Le Chéile singers represent Ulster

“We had a brilliant day from start to finish,” said Gemma Kettle, describing Le Chéile Singers recent trip to One Town One Voice national event in Athlone.

The group was set up two years ago, when the Cootehill native saw a post on Facebook about ‘One Town One Voice’, an initiative to set up singing groups throughout Ireland.

They performed the song ‘Annalee’ penned by their own Nora Connolly and harmonised by Cleona Hartley Brennan. The concert involved 350 other singers and was open to members of the public.

“To debut that in Athlone with such a link to the town and to Cavan, that meant a lot. It was really special.”

The group not only represented the county but also the whole of Ulster as they were the only group in Athlone’s Dean Crowe Theatre from the region.

“Of all those different singers there were 42 nationalities represented so it really was multicultural.”

When each group had performed in the concert, they all came together to perform two songs.

“That was brilliant,” recalled Gemma. The group has been invited to sing at the Knockbride Church of Ireland gospel concert in August, meanwhile they also hope to “put something together” for Heritage Week.

At the same time, the Le Chéile Singers also plan to get involved and perform in the Tercentenary celebrations in August.