15th November - a busy choir day!

FILMING FOR RTÉ NEWS2DAY

Presenter Molly O'Connor from RTÉ News2Day and her crew were at the Pro-Cathedral bright and early on morning of Wednesday 15th November. The Boy Choristers were joined by the boy and girl Junior Probationers (for the Palestrina Choir and for St Mary's Pro-Cathedral Girls' Choir). The Choristers were filmed at the Spire, at the Hand in the Department of Education and on the Pro-Cathedral steps in a spirited rendition of "Carol of the Bells". And some interviews took place. This clip will go out on RTÉ over the next couple of weeks. 

120 lecture series
foundation of
​the palestrina choir.

This was a very special evening which took place in St Kevin's Oratory at the Pro-Cathedral.
Noelle Dowling, Diocesan Archivist, gave a fascinating lecture on the correspondence and background leading up to the Choir being installed at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in 1903. She also spoke about key aspects of the Choir's first 20-30 years. 
An old 78 recording of the hymn "Sweet Heart Of Jesus", probably dating back to 1932, was played.
And there was then a fascinating round-table discussion with Professor Gerard Gillen, James Reynolds (Choir Librarian) and they were joined by Elizabeth O'Brien (wife of the late Oliver O'Brien, former Director of the Choir) and Noelle Dowling. Illustrating historical facts with manuscripts and original letters, with the sound world of 1932, with some insights into some of the interesting items in the Choir's extensive library and with  very funny stories and anecdotes, this was a most entertaining evening and an evening that will start the process of documenting the oral history of the Choir's first 120 years.

NEXT LECTURE WILL BE GIVEN BY RENOWNED PROFESSOR OF MODERN IRISH HISTORY AT UCD AND CHOIR ALUMNUS DIARMAID FERRITER
WEDNESDAY 13TH DECEMBER AT 8PM