St Patrick’s Choir on Tour - singing in Waterford and Galway

14 May 2008

St Patrick’s Choral, a robed mixed-voice adult church choir from St Patrick’s parish in Redfield, Bristol will be on tour in Ireland later this month and will be will be singing in Galway and Waterford.

The choir will be singing at Galway Cathedral for 6.00 pm Mass on Friday 23 May, in St Joseph and St Benildus, Newtown, County Waterford for the Corpus Christi Vigil Mass at 6.30 pm on Saturday 24 May, and in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford for the Corpus Christi Mass at 12.00 pm on Sunday 25 May.

St Patrick’s Choral is one of the church ensembles at St Patrick’s Catholic Church, was formed in 2004 by the Parish Organist and Director of Music, David Forde. David is originally from Waterford and was organist in both St Joseph and St Benildus and the Cathedra. 

David told cliftondiocese.com, “I’m thrilled our choir will have the opportunity to sing for Mass in all of these beautiful churches.  The choir is looking forward to singing music by Fintan O’Carroll in the church where it was first sung. 

“Personally, it is a very special experience to bring my choir to my home parish and cathedral. We are very grateful to all three parishes for their hospitality during our visit.”

The choir will be accompanied by John Bodiley, Organist of Holy Trinity Parish Church in Taunton and the over 25 parishioners from St Patrick’s are also travelling with the group.

David Forde is Head for Music and Performing Arts at Bridgwater College in Somerset, one of only a handful of consistently high performing UK tertiary colleges to achieve the Government designation of ‘outstanding’. Leading a team of 30 staff, David directs the diploma and degree level music, music technology, dance, drama and production-arts curriculum for over 200 full-time students, and is preparing the development of a multi-million pound performing arts centre at the college. Prior to moving to the West Country, David was Director of Music at Blackrock College, County Dublin, and Head of Music at Boston College, Lincolnshire.