On the 28th of September the choir’s biennial trip abroad takes the members to the Spanish city of Malaga, the capital of the Costa del Sol. Malaga airport is the gateway for the well known sun resorts of Marbella,Torrremolinos, Nerga and Benalmedina and possibly as a consequence of this the city and surrounds are often seen as just another sun hot spot; however nothing could be further from the truth as Malaga has more than 3,000 years of history, indeed it is one of the oldest cities in the world – founded in 770 BC by the Phoenicians – inhabitants of Canaan ( also known as Phoenicia)  located in present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel. (more…)

On Wednesday the 30th May the choir held its AGM in the CP Centre – and even though the choir will continue to sing ‘unofficially ‘  at the Sunday 10.30am  Mass for the summer months – our year has formally drawn to a close. Looking back over the year it’s safe to say it’s been a very satisfying and rewarding one.

For over forty years Dennehy’s Cross Church Choir has been singing the praises of the Lord at the Church of the Holy Spirit. During that time the choir has endeavored to enrich the celebration of the Mass  with hymns and responses that connect with the Liturgical theme of the day, while also inviting the congregation, with the use of the above Laudate Hymnal, to join in the singing of the hymns and responses throughout the Mass.

Over the years the choir has amassed a vast repertoire of 4 part hymns that have proved invaluable in implementing it’s Liturgical ideals. However, new material is always required to keep a Choir challenged and motivated, and the past year has seen the following engaging and inspiring pieces introduced to the choir by Richard Rudkins our Musical Director:

The Lord Bless you and keep You..Rutter

God Be in my head…Rutter

All Bells in Paradise..Rutter ( Christmas Carol)

How deep the silence..Tallis

O Salutaris Hostia.. Juan Cristomo de Arriga.. arrangement…R.Rudkins

Steal Away..arrangement..Rudkins

Come down O Love Divine..Bianca da Siena..adaption..Rudkins

The Crown of Roses..P.I. Tchaikovsky

Shine Jesus shine…G. Kendrick..arrangement..Rudkins

The Call..Ralf Vaughan Williams… arrangement..Rudkins

I heard the Voice of Jesus say…R.V. Williams…adaption..Rudkins.

Certainly it was music to keep the members engaged and enthused throughout the year but it has to be tempered with a social dimension as well..” all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.. thus we had a number of coffee mornings and a planned trip to Malaga in September to balance out all the crotchets and quavers floating around our heads.

Next year will bring  new challenges: more exciting music to add to our very full library,  continued participation in the Cork Choral Festival Exchange Programme, entertaining shoppers with  Christmas Carols at the Wilton Shopping Centre, and all the time maintaining  a social element  to all of this activity.

Our recent AGM has entrusted the following Management Committee to oversee the smooth running of our choir:

Musical Director…Richard Rudkins

Chairperson.…Michael O’Sullivan

Vice Chairperson…Peter Ryan

Secretary…Mary C O’ Keeffe

Treasurer…Eileen Twohig

Librarian…Margaret Maher

Committee Members…Denis O Mullane,.. Ruth McDonald.

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.