Medleys & Melodies all played to a packed Proms audience - that's a wrap for 2025-2026

It was a delight to see our first billboard on the Dublin Road into Cavan for the past few weeks. We finally presented our show in the Hotel Kilmore on Tuesday evening to a packed house - the most appreciative audience we could have asked for.

We had one choir, two orchestras, two bands, and in a new bold move - some dancers. We are used to singing with our musical director Eileen Tackney and our accompanist Sue Donohoe; on this occasion we had to build our stage AND an orchestra pit, as both of Sue's orchestras - the Sinfonia and the Youth orchestra, were joining us. We also had a wee trad band as well as our 'forever' favourite band of Peter (guitar), Paul (drums), and Jim (bass), joined on this occasion by John lending us some string sounds on the keyboard.

Eileen is our inspiration, and she and Sue put together a programme to challenge us and delight the audience. The choir and the musicians perfomed seperately and together, Eileen and Sue changing roles gracefully and seamlessly. Evin O'Meara also conducted the orchestras; our bass Hugh Tunney made us proud as he sang several solo pieces with the orchestras. In our own performaces we were also led by individual members of the choir, as listed beow in the programme list. In a surprise move this year, Eileen chose a piece wich called for dance moves and body percussion, so the plywood was added to the stage floor, the set dancing shoes were donned, and the audience was treated to a dozen dancing dames 'breaking it down'. Huh!

This concert was a great collaboration of talents from the community - the combination of voices with full orchestra was a thrill for us in the choir. At the end of the evening, as our chair Brian McKeever paid tribute to Eileen and Sue he also thanked all who had supported us in our work to make the concert happen - all listed below - and most imortantly for us, the audience; he ended with an invitation to  people to consider joining us, espeically if they were tenors :)

So the now stage is packed away, accounts are settled, the choir is resting for the summer ... but the committee never sleeps ... they meet next week to tie up the last few threads and sow the seeds of plans for 2026-2027!

Eileen Tackney, Musical Director

The Sound of Music - Medleys & Melodies

Cavan Singers Summers Proms

@ Hotel Kilmore May 12th 2026 8pm

Cavan Singers :: Musical Director - Eileen Tackney, Accompanist - Sue Donohoe

Cavan Sinfonia Orchestra & Cavan Youth Orchestra
Musical Director - Sue Donohoe, Conductor Evin O’Meara

Act One

✼✼ CAVAN SINGERS ✼✼

COME FLY WITH ME

Lyrics - Sammy Kahn; music - James van Huesen; arr. Kirby Shaw

featuring Hugh Tunney

AUTUMN LEAVES

Lyrics - Johnny Mercer; music Joseph Kosma; arr. Ryan O’Connell

JOLENE

Lyrics & music - Dolly Parton; arr. Mark Brymer

featuring Irene Dunwoody

✼✼ CAVAN SINFONIA ORCHESTRA & CAVAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA ✼✼

COLONEL BOGEY

Composer - Kenneth J. Alford

DUBLIN DANCES

Traditional Irish melodies; arr. Jan Van der Roost

MY WAY

Lyrics - G. Thibaut, C. François, Paul Anka; Music - J. Reveaux; arr. Damian Montalto      

    Solo Hugh Tunney

LOVE’S BEEN GOOD TO ME

Lyrics & music - Rod McKuen; arr. Sue Donohoe

Solo Hugh Tunney

I AM I SAID

Lyrics & music - Neil Diamond

Solo Hugh Tunney, Conductor Evin O’Meara

PALLADIO

Composer - Karl Jenkins; arr. Sue Donohoe

Conductor Evin O’Meara

JUPITER (The Planets Suite)

Composer - Gustav Holst; arr. Sue Donohoe

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

Composer - Hans Zimmer; arr. Klaus Badelt

✼✼ INTERVAL ✼*

Act Two

✼✼ CAVAN SINGERS ✼✼

THE SOUND OF MUSIC medley

Lyrics - Oscar Hammerstein; music - Richard Rodgers; arr. John Leavitt

FOR GOOD (Wicked)

Lyrics & Music - Stephen Schwartz

Duet Jennifer Entee & Maria Battigelli

VILIA (The Merry Widow)

Lyrics Adrian Ross; music Franz Lehar; arr. H. M. Higgs

Solo Pauline Brady

BENDEMEER’S STREAM

Lyrics - Thomas Moore; music traditional Irish; arr. Alfred Scott Gatty

Solo Brian McKeever

SIÚIL A RÚIN

Traditional Irish song; arr. Michael McGlynn

featuring Áine Duffy, Jennifer Entee & Maria Battigelli

AMY’S TUNE

Music - Eileen Tackney; arr. Eileen Tackney

Uilleann Pipes Keenan Smith, Fiddle Niamh Kelly, Bodhrán Evin O’Meara

DANCE!

Lyrics, music & dance direction - Robert T. Gibson

✼✼ CAVAN SINGERS with CAVAN SINFONIA ORCHESTRA & CAVAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA ✼✼

CANTILENA

Lyrics & music - Karl Jenkins

BENEDICTUS (The Armed Man)

Lyrics & music - Karl Jenkins

Viola Sue Donohoe

ADIEMUS

Lyrics & music - Karl Jenkins; arr. Nicholas Hare

MARY POPPINS medley

Lyrics & music - Richard Sherman, Robert Sherman; arr. John Leavitt

✼✼ FINALE✼✼ 

Some lovely pictures here were taken during the evening, thanks to Paul Cox.

[Official pictures of the perfomance are still being processed, we will upload them later]

::Cavan Singers wish to thank each person who played their part in this production::

Organising Committee

Brian McKeever, Brid Brady, Carmel Gaffney, Darragh Hourihane, Dermot McMonagle, Fidelma Sheridan, Fiona Flynn, Mags Amond, Orla O’Sullivan

Cavan Singers Musical Director Eileen Tackney Accompanist Sue Donohoe Alto Aedine Browne, Áine Sullivan, Ben Charles, Carmel Gaffney, Catherine Maguire, Dollé Cullivan, Janice Robertson, Mairéad Conaty, Mary Haren, Orla O’Sullivan, Pamela Young, Phyllis McMonagle, Rachael Cullivan, Yvette von Cramon Bass Brian Derham, Brian McKeever, Dermot McMonagle, Hugh Tunney, Jan van Haaster, Kevin O’Connor Soprano Áine Duffy, Angela Costello, Angie Flynn, Anne Smith, Bríd Brady, Fiona Flynn, Fidelma Sheridan, Gay Fannon, Jenny McEntee, Laura McQuaid, Liz Murray, Lucilla O’Hanlon, Maria Battigelli, Mary Sullivan, Mary Lou Reilly, Nora Kennedy, Paula O’Neill, Pauline Brady, Priscilla Gorman, Rita Cullen, Sheila Cooney, Tina Farrelly Tenor Brian McGill, Carmel Lewis, Ciarán Tackney, Darragh Hourihane, Irene Dunwoody, Mags Amond

The Band Guitar Peter Denton Bass Jim Kelly Keyboard John Kelly Drums Paul Cox

Cavan Sinfonia Orchestra Musical Director Sue Donohoe Musicians Helena Brady, Aedine Browne, Shane Cavanagh, Gerry Darcy, Eithne Doyle, Irene Dunwoody, Áine Duffy, Maureen Gaffney, Mary Haren, Marie Henry, Jennifer Jones, Jim Kelly, Niamh Kelly, Carmel Lewis, Tony McMahon, David Mulligan, Sinéad O’Ferral, Evin O’Meara, Paula O’Neill, Margaret Rose Traynor, Fidelma Sheridan, Ashley Wynn, Anette Ziemann

Cavan Youth Orchestra Musical Director Sue Donohoe 
Co Conductors Sue Donohoe & Evin O’Meara 
Musicians Hendrik Altenhoefer, Leo Brandt, Caoimhín Cryan, Christopher King, Vivienne King, Marie Koci, Odhrán McKiernan, Conall McManus, Genieve McManus, Jay Newman, Cian O’Maol Tuile, Dónal O’Meara, Niamh O’Meara, Jamie Smith

Sound & Light Vincent Macklin

Cavan Singers appreciate the generosity of our many volunteer supporters

Backstage & Set John Conlon, Brian Derham, Brian McKeever, Kevin O'Connor, Leon Lynch, Sue Dononoe

Front of House Andrew Fannon, Colman Smith, Dermot McMonagle

Orchestra Organisation & Support Ashley Gordon, Maureen Gaffney, Sinéad O'Ferral of CSO; Nuala Gordon, Zoe Wells of CYO

Tickets Sales Cavan Gifts - Eddie Coleman, Liz Murray; Hotel Kilmore reception staff

Publicity Abbeyset; Anglo Celt Newspaper; Mel's Signs

Raffle Prize Donors Absolute Jewellry, Café Mana, Cavan Crystal Hotel, Cavan Gifts, Dunnes Stores, Hotel Kilmore, House of Fabric, Latté Da café, D & P McMonagle, Peoples Restaurant, Shades Restaurant

Last term rehearsals for out summer proms concert

Here we go - poster is ready - rehearsals are in full swing - don't miss it!

A wonderful evening in Rockcorry on Friday March 27th 2026

 

Front page of our programme, design by Abbeyset Cavan

Many thanks to Rockcorry Community Development Assocation for inviting us to perform in St Mary's Church at a fundraiser for their local community. Pascal Smyth and his committee treated us royally, sending a bus to collect and deliver us to and from Cavan, providing "green room" hospitality, making the church made as atmospheric as any concert hall, and filled the house with a most appreciative audience. It is alway lovely to see an audience reacting to the lyrics and the music - and no better folk than Monaghan folk to know good music when they hear it. 

This was our programme ... we are so proud that all our solos and duets came from choir members. We are lucky as ever to have Eileen Tackney and Sue Donohue directing and accompanying us. 

Act One

LOOK AT THE WORLD
PILGRIM SONG
NOEL
CAN'T HELP FALLING
COME FLY WITH ME
THE SOUND OF MUSIC medley

THE PRAYER
MY WAY
THE ROSARY

 Act Two

ONE MORE DAY
BOTH SIDES NOW
VILIA

NINE HUNDRED MILES
CANTAR!
ADIEMUS
VIVA LA VIDA
MARY POPPINS medley
JOSHUA                      

We now go back into rehearsal for our next outing on Tuesday May 12th in the Kilmore Hotel, our annual 'proms' concert, The Sound of Music - Medleys & Melodies

Getting ready to return to Rockcorry

We are rehearsing now for our next Concert - in St Mary's Church in Rockcorry Co. Monaghan, on Friday March 27th at 8pm, we will perform at the invitation of the Rockcorry Community Development Association. They are a vibrant group with serious plans in mind for their village - all is laid out on their website rockcorry.ie

We have a program of full choral pieces, and 6 solo and duet performances from members of our choir. There is a mix of classical, popular, traditional, and sacred music, in a programme arranged by our Musical Director Eileen Tackney.

As a community choir we like to sing in various venues - the last time we sang in Rockcorry was an informal Christmas Carols lperformance many many years ago with our then Director Fr Charlie O'Gorman, in McCormick's pub, at the invitation of Eileen McCormick!

The poster below has details of how to get tickets, and how to reach the venue. See you there.

[text: RCDA presents Cavan Singers, Friday 27 March, St Mary's Church Rockcorry, H18XF88 at 8pm sharp. Tickets 25Euro, available in Coyle's Shop, Fitzpatrick's Bar, or call 0868161028]

Supporting HUGG and SVP in Cavan

Thanks to the generosity of shoppers who heard us singing at the Christmas Market on December 13th, our buckets were filled with hundreds of euro. We were happy to donate the proceeds of Carol Singing to two local voluntary groups, handing over a cheque for 500 each to representatives of Hugg and St Vincent de Paul. Both groups support people in need, and we are grateful for their service to the community.

Photograph courtesy of Anglo Celt newspaper

left to right: Brian McKeever (Chair), Joseph McCabe and Patricia Smith (HUGG), Bríd Brady (Treasurer), Dermot McMonagle PRO.

A busy December end to 2025

We had three seasonal outings in Decmember with our Musical Director Eileen Tackney and Accompanist Sue Donohue.

Church of Ireland, Cavan Town, Sunday December 7th

We have sung at the Church of Ireland annual Christmas service every years since the late 80s. Although the Nativivity Play was sadly missed this year, we appreciated the recent and ongoing refurbishment of the building.

Cathedral of SS Patrick & Felim, Cavan Town, Wednesday December 10th

The annual carol servive in the Cathedral invites us to join with the Cathedral Choir and the choirs from the schools of the town - Breifne, Loreto, St. Patrick's Colleges and the Royal School - to sign together. For our offering at both occassions we sang the pieces we had been rehearsing since September:

And The Glory of the Lord, from Messiah (Handel), organist Louis McEntee

Noel, (Redman), soloist Maria Battigelli 

Carols at the Christmas Market, Saturday December 15th, 1pm-3pm

Every year we apply for permission from Cavan County Council and An Garda Síochana to sing and collect money from the public in aid of a local or national charity. This year we had the company of Santa Claus who had his naughty and nice book for the children of families who stopped to talk to him and get selfies. We also had our accompaist Sue hidden under an awning to protect her from the weather. Despite the awful weather, the public were very generous. 

Our nominated causes were

1.Society of St Vincent de Paul, Cavan and

2. HUGG Suicide Bereavement Support Group, Cavan

Official donation bucket labels

Santa & the Elves - Bríd, Tony, Trish, Mags, & Mary

We had our last rehearsal of 2025 on Tuesday December 16th in the Hotel Kilmore [working on some of the medleys for our 2016 repertoire] followed by a quiet end-of-year cuppa and chat. Wishing everyone a lovely break, and looking forward to resuming rehearsals together on Tuesday January 13th 2026.

Cavan Public Participation Network Winter Community Gathering in Ballyconnell

We were invited to sing at the Winter Community Gathering of the Cavan Public Participation Network on Friday November 7th. It was also the first event at the beautifully refurbished Market House in Ballyconnell town. As the venue was small, we were a reduced choir. The audience was very appreciative. Thank you to Daniel, Finian, and Aisling of PPN for organising the evebt and including us.

We sang

1 Cantar

2 Can't Help Falling in Love With You

3 My Wales Home (solo Brian McKeever)

4 Viva La Vida

Pictured below with our Musical Directors and Accompanist Sue Donohoe (l to r) are:

Alto

Pamela Young, Phyllis McMonagle, Ben Charles, Yvette von Cramon, Mary Haren

Bass

Jan van Haster, Dermot McMonagle, Brian McKeever 

Tenor

Mags Amond, Darragh Hourihan, Carmel Lewis

Soprano

Angela Cosgrove, Bríd Brady, Nora Kennedy, Lucilla O'Hanlon, Pauline Brady, Áine Duffy