“Great singing and a wonderful atmosphere”
Foscadh Housing’s community youth choir, the Loving Life Choir, delivered their first standalone concert performance on Monday evening to the delight of the audience in the Barbican Centre, Drogheda.
Parents and friends of the choir were joined in the audience by members of the local community and special guests including Fergus O’Dowd TD, Imelda Munster TD and the Mayor of Drogheda Michelle Hall who decreed “No homework!” in celebration of the choir’s achievements.
Posting a video of the choir to his official Facebook page, Fergus O’Dowd TD said “Great singing, wonderful atmosphere and very happy children and parents.”
The choir delighted audiences with heart-felt renditions of “Let it go,” “A million dreams” and the anti-bullying song “I have a voice.”
They also performed their own, original song written about their experiences of the Covid-19 lockdown titled “Another Day”, a project funded by the Housing Finance Agency in 2021.
Audiences were treated to duets, quartets and performances from the Minnies (the youngest choir members) as well as solo performances of songs delivered in the Irish language.
Addressing the audience, Foscadh Housing CEO Mr Ken O Heiligh thanked the RTE Toy Show Appeal and Community Foundation Ireland who, without their support, he said “the concert would not have happened.”
“The funding has helped us to create new and exciting opportunities for our choir members to develop their musical skills, their confidence and outlook for the future,” he said.
He also thanked Choir Director Eileen Foley, choreographer & vocal coach Kelley McArdle and Naoimh O’Brien who heads up the Foscadh team for their hard work, enthusiasm and support of the choir members.
The concert marked the first-time choir members, aged between 5 and 18, performed as a group in front of a captive audience.
Membership of the Loving Life Choir is free and provides members with a safe, inclusive and supportive environment to make new friends, develop their confidence and express themselves freely.
The Loving Life Choir has won two national awards for community integration, delivered a number of public performances, and has appeared on RTÉ radio and television, including the Late Late Toy Show in 2021.
The Choir’s next performance will be in Scotch Hall on Sunday 11th December at 3pm to help raise funds for Focus Ireland in support of the #FocusOnChildrenCamapign .
