Colmcille choir celebrating Golden Jubilee

“Camaraderie” was the refrain on the lips of every member of the Colmcille choir enjoying their Golden Jubilee (plus two) civic reception in Derry’s Guildhall.

Hosting the ebullient event on Friday evening, Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Sandra Duffy, described the Colmcille choir as “one of the finest throughout Ireland”.

Mayor Duffy then presented the choir’s musical director, Sheila Carlin, with a piece of commemorative crystal.

Speaking to Derry Now, Colmcille choir matriarch, Ursula Clifford, encouraged anyone with an interest in singing to think about joining.

“We would definitely welcome new members,” said Ursula. “Just come along to the First Derry Presbyterian Church any Wednesday between 8.30pm and 10pm. You will find us rehearsing in the church hall.”

According to Ursula, the iconic Colmcille choir was founded by the then Fr Edward Daly in November 1970.

“He was interested in rejuvenating the city centre, particularly St Columb’s Hall,” said Ursula. Then, Mr Patrick Carlin, who had volunteered as well, held auditions. He decided he would just have the women, so that was how the Colmcille choir evolved.

“Bishop Daly was our patron and encouraged us in everything. He was insistent we would always rehearse in St Columb’s Hall because its constitution, which I have read, is written on a parchment scroll, said it should be used for the ‘promotion of Irish culture’.

“Fr Con McLaughlin, who used to be incharge of the Hall, even travelled with us when we were singing in Rome and Wales.”

Ursula recalled the names of some of the original members of the Colmcille choir: Angela Morrison, Anne Gallagher, Breedge O’Connell, Marge Doherty, Agnes Doherty, Pat McGuinness, Grace McGuinness and Mary Coyle.

“Then you had the young ones,” she said, “Michelle Doherty, Majella Owens, Anne Doherty and Margaret Kelly.

“Mr Carlin had us singing a wide variety of material. He was fantastic at arranging music. We won rings round us at the Portstewart feis and we even sang at the Eisteddfod in Wales. By that time we had the green and white uniforms we still wear to this day. He then decided we were going to compete in the Oireachtas in Dublin.

“Back in the 1970s, John Hume organised a trip to the States for us, where we sang at the Consulate in New York and the Embassy in Washington. We also sang for Teddy Kennedy in the Russell Senate Building on Capitol Hill. Years later, we sang for President Clinton at the Speaker’s Lunch one St Patrick’s Day.

“When Bishop Daly was celebrating the Silver Jubilee of his Ordination, he went back to Rome because he was at the Irish College there. That was another St Patrick’s Day and the Colmcille choir had a private audience with Pope John Paul II, who is now a saint.

“We presented him with a number of gifts. Peggy Cassidy got shirts made for him in the factory, Breege O’Connell presented him with the Shamrock, and Catherine Quigg gave him the bouquet. After Mass, he took us into a big reception room and we sang the Polonaise, a rebel song about Poland. He then gave us each a Rosary and a booklet. He actually shushed some priests who began talking when we were singing the Polonaise,” laughed Ursula.

In their 52 short years, the Colmcille choir has entertained audiences in California, Florida, the EU Parliament and Paris.
These wonderful women have sung in choral competitions in Prague, Barcelona and Prague, winning prizes in Salzburg and Lake Garda.

Before Christmas, the choir celebrated its Golden Jubilee (plus two) by singing at Mass in Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral, followed by a trip to see ‘My Fair Lady’ at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.

Summing up what the Colmcille choir meant to her, Ursula instantly replied: “Lasting friendships, the joy of singing together, and appreciating fine conductors.

“We were privileged to sing at the Bloody Sunday 50th anniversary concert last year, when we sang ‘Anthem’ from ‘Chess’ and dedicated it to Ukraine. We also sang at the Bloody Sunday conference in June and the Centenary Concert of Feis Dhoire Cholmcille at Easter.

“We also sang at the Craft Fair in the Guildhall and Christmas and were joined that day by the late Breedge O’Connell, who sadly passed away recently.

“Every time the choir went on a trip, Breedge would have given each of us a wee gift to reflect an aspect of our personality. This particular time, she had got a wee spring, to ‘put a spring in the step’ of a choir member who walked very slowly.

“Well, we were having a meal in Castleblayney and who came in but Dick Spring TD electioneering. Breedge was all, ‘Mr Spring, Mr Spring, here’s a wee present for you’ and she gave him the spring. He could not believe his eyes. We all loved Breedge and her ‘portable bar’”. Enough said Ursula.

Sheila Carlin, Colmcille choir’s musical director has been there since the beginning. Her father, Patrick, was the original conductor.

Sheila described the choir as “a big family”

Poignantly she added: “It is strange the coincidences that happen in the choir, for example, this month, one of the founder members, Breedge O'Connell (née Doherty), passed away and a week later one of the youngest members of the choir had a baby.

“That kind of thing has been going on right throughout the 52 years, in fact, we used to have a maternity dress which was passed around but we are getting a bit older now and there are not so many of those.

“My favourite thing about the choir would be working for concerts and particularly working for competitions. We have been abroad for competitions. Our best one would have been in Prague where we did two competitions and sang songs in five languages. The work that goes into something like that is incredible.

“We have a few lovely pieces, standards, for example one of the very first pieces my father arranged was the Battle Hymn of the Republic, which has become our anthem,” said Sheila.

Susan Spence joined the Colmcille choir 20 years ago. She said: “When you are singing in a choir, you are not thinking about anything else. When you are singing, everything else goes out of your head. It is just great for the mind and very, very enjoyable.

“I love being part of the choir for the singing and because they are a lovely group of women, who I had never met before. They just welcomed me in. I am First Derry Church so we were able to move there for rehearsals when St Columb’s Hall became unavailable. We also sing there occasionally.

Marjorie Donaghey, who joined the choir in 1985, said she loved the camaraderie and the friendship. “It brings a sense of ease and relaxation. It is a really friendly, welcoming place and I would recommend it to anybody.”

Agreeing, choir secretary Anne Gallagher said she appreciated all of the friendships she had built up in the choir over the years.

“You can share your troubles and your joys with all the choir members and it is people that sit beside you that you can confide in. They are there for you. It is an extended family.

“One of the choir highlights for me was when we went to Wales and we sang a piece that was specially commissioned by Redmond Friel, the great Derry musician who taught Phil Coulter the piano.”

Her friend, Angela Morrison, also a founder member, said she loved “the girls, the fun, the camaraderie.

IN PICTURES: Derry Colmcille Ladies Choir celebrate 50th anniversary

Photos: George Sweeney (nwpresspics)

“We also sing in a lot of languages which I love. It is good fun learning those pieces too and then performing.”

“Camaraderie and musicality” were Catherine Ellis’ favourite Colmcille choir highlights. “Sheila’s dedication to the choir is also just something else,” she said. “It really is her baby.

“We are of varying ages and different places and Sheila brings us all together. She really does know what she’s at.

“I love our classical religious repertoire. We also would sing ‘May it be’ from ‘Lord of the Rings’ which is ethereally beautiful.

“I would encourage new members to come along and get involved. Anyone, any age, with a love of music and singing, wondering if they should do it, yes you should.”