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All songs are living ghosts. And long for a living voice.

Brendan Kennelly

At Kerry Choral Union we certainly have plenty of living voices and are ready to sing some songs! This Wednesday, February 16, marks our return to singing for 2022 and our first time back in Collis Sandes House since March 2020. We have a lively programme ahead and a concert scheduled for May and it’s starting to feel like we are really rebuilding. Rehearsals start at 7:30 pm. Make sure you have all your music and your water bottles and don’t forget your masks. We still need those! See you there!

Today we celebrate the Winter Solstice. Our annual reminder that the darkness doesn’t last forever, the days will get longer, spring is around the corner, things will improve. It’s also a great time to remember that shorter days and dark evenings are a great opportunity to curl up indoors with a book or some music, to light a fire or a few candles and just enjoy the quiet time while we can. There’s probably less chance of that this week, with all the last minute Christmas preparations but still it’s good to be reminded that a light is always brighter in the darkness.

Speaking of which, I have here as promised, some pics and a clip from our recent carol singing event at Ballyseedy Garden Centre, which was a lovely end to our first term back singing together.

We are delighted to announce that Kerry Choral Union will be returning to rehearsals on Wednesday, October 6. As we’re not quite out of the woods yet though in terms of all things pandemic, we will be taking a number of measures to provide a safe and reassuring return.

1. For a short while at least, we will be rehearsing in St. Brendan’s Church, Tralee. This will allow us to maintain proper social distancing and good ventilation.
2. We will require you to present either your vaccination cert or a medical cert showing that you have had Covid-19 at the door.
3. You will be required to fill in a Covid-19 self-declaration before entering rehearsal, copies of which have been sent to members.
4. We will be social distancing. Seats will be marked, and you are asked not to move around the church once seated and also that you not share pens, pencils, music, sweets etc.
5. Masks will be worn while singing. We are in the process of having special singing masks made, but until they are ready, please bring a mask with you. Singing masks are designed so that they don’t pop off the nose or chin and they are structured to hold the fabric away from the mouth which means better sound quality and you don’t get a mouthful of fabric every time you breathe in.
6. We will also have hand sanitiser available.

We know that it’s all quite different from before and may even sound a little onerous but if we can manage this return safely and then adjust as the situation requires throughout the winter, we could be singing on through to Easter happily and safely.

Rehearsal will begin at 7:30 pm but the doors will be open at 7 pm so do come early.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

On behalf of the committee of Kerry Choral Union