ROSTREVOR CHILDREN’S CHOIR TO PERFORM AT LONDON’S ST PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL

ROSTREVOR CHILDREN’S CHOIR TO PERFORM AT LONDON’S ST PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL 

A youth choir from Rostrevor, County Down, will travel to London this week to perform as part of the city’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations, with appearances at two major public events in the capital. 

Forty five young singers aged between 7 and 14 from Cór na nÓg Caisleán Ruairí will take to the main stage at the St Patrick’s Day Festival in Trafalgar Square at 1.30pm on Sunday 15 March, performing to thousands attending one of the largest Irish cultural celebrations outside Ireland. 

During their visit, the choir will also perform at Cardinal Place in Westminster at 1pm on 
Monday 16 March, where they will sing a programme of Irish music while raising funds for The Passage, a charity that supports people experiencing homelessness in London, including many within the Irish diaspora. 

The trip has been organised by Cultúrlann Caisleán Ruairí, which works to promote the Irish language and the shared culture heritage of Rostrevor and the surrounding areas. 

Located on the shores of Carlingford Lough, the village of Rostrevor has a strong musical tradition, and the choir has long been an important part of community life. The choir brings together children from schools across the Rostrevor area, continuing a proud tradition of children’s choral singing in the village. 

Cór na nÓg is an inclusive, non-audition choir, ensuring that children of all abilities have the opportunity to take part in music-making. As part of its commitment to accessibility, the choir regularly integrates Makaton signing and music technology into performances, helping to make Irish traditional music more accessible to a wider range of young performers and audiences. 

The choir was originally established more than 30 years ago by teacher, writer and musician Siubhán Ó Dubháin, who founded the choir while teaching locally and later brought young singers from Rostrevor to perform across Europe. 

Today the tradition continues with a new generation of singers led by Siubhán’s daughter, choir director Rós Ní Dhubháin, working alongside her mother, as well as Eibhlís Farrell, composer and member of Aosdána and soprano and music teacher Niamh Corless. Together, they collaborate with a wider team of musicians and former choir members to develop new arrangements of Irish songs for young voices. 
  
Rós said the invitation to perform in London had been an exciting opportunity for the young singers. 

“It has been wonderful preparing the children for this trip,” she said. “We have been learning a lot of new repertoire over the past number of months and the children have embraced it with great enthusiasm. Performing in London, especially as part of the St Patrick’s Day Festival in Trafalgar Square, is a very special opportunity for them. And it is also special for me, having spent over 15 years living in the city before moving home to Rostrevor in 2022.” 

Rós added that the singers were looking forward not only to performing but also to representing their community abroad. 

“The children are incredibly proud to be travelling from Rostrevor to share their music in London. It’s a chance for them to showcase the rich musical tradition of our area while also supporting an important charity.” 

The choir wishes to thank the Mayor of London’s office for the invitation to perform and Gary Dunne and Adam Rooney of Head the Ball for their support with organising the trip. The visit has been made possible thanks to fundraising by the choir members and their families and the generous support of the Rostrevor community. 

The choir and organisers also wish to acknowledge the support of Community Relations Council and Newry Mourne and Down District Council, along with the support of local businesses and individuals including BMC 
Accountants, Mourne Hydraulics, Bawnless Recruitment, CMK Ceilings, Jigsaw Financial 
Associates, Therese’s Hairpiece Boutique, Ann and Danny Hughes, MCode Solutions, The Wok Way, Marietta Farrell, Katie Farrell, Sarah and Sam Bottell and Rosanna Emerson. 

Performance Details 
● Sunday 15 March – 1.30pm 
St Patrick’s Day Festival, Trafalgar Square, London 
● Monday 16 March – 1.30pm 
Cardinal Place, Westminster, London 

Both performances are free and open to the public. 

Pictured: #Rostrevor choir Cór na nÓg Caisleán Ruairí will be performing in London as part of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Photo credit: Louis McNally