THEY’RE singing hallelujas in Our Lady Queen of Peace national school in Janesboro this week after scooping a hugely prestigious award for their choir.
Pupils at the school were called to assembly on Thursday morning last, thinking they were being asked to gather for a Christmas message – but it was, in fact, the surprise announcement that they had won the Lyric FM Choirs for Christmas competition.
“They were up against such stiff competition from other schools in the schools section. They didn’t believe they could have won, so it was a huge surprise for them,” school principal Eamonn O’Connell told the Limerick Post.
The 70-plus-strong choir is made up of pupils from fourth, fifth, and sixth classes and, Eamonn said, “there are no such thing as auditions here. The students just come along and sing. There’s room for everyone.”
The children choose a song written and recorded by the late Dolores O’Riordan, ‘Angela’s Song‘, which featured in the animated film ‘Angela’s Christmas’.
“The song and the film in its own way is very Limerick,” said Eamonn, who added that the “whole school is so proud of the choir. It’s an amazing achievement having won out of more than 100 entries.”
Choir leaders were James Malone, Una Carmody, and Orla Bourke-Maguire with vocalist, Ruby Reale, from fifth class.
The school got back up from violinist Anna Jane Ryan, who hails from the UL School of Music.
James told the Limerick Post that the choir “practice once a week. Besides entering the competition, we have a lot of events. For instance, we’ll be taking part in the Peace Proms in January”.
“We were absolutely thrilled with the win. They were up against so many schools with long choral traditions and so much great talent but they really gave it their all.”
