What do you get when you put out an a call for singers in the small town of Drogheda, north of Dublin? You get enough interest to form the Voices of the Boyne.
“I just wanted to have a chance to sing in a women’s choir and there wasn’t one here,” says Louise Mahony. So we put it on Facebook and the next thing you know we are meeting on a Wednesday evening.”
The arrangements are picked specifically for the voices they have. No one voice is more important than any other. And together more than 100 voices are blending together in harmonies that are making a big difference in the lives of each member… and in the future of their community.
A typical Wednesday evening rehearsal for the Voices of the Boyne
“We met up for tea and biscuits that first Wednesday evening and then we did a bit of singing and realized how brilliant this was,” says Claire Grogan, the music director of the group.
“Now we all look forward to meeting on Wednesdays to share news with each other and to just escape and sing. We often stay late so we’re wrecked on the Thursday, but it’s always worth it.”
“There is absolutely nothing like singing in a choir like this and hearing all of those voices around you blending together,” says Jan Lyons who has been with the choir for a year. “ None of us misses a Wednesday. We look forward to such a break in the week.”
Louise Mahony (center) and members of the Voices of the Boyne
They have made a few trips to compete, and they are committed to the community. During the pandemic they made a music video filmed around the historical landmarks in Drogheda, and they now donate proceeds from their concerts to charities in town.
Claire Grogan sums it up nicely. “We do this for ourselves and for the community.”
You can hear their harmonies for yourself on Erin’s Isle here.
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