THE CLOSING stages of the Bealtaine Festival, which celebrates creativity in older age, was marked throughout the country yesterday with some 30 “Dawn Chorus” events in, among other places, Cork, Cavan, Dublin, Donegal and Galway.
Dawn Chorus is a community- based event in which active retirement groups come together with a local choir and sing in the early morning beside a waterfront location or a scenic place in their locality.
Carrigaline Choral Group performed the world premiere of local composer Irene Buckley’s Whatever the Sea on the grounds of Fota House in Co Cork yesterday morning.
The work was commissioned by Cork County Council’s arts officer, Ian McDonagh.
In Dublin, St Bridget’s Seniors in Killester held a Dawn Chorus event on Dollymount beach yesterday in conjunction with the Dolce Choir, which rehearses in the Dominican Convent on Griffith Avenue.
Speaking on Engage TV before the event, Carol Nash, who worked with St Bridget’s Seniors, said the dawn chorus is an “uplifting experience.”
“It’s just a wonderful gathering of people rejoicing the dawn. You practise with a semi-professional choir and we gather people from all walks of life. I’m working with an active retired club. It is fabulous.”
The group performed songs such as You Raise Me Up and Amazing Grace on Dollymount Strand just after 7am. Similar events were held in Dublin in Malahide, Dublin airport, Rathcoole and Terenure.
The shores of Lough Ramor in Cavan served as a picturesque Dawn Chorus venue yesterday with members of the Cavan Over-50s Network performing at 7am alongside the Cavan Rugby Club Choir.
At the close of the event, the choir broke into a spontaneous rendition of Ireland’s Call.
Ballina, Co Mayo, Lough Eske in Donegal, Mervue and Salthill in Galway, the Rock of Dunamase in Laois and Carlingford, Co Louth were other locations chosen for the event.
The Bealtaine Festival, which concludes tomorrow, is co-ordinated by Age Opportunity, a national organisation working to promote greater participation by older people in society.
Events throughout May included concerts, singing, dancing, art classes, plays, tours, lectures and literary events.