Sunday the 15th April and the choir headed off to St. Joseph’s SMA Church Blackrock to sing at the 12 noon Mass as part of the Cork Choral Festival Exchange programme.

It was the first time in a long time that the choir had participated in the exchange programme so it was a fairly new challenge to adapt to strange surroundings,

But everyone of the group rose to the occasion and it was so gratifying to hear a member of the congregation remark after Mass ‘that it was a beautiful big sound that really enhanced our Liturgy’

It was a homecoming of sorts for Richard our Musical Director who held a similar position with  St. Joseph’s choir for a number of years. He set out a challenging programme for his return:

Ent- Thine be the Glory…..Handel

off –  The Calll….Vaughan Williams ( SATB… Richard Rudkins)

Mass Parts – Christ the King Mass…. Patrick Killeen

Lamb of God – Dona Nobis…Mary Lynn Lightfoot

Com – Ave Verum..Mozart

A Clare Benediction…John Rutter

Rec – Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer… John Hughes.

Our sincere thanks to Fr. Alphonse Sekongo and the congregation at St. Joseph’s for their very warm welcome and generous applause at the end of Mass.

This is a challenging time for the choir with such a diversity of music to be sung at the various ceremonies: I heard the voice of Jesus say – Vaughan Williams,  Stabat Mater, The Crown of Roses – P.I. Tchaikovsky, How deep the Silence – Thomas Tallis ( adapted by Richard Rudkins),  Gloria – Vivaldi,  The Call – Vaughan Williams,  Thine be the Glory – Handel,  just to mention a few.  It’s a tough few weeks for everyone involved but it’s rewarding to perform these pieces to a good standard and help to make the beautiful ceremonies of Easter Week more meaningful for the attending congregations….

To everyone who contributed to making it such a successful Triduum, to Choir members and followers of Dennehy’s Cross Website …….