back from mini tour to cork city, cobh and mount melleray abbey

As part of the Palestrina Choir 120 celebrations, what a wonderful mini-tour to Cork City, Cobh and Mount Melleray Abbey.
The Choir had the great privilege of being part of the Cork International Choral Festival (thank you to Festival Artistic Director Peter Stobart) and to give concerts in two wonderful Cathedrals: St Fin Barre’s (Cork City) and St Colman’s (Cobh). The choir also had the special opportunity of joining with the Cathedral Choir of St Fin Barre’s in singing Choral Evensong wonderfully accompanied by Matthew Breen, newly appointed Assistant Director at St Fin Barre's. During this beautiful service, we were able to give a choir medallion to Christopher Costello, now in his 80s, who has spent his adult life in Cork, but who started out as a boy chorister in the Palestrina Choir. 

His whole family attended Evensong and were there to support him. Thank you to Germaine Carlos for liaising with the Costello family to make this possible. Christopher came to Dublin and to Vespers at the Pro-Cathedral last year and introduced himself to us and has been a couple of times since.
One very special and key aspect to this trip was that the choir was staying and singing at Mount Melleray, the Cistercian Monastery in County Waterford. The Boys and Gentlemen of the choir were made so welcome and were wonderfully hosted by Fr Richard, Br Seamus and Fr Denis Luke. They had the great honour of joining with the monks in singing at Compline and of being able to sing at Mass on Sunday morning conducted by Pierce. Fr Richard, a musician himself, was able to explain and introduce the boys to the office of Compline and Fr Denis Luke brought the boys to the see the Holy Year Memorial Cross.
The Boys particularly enjoyed a child-friendly tour of UCC – all donning university gowns and had a wonderful time at Fota Wildlife Park. One very special and key aspect to this trip was that the choir was staying and singing at Mount Melleray, the Cistercian Monastery in County Waterford. The Boys and Gentlemen of the choir were made so welcome and were wonderfully hosted by Fr Richard, Br Seamus and Fr Denis Luke. They had the great honour of joining with the monks in singing at Compline and of being able to sing at Mass on Sunday morning conducted by Pierce. Fr Richard, a musician himself, was able to explain and introduce the boys to the office of Compline and Fr Denis Luke brought the boys to the see the Holy Year Memorial Cross.
The Boys particularly enjoyed a child-friendly tour of UCC – all donning university gowns and had a wonderful time at Fota Wildlife Park.

Special thanks to Mary Sugrue, chairperson of the Palestrina Choir 120 committee and to all who helped behind the scenes in the lead-up to this trip. And a special shout out to all the chaperones for the weekend.
27 tired but contented boys, some tired Gentlemen of the Choir and adult chaperone arrived back to Dublin on Sunday evening.
Next stop Rome and Palestrina in 3 weeks time!