Events

Dawn Chorus

Dawn Chorus – a way for us all to come together, through song, while we have to stay apart.

The idea is that people from all walks of life are invited to form local groups or join the local choir and connect through songs – rehearsing together online, on the phone, at the front gate, across the back wall.

As we move through the phases outlined by the government at the beginning of May, and the Covid restrictions gradually lift, we will start to slowly, carefully, to sing together in person – small groups building to bigger ones.

Finally on the first Saturday in Phase 5, after the restrictions are fully lifted,  we will come together at the water’s edge all across the country to sing the new day in. Whenever that might be.

Sing Ireland and the Royal Irish Academy of Music have pulled together materials to help people start.  We picked two well known songs to begin with The Parting Glass and Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile.  But as the groups get together we are inviting people to choose songs which they are interested in themselves.  There are other songs in the pipeline already but two are enough to get us started.  Perhaps people will start to write their own songs.  Maybe.

Healthy Ireland and Alone are also on board with this as are Age & Opportunity, Age NI and The Global Brain Health Institute at TCD.

The brain child of Dominic Campbell, one of our co-founders, who headed St Patricks Day Festival, Day of the Welcomes and Bealtaine, we have worked at bringing it alive collaborating at pace with other organisations and individuals to get it off the ground.  Everyone working on bringing this to life has done so voluntarily – literally no fees or favours owed, just goodwill and the knowledge that singing together makes us feel more connected, happier and having something to work towards together keeps our eyes on the horizon.

Chatting with friends I heard how lockdown felt like a prison sentence, with fear of the virus and the future clouding every day.

Loneliness and isolation is as bad as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Creativity combats isolation. Singing together connects community. It gets air in your lungs and harmony in your heart. There was a job in crisis for creativity -  to encourage some happiness by connecting all ages across the counties

With a roof over my head and food in the press I’m lucky to be able to help. By encouraging organisations and individuals across the country to join in and sing, we’re hoping to bring little more happy to everyone’s head.

My friends say I sing like a crow, but I’m a happy crow.

- Dominic Campbell.

We need to get the word out, to build momentum and to keep people engaged.  Please see further information on www.dawnchorus.ie or follow us on Facebook.