News
Posted 24 January 2012
HOWELL EVANS We are sad to report that Howell Evans, Draig Werdd's oldest member, died in Dublin last Saturday, January 21st, at the age of 104, after a short illness. Howell lived most of his life in Dublin, the family having moved there when Howell was very young after his father was transferred from Holyhead through his job with the LMS railway company. Apart from a period when he attended secondary school in Holyhead, Howell spent the rest of his life in Dublin. Despite that, he remained a proud Welshman and spoke the fluent Welsh that he had learned at the family hearth throughout his life. Howell and his family were members of the Welsh chapel in Talbot Street, Dublin, until the chapel closed during the second world war. Howell's history and reminiscences of the chapel can be read by going to http://www.draigwerdd.org/Newsletters/Capel%20Cymraeg.rtf . He also took part at the age of 103 in a programme about the chapel which was shown on RTE television last year - you can see this by clicking here. Howell was also a founder member of Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir, singing with them until well into his 80s, as well as being an active member of the St. David's Society. Howell remained active and alert and retained a lively interest in life right up to his final days. He lived at his own home in Blackrock until illness forced him to move to a nursing home in Glenageary, Dublin for the final 15 months of his life, where he enjoyed the love and care of the staff. His only complaint was the inability to have proper conversations with his fellow residents, the home being "full of old people", as he told me recently. His death represents the passing of an age, and I for one will miss my regular visits to him where we enjoyed the opportunity to converse together in the language of heaven. Hopefully he'll have plenty of opportunity to carry on doing that in the life to come. There will be a private funeral at Massey's funeral home, Balally, Dublin at 11am on Wednesday 25 January, followed by interment at Deansgrange cemetery, Dublin. Geraint Waters
XV On Song re-mastered
DWMVC has launched a fully re-mastered version of its CD "XV On Song" to coincide with the Rugby 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. You can listen to the new CD from the "Our Music" Section of this website. You can also purchase copies from the same section. Copies are also on sale in record stores nationwide and in the UK.
Read the press release here.
Posted 4 January 2012
From Bob Fitzsimons, former choir member: hello after 45 years, I am prompted to write after listening to XV on song, and it brought back many memories. I was one of the group who founded the choir and was a medical student in Trinity. I kept a journal for some of the year of 1966, and my entry for Thursday 17th November reads as follows: "The inaugural meeting of the D. Welsh Choir took place yesterday [16th November].
Only a few turned up but we have a good core. Decided to aim at St. David's Day. Trouble is, it is the day before my Second MB exam [exam at the end of the preclinical years]. I hope it will turn out all right [I don't know if I meant my exam or the performance!] Had a good session afterwards with Mike Hayes, Gareth, Rich Jones and Graham in the Stag's Head on Dame Lane." I sang with the choir until 1971, going to the Pan Celtic in Killarney where we took second place out of one!
Then I went to Newport Gwent for a year and sang with the Cwmbran MVC. I was five years in Canada before returning to Cork for six years and finally moving to Tralee for the last 27 years. Like Keith I am now retired for the past year. I have to say I really enjoyed the times in the Toby Jug and then the pub on Aungier St. The rehearsals used to be on Monday evening, and I recall doing weekends on call in Sir Patrick Dun's, working all day monday and escaping to the choir in the evening - exhilarating. With best wishes and greetings for the season, Bob Fitzsimons.
Posted 9 November 2011
Limerick Choral Festival Society have asked us to mention that Fuaimlaoí will perform in St Joseph's Church, O'Connell Avenue, Limerick on Sunday 13 November at 7:30pm. Tickets are €15 at door. Click here for details of Fuaimlaoí.
Posted 2 November 2011
We have been asked by our friends in Blessington to mention the following: On Saturday November 12th the Tramway Theatre in Blessington, Co. Wicklow is presenting HANDEL'S MESSIAH by The OCCASIONAL SINGERS (Conductor Robin Moore and soloists Sarah Court, Marie Kelly, Paul Lenihan & Jim Stewart). Tickets, €20, are available by booking with John Coogan on 087 1303491, or are on sale in The Office Shop and Hennessy's Next Door in Blessington. Show time is 8pm with a wine reception from 7.30pm.
Posted 25 October 2011
A message from Sally Kelly, who has had a 23 year association with the choir as a soloist: Hi Its Sally here. Just to let you all know I did my Skydive from 10 000ft in Birr Airfield on Wednesday 19 October. It had been cancelled 5 times due to the weather so needless to say I was elated. High as a kite ... over the moon ... not to mention bloody terrified when it finally happened. I wouldn't do it again but the €2,400 raised for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association made it worthwhile. Click here to view a video clip of the dive. A big "thank you" to all in DWMVC who supported me & the cause.
Posted 18 October 2011
The choir was very pleased to be invited to a celebration of the life and achievements of Monsignor Pádraig O Fiannachta in the Unitarian Church on 14 October. Click here for a report, as Gaelige, of the event. Thanks to Pól O Foighil, a former DWMVC member, for sending us these details.
Posted 18 October 2011
We have been asked to mention a fundraising concert for Dublin Aids Alliance (DAA) to be held in the Unitarian Church, St Stephen's Green on Thursday 20 October. Performers are Anuna and the Dublin Gospel Choir. Tickets @ €15 are available from the DAA 873 3799. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door
Posted 16 October 2011
We have been asked to mention that The Scala and Kolacny Brothers (www.scalachoir.com) are coming to the Olympia Theatre, Dublin. They are best known for their work in films such as the Social Network and TV Series trailer Downton Abbey. See YouTube clip: http://tinyurl.com/28uffhh. Tickets are on sale from ticketmaster.ie.
Posted 27 September 2011
Côr Meibion Onllwyn – Onllwyn Miners' Welfare Male Voice Choir, from the Dulais Valley in south Wales are to visit Howth in Dublin for a concert in St. Mary's Church on Saturday October 1st. with all proceeds going to Howth Lifeboat. The concert, which will also feature the Tredagh Singers, is part of the choir's 25th anniversary tour, as they first toured Ireland in 1986, as a thank you gesture for Irish solidarity during the Great Miners' Strike, 1984-1985. Tickets for the concert which starts at 8pm Sat Oct 1st, cost €15 and will be available at the door.
Posted 15 September 2011
The Association of Irish Choirs is offering Sight Singing and Vocal production Courses located at the Department of Music in Trinity College Dublin. Details can be found at www.aoic.ie
Posted 15 September 2011
The DWMVC will hold its AGM on Monday 17 October. Details are posted in the Members' Area.
Posted 11 August 2011
Our friends in the Dublin YMCA MVC have asked us to mention that a massed choir of over 80 voices will parttake in a festival of Male Voice Praise in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on Saturday 1 October at 7:15pm. Admission is free and tickets may be ordered from
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. A collection will be taken during the festival and proceeds given to Dublin YMCA for their work amongst young people in inner city areas.
Posted 16 July 2011
The Choir is now in summer recess until the first week in September. A programme of events for later in the year will be posted in due course.
Posted 13 May 2011
The DWMVC featured in RTE's Capital D programme, in an item on the Welsh Chapel in Dublin's Talbot Street, shown on RTE 1 on Thursday 12 May.
You can view the excerpt on YouTube by clicking here.
Posted 12 May 2011
We have been asked by the organisers of Dundrum Festival to mention a choral evening in aid of Prof. John Crown`s Cancer Clinical Research Trust, to be held in Holy Cross Church, Main Street, Dundrum on Tuesday June 21 2011 at 8:00pm, featuring the Mornington Singers, Singers from “Opera in the Open” and the Ballinteer Male Voice Choir.
Further information and tickets, €20, are available by contacting Christine Cosgrave on
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or phone 01 2987929.
Also taking place is a free 1 hour performance by “Opera in the Open” on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 June at 6:30pm to 7:30pm of “La Traviata” in the Dundrum Town Centre.
Posted 9 May 2011Our friends in Tallaght Choral Society have asked us to mention their upcoming concert, featuring Stabat Mater by Rossini and Vesperae Solennes De Confessore by Mozart, to be conducted by Proinnsias O’Duinn, with the RTE Concert Orchestra, Regina Nathan – Soprano, Victoria Massey - Mezzo Soprano, James Edwards – Tenor, James Oldfield – Baritone on Sunday 15th May 2011 at 8:00pm in St Andrew's Church, Westland Row, Dublin. Tickets costing €20 are available online @ www.ticketmaster.ie, by phone 0818 719300, from usual agents nationwide (subject to service charge) and by email from See www.tallaghtchoralsociety.net for further details. |
