Male Voice Choir marks its 30th anniversary

Navan Male Voice Choir celebrated its 30th anniversary with a function in the local Ardboyne Hotel on Friday night last. Those present were treated to an impromptu recital of the choir's latest pieces, and an enjoyable contribution by their friends, the Tara Ladies Choir. Choir chairman Pat Griffin thanked the men for their dedication and attendance over the past year at Masses and liturgical ceremonies in St Oliver's Church and in participating at various fundraising concerts. He congratulated them on coming second by a mere half mark to the 58-man Wicklow Male Voice Choir at the recent Navan Choral Festival. He referred to the recent successful re-issue of the choir's 30 years commemoration double CD, comprised of Adoramus Te (motets and chant) and Exsultet (The liturgy of Easter, with music and narration, and featuring Fr Andrew Farrell who ministered in Navan from 1962 to 1987). Copies are available in the parish bookshop at €10 and all proceeds go to Alzheimer's Society of Ireland. The men are always on the lookout for new members, whether for church singing or the more robust traditional male voice choir repertoir, or both, and indicate that the bottom line is simply "singing for pleasure". Anybody wishing to join should contact any choir member or check out the choir website www.navanmalevoicechoir.ie. Anybody who applies is welcome, especially men of different nationalities who could help the choir to broaden its horizons. The choir will perform with the Garda Choir and the Garda Band at a concert in Trim Castle Hotel this Thursday before taking their summer break until September, during which time they will prepare a history of the choir and Navan Choral Festival (which they founded) for presentation to Navan Library. At Friday's function, Pat Griffin presented a cheque for €1,000, proceeds of the choir's double CD, to Gerry Leech, chairman of the Meath branch of the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland. Mr Leech thanked the choir for their work. The evening ended with a spirited singalong, which is always associated with choral festivities.