensemble
Soloist - Andrew Molloy
Christmas Rhapsody

Recessioanl - All choirs
Hard the Herald Angels Sing
Joy to the World

It's a "Midwife Crisis"

On an unseasonably mild Sunday evening we joined the congregation in the Church of Ireland Cavan for their annual Carol Service. As Rev Mark Lidwill said in his welcome address, we have been doing this for almost our entire 30 year history. One of the delights of this occassion each year is the Nativity play produced and presented by the teachers and students of Cavan No1 school. This year it was called "A Midwife Crisis" and it was brilliant. Our soloists this year were Brian Mc Keever (bass) and Pauline Brady (soprano), we were accompanied on the organ by Eileen Tackney and conducted by our Musical Director Sue King.


(Tonight we cross the road to sing with the Cathedral and St. Pat's choirs in the Cathedral Carol Service.)

Yesterday at 11am, in Newtownforbes Church, we sang for our late former Musical Director Winnie Hughes, along with The Longford County Choir and their conductor and organist Fintan Farrelly. We sang together pieces she had conducted in Cavan Singers and pieces she had sung with Longford County Choir - Locus Iste, the Alleluia from Mozart's Exsultate, Jubilate, Caccini's Ave Maria and the Benedictus from The Armed Man. We listened to Leonard Cohen and the Webb Sisters sing the prayer If It Be Your Will. It was very sad, but also very lovely to be invited by Winnie's family to take part in her funeral Mass. Our sympathies are with them, and they will be in our thoughts each time we remember Winnie.
To remind us of the happy times, read again Mary Haren's post about the trip to Barcelona in 2008, and watch us singing there with Winnie.

Song of Jupiter - Where W'ere You Walk

"Tis the Season..."

We began our Christmas season by singing along with the launch of the Cavan Town lights by the Cavan Ladies Football Team (and Santa of course) this afternoon. Well done all.

ps - the Drumlin Media live broadcast can be accessed here!!

Hallowe'en to Christmas is going to be very very busy...

We have a very busy schedule between now and Christmas - as well as recording some Carols for RTE LyricFM on Nov 14th, we will be performing both Carols and Sacred music as follows...

Sat Nov 30th - Cavan Town Square, Turning on the Christmas Lights

Sun Dec 8th - Church of Ireland, Carol Service

Wed Dec 11th - Cavan Cathedral, Carol Service with Cathedral Choir

Sat Dec 14th - Cavan Town, Carol Singing in aid of St Vincent de Paul

Tue Dec 17th - Hotel Kilmore for our AGM and Christmas Party

Thur Dec 19th - Croke Park Dublin, "Stars, Carols & Choirs" World Record Charity Carol Service

Sat Dec 21st - morning in Hotel Kilmore singing carols for the Oncology Unit, Cavan General Hospital

Sun Dec 22nd - Cavan Baptist Church, Carol Service

(And as if that wasn't enough, our friends in Cavan Sinfonia are playing the Ramor Theatre in Virgina on Dec 7th at 8.30pm, guest singer John O'Grady.)

Cavan Singers / Fermanagh Concert Band "Duet" Part II

The "return match" in Cavan Crystal Hotel on Friday October 18th went very well and the Cavan audience was as gracious in their applause and appreciation as had been the Fermanagh one. We have enjoyed our collaboration with the FCB, a talented and generous group with whom we hope to work again with in the future. Because this project has been Peace III funded, we were able to invite lots of friends who support us in all our ventures.

(btw FCB are very prolific and talented photographers - lots of great pics shared via the FCB FaceBook photostream)

We have a very busy schedule between now and Christmas - as well as recording some Carols for RTE LyricFM, we will be performing both Carols and Sacred music as follows...

Sun Dec 8th - Church of Ireland, Carol Service
Wed Dec 11th - Cavan Cathedral, Carol Service with Cathedral Choir
Thur Dec 19th - Croke Park Dublin, "Stars, Carols & Choirs" World Record Charity Carol Service
Sat Dec 14th - Cavan Town, afternoon Carol Singing
Sat Dec 21sy - Oncology Unit Carol Service, Hotel Kilmore
Sun Dec 22nd - Cavan Baptist Church, Carol Service

Date for Lyric recording to be confirmed, and the most important date of all is Tuesday December 17th - our AGM and Christmas Party combined.