DaVincenzo’s Italian Food and Wine Hall at George Boutique Hotel was glamorous backdrop to the formal launch of Limerick Choral Festival. Festival organiser Dr Michael O’Brien, who has worked with Timothy Schinnick and the late, lamented Joe O’Connor annually on this February competitive music series, was host to the well-fed event.
Members of Ancór with director Cecilia Madden attended, as did Limerick Gospel Choir and individual singers of note. The operatic Sarah Dolan gave us a turn, as did Olive O’Brien and Tracey Costello-O’Shea – whose first CD is set to be released. Organist Peter Barley of St Mary’s Cathedral was present, as was Daniel Battle, accompanist in residence to competitions for Limerick Choral Festival.
Also Teresa Delaney, secretary and PRO to the Redemptorists Campaign for the Poor; participating churches are The Redemptorists, St Joseph’s, Sacred Heart in the Crescent and The Augustinians.
The festival is running from Friday February 26 to Sunday 27 in city churches, the closing event to be evensong in St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday. It’s dedicated to sacred and more so, church, music.
Ultimate winning choir at Limerick Choral Festival receives the Joe O’Connor Memorial Trophy for a year. On Monday 15 last at the evening ‘do’, this silverware presided over Prosecco pops of news. Michael had a touching tale of how it came into being.
“Joe was diagnosed with terminal cancer two years ago and was given a short few months to live,” Michael revealed. “We decided we should honour him by creating a prize for best overall choir in his name, and got the cup designed and made. We presented it to Joe just before he died. It must have been odd, looking at a ‘memorial’ trophy called after yourself”.
Thinking ahead to 10 competition categories that are pulling in at least 50 choirs nationally, Michael was modest about the work required in drawing so much towards Limerick on an unfunded basis. “I’d like this year’s to be as fantastic as previous years,” he commented. “We have choirs coming from Sligo, from Kilkenny, from Wexford, from Tipperary”.
The biggest coup is securing the Palestrina Choir from St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin “who are internationally renowned. Their director Blánaid Murphy adjudicated for us a few years ago and it’s wonderful to welcome her back. The Palestrina Choir concert opens the festival on Friday February 26 at 7.30pm in St Joseph’s Church, O’Connell Avenue and it is the only ticketed event in the three days of free music for all comers to participating churches”.
See the programme online at www.limerickchoralfestival.com and facebook. Palestrina Choir tickets are selling in advance at Abbey Bookshop by The Augustinians and at www.litmt.ie, €15 and €12.
Limerick Post is Limerick Choral Festival media sponsor; in partnership with The French Table, Munster Images, George Boutique Hotel for the nightly festival club, and The Diocese of Limerick.
