Posted on

Our Guest Soloists for the Christmas Gala Concert Part 1

Introducing Megan O’Neill

Megan O’Neill is a soprano from Killarney, County Kerry. She completed her BMus Degree
in Maynooth University in 2018 and graduated with a First Class Honours Degree. In August 2020, she completed her Masters in Music Performance Degree at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where she received a First Class Honours. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Music Performance Degree at the RIAM. Megan was a lead soloist at the prestigious
Maynooth Annual Carol Service under the direction of Dr John O’Keeffe. In 2016, she
featured as a soloist with ‘Choir of the World’ Maynooth University Chamber Choir on their
tour of America and China. In 2019, Megan played the role of Mary-Braud in the Irish
première of the opera Banished by British composer Stephen McNeff. Later in 2019, she
played the role of Sirena in Francesca Caccini’s opera Alcina at the Abbey Theatre, gaining
her a feature in The Irish Times. She starred as Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin
Britten in the Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2019, coached by Brenda Hurley. Megan
performed at the launch of Sorolla, Spanish Master of Light, the 2019 exhibition at the
National Gallery of Ireland curated by Ann Murray and was a featured soloist in A Heavenly
Christmas Tree by Colin Mawby, conducted by Blanaid Murphy at St Ann’s Church, Dublin.
In November 2020, she was awarded second prize in the Irené Sandford singing competition.
Megan is also a part of the Camerata Ireland Academy for the year 2020/2021.



Posted on

Gala Christmas Concert 2022

We are so looking forward to our Gala Christmas Concert on December 11th. Our last Christmas concert in St. John’s was in 2019 and a lot has changed in the world since then but one thing remains constant – music and our love of it! This year we will be welcoming back to Tralee our friends from Duhallow Choral Society, taking the number of singers to well over 100. With soloists, Megan O’Neill, soprano and Lucy White, violinist, it promises to be a magical evening of wonderful Christmas music, exactly what you need to get into the Christmas spirit.

Posted on

Christmas on the Island of Geese

We are delighted to announce that our first Christmas performance this year will be at Tralee Chamber’s Festive Evening Markets at the Island of Geese, Tralee.

The Island of Geese regeneration has been a fantastic project with its gorgeous performance space and wildflower meadows, but this Christmas it will be the setting for a key element in Tralee Chamber’s “Tralee the Christmas Kingdom” program of events. The Festive Markets will, according to the organisers, “be a feast for your eyes and your bellies, promising to leave you with a warm, fuzzy glow that will melt even the grinchiest of hearts”.

We can’t wait to perform there and to experience some of that fuzzy glow for ourselves.

See you there Friday 9 December 2022. We’ll be singing from 8:30 pm but make sure you check out all the other performers on before us!

Posted on

September – A month of new beginnings

September is upon us, and there’s a whiff of autumn in the air. It’s a great month in fairness. It’s certainly a better time of the year than January to try something new. Perhaps this is the year that you try a new hobby, something that will introduce you to new people, bust stress and elevate your mood – like choral singing!! Well we can help you with that. Kerry Choral Union is back to rehearsal next Wednesday, September 7th and new members are always welcome. At the moment we are particularly short of men, so if you’ve ever thought of joining a choir, to sing, have the craic, meet new people and just get out of the house on a Wednesday evening, why not come along to Collis Sandes House and see what we’re about. There will be tea and refreshments on our first night back to ease us into the new term. Rehearsal starts at 7:30 p.m. sharp (but if you’re new, come a little earlier, say 15 minutes).

Posted on

Coronavirus

Oh it was such a great start to 2020. We were all enjoying the wonderful program Sharon had prepared for us and were looking forward to our concerts ahead, but unfortunately Covid-19 had other plans for our year. It’s a serious situation and it demanded that we take it seriously. And so it was that the committee decided to put a proposal to our members last Wednesday, March 11 to suspend rehearsals and performances for the foreseeable future. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour. It is sad, a bit surreal and, we think, the first time this has happened in our 35 (?) year history but it was the sensible and safe thing to do.

I still have videos to share, though, here and on our social media channels and we will keep you informed of any developments. Meanwhile, keep singing! At home, in the shower, on the hilltops! Singing is so good for your mental and physical health and the main thing we can do at the moment is keep ourselves as healthy and strong as possible to fight any infections. Boost that immune system, eat healthy, drink water, get plenty of sleep and exercise and SING!