Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Girl Choristers
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Girl Choristers were founded (in their present form) in September 2000 with the intention of providing girls with an opportunity to benefit from the experience of singing in a cathedral choir, an opportunity available to boys for many centuries.
There are currently 24 choristers, their ages range from 8 to 18 and most, though not all, are pupils at either the Choir School or at the Cathedral Grammar School.
Since the first service at which the girls sang in November 2000 they have taken an increasing role in the musical and liturgical life of the cathedral. They now sing evensong with the gentlemen of the choir on every Wednesday and on every second Thursday during term time, in addition to regular Sunday services.
The choir are often heard on RTÉ radio including a Sequence of Music & Readings for St. Patrick’s Day and a live broadcast for Remembrance Sunday recorded in the presence of the President. They also regularly join forces with other Dublin choirs including a rare performance of Vaughan Williams’ ‘Hodie’ with the University of Dublin Choral Society in Trinity College, Duruflé’s ‘Requiem’ with the Gaudete Singers, a liturgical performance of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ with Christ Church Cathedral and Britten’s ‘A Ceremony of Carols’ alongside the boys of the Cathedral Choir and harpist Dianne Marshall.
The Girls and Men of the Cathedral Choir singing at the 2012 Advent Procession
In September 2010, ex-chorister Judith Lyons was appointed the first female choral scholar at Saint Patrick’s. Girls interested in joining the Cathedral Choir or applying for a choral scholarship should contact David Leigh.
Click here to listen to the 2011 Remembrance Sunday broadcast
