Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 1

The 4th annual Ireland Sacred Harp Convention was held in St. Maries of the Isles School, Cork, Ireland, on the first Sunday and Saturday before in March. The class was called to order by Amanda Parkes leading 101t. Nancy Kulik offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Declan Synnott 171; Bryan Seale 28b; Sinead Hanrahan 48t; Eamonn O’Neill 228; Dara Desmond 299; Colin Duggan 89; Lisa O’Grady 474; Sadhbh O’Flynn 30t; Leah Hearne 344; Fynn Titford-Mock 37b; Juniper Hill 481; Joe Jones 141; Claire Hogan 102; Liam Kirby 196; Carmel Wood 217; Matthew Robley 193; Ted Brown 546; Alex Dixon 29t; Cath Saunt 39t; Guy Hayes 57.

The following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Amanda Parkes; Vice Chairman—Declan Synnott; Secretary—Bryan Seale; Memorial Committee—Beth Dixon, Alex Dixon, and Michael Walker; Treasurer—Daire O’Sullivan.

RECESS

Eimear O’Donovan called the class back to order leading 270. Leaders: Kate Kirwan 340; Nancy Kulik 294; Sarah Hill 548; Steve Brett 430; Pauline Hyde 475; Arthur Swindells 126; Rebecca Over 197; Beth Dixon 504; Vicki Elliott and Edd Bennett 480; Nick Hall 455; Mark Cosgrave 267; Colleen Jones 84; Kevin Kennedy 104; Susannah Gill 272; Joe Vickers 464; Aaron Kahn 95; Sarah West 568; Nigel Bowley 166; Nic Zuppardi 311; Phil Tyler 505.

RECESS

Elisabeth Schallwig called the class back to order leading 489. Leaders: Áine Uí Cheallaigh 112; Vicky Langan and Thom Fahrbach 186; Lizzie Dye 339; Ophir Ilzetzki 147t; Al McCready 227; Alison Brown 180; Ewan Paterson 178; Emma Rock 181; Meghan Lewis and Al McCready 59; Francis Gaskin 346. Nancy Kulik gave grace before lunch.

LUNCH

Sadhbh O’Flynn called the class back to order leading 144. Leaders: Renata Pekowska 312b; Helen Brown 411; Fallon Cook 269; Ben Copenhaver 534; Michael Walker and Carmel Wood 460; Steve Helwig 426b; Samuel Sommers 386; Steven Levine 496; Eva Striebeck 454; Duane Nasis 204; Melissa Kelley 216; Magdalena Gryszko 88t; Thom Fahrbach 439; Erin Johnson-Hill 436; Rachel Hall 442; Gosia Perycz 524; Ian West 182; Stephanie Argo and Melissa Kelley 384; Anna Kellar and Erin Johnson-Hill 38b; Ella Cumber 189.

RECESS

Dara Desmond called the class back to order leading 290. Leaders: Lamon French 53; Amanda Jokerst 76b; Tom Ivey 380; Calum Woods 406; Katy Kanfer 325; Rob Mahoney 268; Karen Swenson 528; Rachel Jordan 538; Timothy Morton 323b; Marjorie Brown 142; Dávid Richárd János and Bryan Seale 209; Ted Brown and Paul O’Callaghan 225t; Fallon Cook 192; Samuel Sommers 24b; Duane Nasis and Ella Cumber 131b.

Amanda Parkes led 472 as the closing song of the day. Al McCready offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, March 2

The Sunday session of the Ireland Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Amanda Parkes leading 42. Pauline Hyde offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Declan Synnott 102; Bryan Seale 155; Dara Desmond 133; Colleen Jones 479; Lisa O’Grady 224; Sinead Hanrahan 335; Sadhbh O’Flynn 29t; Eimear O’Donovan 47t; Joe Vickers 73t; Alex Dixon 31t; Ewan Paterson 49b; Vicky Langan 106; Lizzie Dye, Cath Ingham, Trish Bater, and Alan Williams 107; Guy Hayes 35; Leah Hearne 318; Colin Duggan 480; Nigel Bowley 309; Duane Nasis 283.

RECESS

Sarah West called the class back to order leading 121. Leaders: Phil Tyler 69b; Claire Hogan 108b; Pauline Hyde 354t; Oskar Kvasnes 32t; Erin Johnson-Hill 99; Amanda Jokerst 65; Ella Cumber 558; Gosia Perycz 215; Steve Brett 122; Carmel Wood and Helen Brown 532; Edmund Richardson 168; Desmond O’Flynn and Samuel Sommers 274t; Daire O’Sullivan 68b; Sarah Hill 177; Magdalena Gryszko 111b; Calum Woods 512; Arthur Swindells 70b; Emma Rock 71; Vicki Elliott and Edd Bennett 77t; Hugh Murphy and Amanda Parkes 183.

RECESS

Eamonn O’Neill called the class back to order leading 159. Leaders: Kate Kirwan 176b.

Beth Dixon and Alex Dixon conducted the sick and housebound lesson. They spoke of those who could not be here, and led 70t for the following people: Anne Beck, Carol Aitken, Allan Jones, Margaret Bradshaw, John Room, Grant McLean, Chris Neale, James Bloomquist Payne, Norman Moss, Hillary Bines, Denis McKenna, Zolzistoiw Gryszko, Donnacha Rynne, Roger Tyler, Maggie Boyle, Lucille Gunnels, Barbara Wood, Sri Baba Hari Dass, Kimberly Kurtenbach Furness, Lizza Berry, Bhavani Siegel, and Susan Starr.

Michael Walker conducted the memorial lesson. He spoke of Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard, and their wonderful contribution to the Sacred Harp community. He led 556 in memory of James Burgen, Sarah Fletcher, Anna Jeanson, Gordon McMillan, Anita Williams, Carlene Griffin, Josie Hyde, Nigel Wheatley, Greg Dixon, Dermot O’Flynn, Elizabeth Novak, Eileen Dee, Don Bishop, Jean Bell, Diane Mennella, Evelyn Steinruck, Barbara Hall, Helen B. Petty, Margaret Hyde, Catherine Rynne, Martin Neish, Nicholas Daniels, David Comelio, Jessie Slaughter, Aodhrua Fitzgerald, Paddy Langan, June Atkins, Jeff Sheppard, Shelbie Sheppard, Teresa Seale, Thomas Hassett, Barry Ratzkin, C.T. Williams, Mr. Geri Bleir, Christine Robley, Ann Marchal, and Lou Cotney. Helen Brown offered prayer to close the memorial service.

Leaders: Helen Brown and Ted Brown 303 (in memory of Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard); Joe Jones 425.

LUNCH

Bryan Seale called the class back to order leading 445. Leaders: Ophir Ilzetzki and Cath Saunt 362; Ted Brown 391; Steven Levine 497; Susannah Gill 105; Fallon Cook 47b; Thom Fahrbach 564; Karen Swenson 327; Samuel Sommers 316 (in memory of Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard); Rebecca Over 278b; Steve Helwig 334; Eamonn O’Neill and Melissa Kelley 447 (for Mike Morrisroe); Al McCready 270; Rachel Jordan 473; Eva Striebeck 110; Juniper Hill 245; Aaron Kahn and Ciaran Ryan 547; Katy Kanfer 400; Fynn Titford-Mock 404; Rob Mahoney 86; Vivek Arora and Sadhbh O’Flynn 522.

RECESS

Ronán O’Donovan called the class back to order leading 114. Leaders: Sarah Hill, Lisa O’Grady, and Phil Tyler 385b; Nick Hall 231; Beth Atkinson and Mathew Robley 134; Rachel Hall 499; Michael Walker, Gary Murphy, and Liam Madden 138b; Ian West 135; Ben Copenhaver 296; Lamon French 457; Kevin Kennedy 444; Julie Heeren and Eimear O’Donovan 417; Marjorie Brown and Alison Brown 428; Timothy Morton 510; Cath Saunt 277; Liam Kirby 58; Tom Ivey 254; Francis Gaskin 34t; Michael Walker and Fallon Cook 146.

Closing statements of thanks were made by Amanda Parkes. The secretary reported that 176 songs had been sung, with 97 leaders and 126 registered singers from 11 countries (Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, France, Hungary, and China) and 9 American states (Minnesota, Connecticut, Georgia, Texas, Oregon, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Kentucky). Daire O’Sullivan announced that all expenses had been met. Announcements were made.

Amanda Parkes and Declan Synnott led 62 as the closing song. Pauline Hyde offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Amanda Parkes; Vice Chairman—Declan Synnott; Secretary—Bryan Seale