Tullamore choir honoured in RTÉ lyric fm Choirs for Christmas competition

A Tullamore-based youth choir has been specially commended in the Choirs for Christmas choral competition hosted by RTÉ lyric fm.

Academy Chamber Choir Tullamore was given a special commendation in the Youth Choir section for A Babe is Born in Bethlehem, conducted by Ciaran Brady

Over 4,000 singers from all around the country grouped together in their local choirs and rehearsed, recorded, and submitted their entry to RTÉ lyric fm as they shared their musical talents with lyric's listeners (online, on social media, and on-air) this Christmas.

With 164 entrants from every corner of Ireland from Antrim to Arklow, Malahide to Mullingar and Galway to Cork, choirs took over the airwaves on Weekend Classics with Claudia Boyle this December.

The winners were announced today, Sunday, on RTÉ lyric fm's Weekend Classics with Claudia Boyle.

The winner of the Best Youth Choir was Dublin Youth Choir for their performance of A Christmas Prayer, conducted by Lynsey Callaghan

Winning in the Best Overall Choir category jointly was LORICA Chamber Choir with "Huron Carol" and Geantraí with "A Magical Machine". Both choirs are from Dublin.

RTÉ lyric fm Producer Gail Henry said: “Community is at the heart of this competition. We had workplace choirs, parish choirs, primary school choirs, secondary school choirs, university choirs, gospel choirs, folk choirs, youth choirs, stage school choirs, men's shed choirs, a prison choir, chamber choirs, dementia-inclusive community choirs, Gaeltacht choirs, and church choirs. The range of choirs was extraordinary. Their favourite tracks ranged from ‘Jingle Bells’ to ‘Somewhere in my Memory’, and it’s clear that choral singing has the power to socially engage people of every age all because they are doing an activity they love – singing together. It's that togetherness and inclusiveness that is at the heart of RTÉ lyric fm's Choirs for Christmas competition.”