About Us

A Few Words About Us

Our History

Sligo Choral Society, founded in 1975 grew out of the Dominican Church Choir, Holy Cross Friary, Sligo. Under the direction of Maura Butler, it was established to continue Sligo’s fine reputation in choral singing, building upon a tradition that combines musical excellence with creativity and innovation. The choir continued to rehearse in the Friary Hall and performed its first concert in the Friary the following year in 1976.

Sligo Choral Society changed its name to Sligo Orpheus Choir in 1994 and has established itself as one of the foremost choirs in the Northwest for the quality of its performance and range of programming. 

The choir has performed at the National Concert Hall, has sung Haydn’s Creation with the English Festival Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall and has performed most of the major Oratorios with Ireland’s leading conductors and orchestras. We have also made many successful T.V. appearances over the years!

Our extensive and varied repertoire ranges from a Capella to the mainstream choral repertoire. In recent years we have completed short concert tours in France, Iceland and Germany to great acclaim. It is our hope to conduct another tour in 2023/2024 – watch this space!!

Original 1975 Choir members

Seated: Colette McBride, Róisín Barr, Deirdre Parle, Rev. T. Jordan O.P (Holy Cross Prior), Brid Butler (Musical Director & Organist), Mai O’Connor, Angela Rennick, Noela Higgins.
Standing: Doreen O’Connor, Imelda Mullaney, Brian Crummy, Ray Carty, JJ Finan, Sean McManus, Martin Mooney, Mary Palmer, Ann Tansey.
Not Included: Joan Fitzpatrick, Rosaleen Moore, Dermot McDermott, Michael Murphy.

Choir 1980s
Choir 2006
Choir 2014

Choir Highlights

1981 Performance
St Patrick’s College Maynooth
1982 Performance
The Late Late Show (RTE)
1983 Performance
Benedictine Monastery, Glenstal, Co Limerick
1985 Performance
10th Anniversary Concert
1988 Performance
The Royal Albert Hall
1992 Performance
Handel’s Messiah Point Theatre, Dublin
1994 Performance
National Concert Hall
1995 Performance
Landsdowne Road – Voices of the World
1995 Performance
Handel’s Messiah Sligo Cathedral conducted by Proinnsias O’Duinn
1996 Newsletter
Introduction of the S.O.C. Gazette
2005 CD Launch
Christmas with Sligo Orpheus Choir
2010 Performance
35th Anniversary. Mozart in the Spring
2015 Performance
40th Anniversary. Camille Saint – SAENS Requiem Op.34

Performed with...

RTE Concert Orchestra
Band of An Garda Siochána
Lyric Chamber Orchestra
Celtic Tenors
Defence Forces Band
Chamber Orchestra
Niamh Crowley
Edel Shannon
Annemarie Keaney

Foreign Trips include...

Wales flag
Llandudno, Wales 1997
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Brittany, France 2015
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Reykjavik, Iceland 2017
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Kempten, Germany 2018

Musical Directors

Our esteemed Musical Directors include:

Maura Butler

1975 - 1991

Sheila Crowley

1991 - 2008

Austin McManus

2008 -