Longford County Choir having evening rehearsal for 25th anniversary

Longford County Choir, a cornerstone of our community’s cultural life, is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary season, with rehearsals starting on Wednesday, September 17, at Sylvia Dawson Hall, St Christopher’s Campus, Battery Road, Longford.

This silver anniversary marks a milestone for the choir, founded in 2001 through the vision of the late Fergus Kennedy, Longford County Council’s Arts Officer, whose legacy continues with the Council’s steadfast support.

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Rehearsals take place each Wednesday from 7:30pm to 9:30pm, preparing for the annual Christmas Concert and a major performance in Spring 2026.

New and returning singers are warmly invited to join this inclusive group, where a love for music unites all.

While membership has evolved, with some early members sadly deceased, a loyal core group has remained since the beginning.

The choir’s journey began under Musical Director Bláthnaid Murphy, whose father came from Ballymahon, followed in 2002 by Catherine Killoran, with Ballinalee connections, and since 2010 by St Mel’s Cathedral Organist, Fintan Farrelly, who has been with the choir since the beginning.

Performances have spanned County Longford and beyond including RTE’s Christmas Special with Tommy Fleming, Fauré’s Requiem and Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man at London’s Royal Albert Hall, a concert with Fr Liam Lawton in St Mel’s Cathedral and singing at mass at Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France, where a poignant rendition of A Íosa Mhilis moved listeners to tears.

Closer to home, the choir’s most recent concert showcased new works commissioned for this year’s Longford Lights Festival by Irish composer Fiona Linnane and poet Eileen Casey, and summer tours, like this year’s to Waterford where the choir sang in Waterford’s Dominican Church, remain a highlight.

The choir has collaborated with De Strandede Hvaler Choir from Copenhagen, Vocalise choir from Noyal-Châtillon-sur-Seiche and many of Ireland’s foremost professional singers, including Claudia Boyle, Anne Marie Gibbons, Conor O’Reilly, Peter O’Reilly, Eileen Coyle, Eimear Reynolds as well as Longford natives, Emer Barry and Maria Matthews.

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Under the baton of Musical Director Fintan Farrelly, the choir has raised over €60,000 for local charities with the choir’s annual Christmas Concert drawing loyal audiences.

We look forward to entertaining them again this year.