Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 3

The 2nd Ireland Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held at Aula Maxima, Cork, Ireland, on the first Sunday and Saturday before in March. The class was called to order by Eimear O’Donovan and Sadhbh O’Flynn leading 59. After welcoming the singers, Eimear and Sadhbh made some brief announcements. Hugh McKenna and Joseph McGilloway offered the opening prayer, and then led 49t.

Leaders: Dara Desmond 31t; Áine Uí Cheallaigh and Irial Ó Cheallaigh 49b; Eamonn O’Neill 29t; Pauline Hyde 535; Robert Wedgbury 77t; Leah Hearne 318; Declan Synnott 37b; Sinéad Hanrahan 38b; Bryan Seale 448t; Vicky Langan 547; Nancy Kulik 47t; Michael Morrisroe 442; Jennifer Barry 504; Mark Cosgrave 267; Colleen Jones 46; Michael Jude O’Neill 300; Amanda Parkes 481; Eimear O’Donovan 448b; Sadhbh O’Flynn 377.

The following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve: Co-Chairmen—Sadhbh O’Flynn and Eimear O’Donovan; Treasurer—Declan Synnott; Secretary—Sinéad Hanrahan; Memorial Committee—Robert Wedgbury and Tollie Lee.

RECESS

Sarah West called the class back to order leading 350. Leaders: Juniper Hill 528; Sheila Girling Macadam 500; Phil Tyler 505; Franzi Schmidt 106; Jill Thompson 497; Carmel Wood 272; Ellen Lueck 472; Rachel Jordan 474; Tollie Lee 30t; Judy Whiting 354t; Fynn Titford-Mock 181; Jean Seiler 312b; Steve Welch 73b; Aldo Ceresa 68t; Justyna Orlikowska 142; Nick Hall 455; Rebecca Over 172; Edwin Macadam 236. Joseph McGilloway offered grace before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Matt Ord called the class back to order leading 319. Leaders: Diane Mennella 298; Aaron Kahn 284; Cath Tyler 480; Ian West 182; Judy Caudle 276; Patricia Callahan 424; Steve Helwig 411; Eva Striebeck 274t; Al McCready 155; Gosia Perycz 550; Daniel Hunter 218; Liz Meitzler 254; Thom Fahrbach 498; Rachel Hall 383; Paula Matei 551; Kama Dembinska 151; Chris Brown 56b; Andreas Manz and Aldo Ceresa 107; Steve Biggs 288; Tollie Lee and Rebecca Over 104; Olgierd Orlikowski 216; Cath Saunt 39t; Sadhbh O’Flynn, Eimear O’Donovan, and Judy Caudle 507; Eamonn O’Neill and Michael Morrisroe 328; Michael Walker and Carmel Wood 456.

RECESS

Ian West called the class back to order leading 32t. Leaders: Richard Percival 210; Ruth Clinton and Amanda Parkes 163b; Juniper Hill 348t; Sarah West 432; Declan Synnott 68b; Joseph McGilloway and Hugh McKenna 122; Andreas Manz and Michael Walker 53; Claire Hogan and Irial Ó Cheallaigh 47b; Sheila Girling Macadam and Edwin Macadam 198; Dara Desmond, John O’Flynn, Elia Desmond Torallo, Byron Tyler, Lottie Sumner, and Sionnach Langan 146; Jean Seiler and Mary Ryder 268; Rachel Jordan and Nick Hall 299; Matt Ord 88t; Barton Creeth and Ronan O’Donovan 282; Al McCready and Áine Uí Cheallaigh 306; Chris Brown and Judy Whiting 503; Diane Mennella 27; Cath Tyler and Phil Tyler 477; Franzi Schmidt and Patricia Callahan 99; Fynn Titford-Mock 89; Justyna Orlikowska and Olgierd Orlikowski 112; Steve Helwig and Gosia Perycz 108b.

Eimear O’Donovan and Sadhbh O’Flynn led 335 as the closing song. Joseph McGilloway and Hugh McKenna offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, March 4

Eimear O’Donovan called the class to order by leading 33b. Joseph McGilloway offered the opening prayer, and then led 376.

Leaders: Sinéad Hanrahan 347; Dara Desmond 67; Bryan Seale 313b; Jennifer Barry 344; Eamonn O’Neill 430; Robert Wedgbury 30b; Kevin Kennedy 266; Pauline Hyde 318; Sadhbh O’Flynn and Kuba Choinski 148; Lisa O’Grady 178; Colleen Jones 47b; Eimear O’Donovan, Ronan O’Donovan, and Mary Ryder 117; Amanda Parkes 209.

RECESS

Michael Jude O’Neill called the class back to order leading 388. Leaders: Leah Hearne 102; Fynn Titford-Mock 425; Declan Synnott 503; Paul Synnott and Bryan Seale 29b; Jill Thompson 504; Mark Cosgrave 268; Michael Morrisroe 320.

Robert Wedgbury conducted the sick and housebound lesson. He led 460 in honor of the following people: Lucy Chadwick, Lionel Wollenburg, Jan Lawrence, Eugene Forbes, Kathy Armstrong, Brenda Grimshaw, Tony Parkinson, Maggie Watson, Barry Ratzkin, Catherine Seale, Chris Sumner, Harrison Creel, Bartho Sheroswan, Brendan O’Neill, Aggie Houlihan, Níall Henderson, Síle O’Flynn, Elizabeth Gillis, and Charlotte Walker.

Tollie Lee spoke for the deceased, and led 378t in their memory. The following names were read by Robert Wedgbury: Jock Knight, Mike Waterson, Geraldine Goulding, Cian Hallinan, Ita Ryder, Ted Ryder, Marie Rosse, Ludwik Wioslawski, Maurizio Vallebella, Helen Bradshaw, Tiger O’Flynn, Peter Schoongans, Davy Jones, Mark O’Connell, John Merritt, Lonnie Rodgers, Michael Lee Senior, Dan O’Regan, Nonie Johnston, Noreen O’Grady, Maria Cunningham, Marie Ivey, Linda Champ, Travis Keeton, Gordon Corrick, Joe Reynolds, and Frank Evans. A prayer was offered by Tollie Lee to close the memorial lesson.

Leaders: Steve Biggs 45t; Cath Saunt and Hannah Daly 47t; Eva Striebeck 384. Grace before lunch was offered by Hugh McKenna.

LUNCH

Michael Walker called the class back to order leading 113. Leaders: Barton Creeth, Jaime Creeth, and Lynda Harman 274b; Edwin Macadam 534; Diane Mennella 542; Tollie Lee 319; Rebecca Over 283; Jean Seiler 192; Judy Caudle 365; Sadhbh O’Flynn, Eimear O’Donovan, and Fergus Lalor 569b; Ian West 105; Aaron Kahn 168; Rachel Jordan 183; Nick Hall 573; Ellen Lueck 417; Carmel Wood 447; Mark Noonan and Mary Wise 457; Thom Fahrbach 201; Richard Percival 479; Sarah West 153; Daniel Hunter 234; Sheila Girling Macadam 128; Ewan Paterson 277; Claire Hogan 312b; Chris Brown 324.

RECESS

Judy Whiting called the class back to order leading 212. Leaders: Justyna Orlikowska 428; Steve Helwig and Thom Fahrbach 208; Amanda Boughton 86; Gosia Perycz 28b; Cath Tyler, Margaret Jones, and Lottie Sumner 272; Michael Walker 69t (for the Cork singers); Franzi Schmidt 385b; Al McCready 282; Jo Ellis 228; Steve Welch 473; Aldo Ceresa 532; Phil Tyler 157; Olgierd Orlikowski 171; Juniper Hill 254; Kama Dembinska 36t; Paula Matei 242; Rachel Hall and Carrie Dike 179; Liz Meitzler and Ewan Paterson 49b; Andreas Manz 77t; Patricia Callahan 556; Áine Uí Cheallaigh 216.

Eimear O’Donovan gave the resolutions with assistance from Michael Morrisroe.

Declan Synnott gave the treasurer’s report, stating that expenses were met.

Sinéad Hanrahan gave the secretary’s report, announcing that 165 songs had been led by 84 leaders. There were 164 registered attendees, representing Ireland (North and South), England, Scotland, France, Germany, Poland, Canada, and the United States.

Announcements were made. Eimear O’Donovan and Sadhbh O’Flynn led 62 as the closing song. Joseph McGilloway offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Co-Chairpersons—Sadhbh O’Flynn and Eimear O’Donovan; Secretary—Sinéad Hanrahan