The fifth West Cork regional concert of the National Children’s Choir took place in a packed All Saints Church, Drimoleague on Thursday April 10th, with the voices of over 200 primary school children from across the region lifting hearts in a celebration of song.
Pupils from the national schools of Cahermore, Drimoleague, Union Hall, Goleen, Maulatrahane, Castletownshend, Dromclough, and those from Scoil an Chroi Ro Naofa Castletownbere were accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra, organised and led by Carol Daly, principal of the Cork School of Music.
The children were led in their performance by conductors Mairead Deiseach, musical director of the NCC and Patrick Collins, principal of Drimoleague NS.
Commentary on the night was provided by local man Paul O’Brien, of the popular Drimoleague Singing Festival.
A packed house in All Saints Church for the concert. (Photo: Andy Gibson)
The National Children’s Choir is a school-based choral initiative founded in 1985 by Sean Creamer, a then Department of Education inspector, with the aim of fostering a love of choral singing amongst primary children.
The 2025 performance, as it celebrated the ruby anniversary of the National Children’s choir, included popular numbers as well as some new songs, including an environmental themed piece, Splendour of the Earth, specially commissioned for the concert.
Other songs performed were Coldplay’s Viva la Vida, Verdi’s Speed Your Journey, as well as popular Irish favourites such as Mo Ghile Mear and Casadh an tSúgáin.
Completing the repertoire on the night was Kusimama, a song in Swahili by American composer Jim Papoulis, which tells the story of standing tall on earth with hope and positivity.
The songs performed are of an exceptionally high standard, in different parts and languages and cover a range of different styles and genres, all of which involves an enormous amount of dedication by teachers and children to bring together this repertoire of work.
Catherine O’Regan with Jody and Robert Kearney from Drimoleague at the concert. (Photo: Andy Gibson)
The Drimoleague community were honoured to host this biennial event once more, which along with the annual Drimoleague Singing Festival puts the village firmly on the map as the centre of song in West Cork.
Caheragh’s Olivia, Helena and Jennifer Collins were captured in the sun at the Drimoleague concert. (Photo: Andy Gibson)
The concert organisers were duly assisted by a team of school staff from participating schools, as well as volunteers and the wider Drimoleague community, whose hard work ensured that the event was a resounding success.
Lily and Helen Bowe from Castletownsend, enjoying the music from the choir. (Photo: Andy Gibson)
Schools affiliate to the initiative at the beginning of the school year, and are provided with a set repertoire of fifteen songs which are learned in classrooms throughout the year and perfected in regional cluster rehearsals in advance of the final concert.
