Sacred Heart's A Cappella and Madrigal choirs have returned from a fantastic trip to Ireland! They kicked off the trip by singing at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Limerick. They performed selections from the musicale Matilda and a requested song, “Limerick, You’re a Lady.” Students mentioned how heartwarming it was to hear children excitedly singing along with the Matilda songs, and locals were surprised and delighted to hear the Limerick song. Students felt like celebrities while joining in this festive parade on the country's most iconic day!
Students were immersed in the Catholic faith life throughout Ireland. Highlights included celebrating and singing a mass with the Benedictine sisters at Kylemore Abbey, performing the Prayer of St. Patrick in the Gothic chapel of the Kylemore Estate, and singing the entire Saturday evening mass from the choir loft next to the remarkable organ at Galway Cathedral.
Being invited to sing both in the parade and at the Cathedral speaks volumes about the exceptional quality of SHA's choral program and its international recognition!
They were also introduced to the Irish culture by visiting places like the Trinity College Long Library and learning about the Book of Kells, a renowned 9th century Gospel, admiring local art in Limerick, touring castles like the Bunratty Castle estate in County Clare that dates back to the 15th century, and touring the EPIC museum with a focus on Irish culture and immigration. They toured Dublin by boat, foot, and bus, enjoying Irish dancing and festive meals, but stayed on foot in Galway for a walking tour that included visiting St. Nicholas Church, shopping, and eating.
One of their last stops was Cabinteely Community School in Dublin, founded in 1962 by the Ursuline Sisters. The Cabinteely students taught our young ladies sign language for the song "Be Still and Know that I am God." They also continued our students' Irish dancing lessons - a highlight for our Valkyries. Reese Anderson said, "It was so fun to do this Irish jig to the limerick song that was similar to what we sang at the parade. We could have danced all day at the school, it was such fun." How impactful to connect with students at a school across the globe so deeply connected to the same Ursuline values as Dear Sacred Heart!
Thank you to Dr. Karen McNay, Jill Schurman, Marie Griffin, Mary Jo White, and Mary Kate Vanegas for chaperoning this trip of a lifetime! It was a blessing to bring the beautiful gift of song to Ireland, to gain a new global perspective from international travel, and to celebrate with Sacred Heart choir families, including 11 amazing seniors.
Learn about the trip from our students' perspective through their Ireland Performance Tour 2023 Blog!