Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 1

The 11th session of the Ireland Sacred Harp Convention was held in Cork on the first Sunday and Saturday before in March. The class was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Sinéad Hanrahan leading 52t. Michael Walker offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Katie Ahern 47t; Ger Wolfe 33b; Dermot Peel 171; Bryan Seale 138t; Niamh Madigan 133; James Roche 99; Ailish McMahon 65; Werner Ullah 29t; Eleanor Jones-McAuley 504; Scarlett Lassoff 472; Desmond O’Flynn 569b; Chris Adam 426t; Greg Carson 276; Sara Hellström 173; Mike Morrisroe 411; Mischa Jamy 333; Joe Jones 523.

RECESS

Cath Saunt brought the class to order leading 217. Leaders: Joanna Bennett 505 (in memory of John Bennett); Al Williams 51; Hannah Land 112; Calum Parker 434; Inga Buckland 149; Joshua Lant 416; Rachel Jordan 503; Doug Kurtze 362; Ruby Bilger 56b; Chris Affolter 189; Kim Lusk 89; Andy Ditzler 197; Bridge Hill Kennedy 110; Kate Kirwan 377; Dominik Fraune 32b; Camilla Marie Widholm 196; Annie Flynn 83t.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Michael Walker leading 35. Leaders: Joyce Smith 172; Caro Stamm-Reusch 134; Oskar Kvasnes 350; Sam Kleinman 122; Helen Brown 542; Derek Buckland 146 (in memory of Rob Mahoney); Marie Brandis 212; Matthew Parkinson 273; Eimear Maguire 500; William Cleary 268; Clara Potter-Sweet 396; Chris Noren 263; Hannah Kennedy 430; Steve Brett 319; Caitlin Jay 284; Aislinn Ahern 369; Ellie Knickman 318; Anne Altringham 187; Nick Hall 448t. Ted Brown offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Colleen Jones called the class back to order by leading 287. Leaders: June Murphy 93; Áine Uí Cheallaigh 272; David Brodeur 454; Sadhbh O’Flynn 532; Thom Fahrbach 309; Jerusha Wheeler 31t; Joshua Lant 419; Kate Kirwan 302; Caro Stamm-Reusch 397; Andy Ditzler 198; Camilla Marie Widholm 511; Steve Brett 543; Derek Buckland 101b; Joyce Smith 131t; Dominik Fraune 383; Sara Hellström 215; Bridge Hill Kennedy 400; Eimear Maguire 442; Nick Hall 455; Mike Morrisroe 536; Kim Lusk 384; Matthew Parkinson 392; Marie Brandis 564; Oisin Kidson-Ireland 204.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Amanda Parkes leading 129. Leaders: Kevin Barrans 108t; Anne Eringa 191; Chris Affolter 522; Rachel Jordan 474 (for Sheila and Edwin Macadam); Joe Jones 370; Ellie Knickman 186; Helen Brown 475; Sam Kleinman 298; Aislinn Ahern 546; Chris Noren 485; Inga Buckland 70b (for Cäcilia Mann); Doug Kurtze 42; Hannah Land 496 (in memory of Ruth Steggles); William Cleary 47b; Joanna Bennett 45t (in memory of Sebastian Roskosch); Cath Saunt 39t.

Sinéad Hanrahan led 267 as the closing song. Anne Altringham offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, March 2

The Sunday session of the Ireland Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Sinéad Hanrahan leading 171. Kate Kirwan offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Katie Ahern 38t; Amanda Parkes 228; Bryan Seale 76b; Desmond O’Flynn 99 (for Mary Wilson); June Murphy and India Murphy 98; Chris Affolter 77t; Ruby Bilger 335; Greg Carson 481; Anne Eringa 180; William Cleary 283; Oskar Kvasnes 339; Scarlett Lassoff 178; Al Williams 277; Jerusha Wheeler 148; Oisin Kidson-Ireland 322; Ted Brown 35; Calum Parker 209; Rachel Jordan 344.

RECESS

Dermot Peel led 299 to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Helen Brown 492; Chris Noren 436; Claire O’Flynn 556; Andy Ditzler 170; Caitlin Jay 67; Chris Adam 270; Inga Buckland 571; Joe Jones 71; Sara Hellström 155; Sam Kleinman 460; Clara Potter-Sweet 410b; Mike Morrisroe 81t; Aislinn Ahern 33b; Doug Kurtze 38b; Joyce Smith 330t; Dominik Fraune 74b; Colleen Jones 497; Nick Hall 236.

RECESS

Niamh Madigan called the class back to order leading 451. Leaders: Anne Altringham 37b; Ger wolfe 48t (for Gerry Wolfe); Kevin Barrans 348b; Camilla Marie Widholm 550; Steve Brett 288 (in memory of Steve Biggs); Joanna Bennett 282; Michael Walker 290.

Sadhbh O’Flynn and Thom Fahrbach conducted the memorial lesson. Sadhbh O’Flynn led 406 for the following sick and housebound: Frank Hill, Betty Shepherd, Joyce Walton, Reba Windom, Ed Thacker, Margaret Thacker, Pleasance Crawford, Lauren O’Neill, Paul Sainsbury, Tricia Sensor, Jess Nock, Mary Parkes, Ruth O’Reilly, Michelle Blandin, Chris Brown, Michael Jones, Adrian Turner, Robin Turner, Ken Baddley, Ken Hallock, Robin Willis, Denise Kania, Joe McPartland, Elizabeth Roche, David Allan Jones, Edwin Macadam, Cäcilia Mann, Mary Wilson, Rob Ferris, Jean Pasay, Dónal O’Flynn, Trish Russell, Jan Saunt, Gemma Hordern, and Liam Hearne.

Thom Fahrbach spoke for the deceased and led 435 in memory of the following people: Michael Kennedy—Cork; Jabbara Edwards—Washington, USA; Reed Schilbach—Washington, USA; Corrone and Ruthanne Bryant—Florida and Maine, USA; Robert Laycock—Derby, UK; Janet Wilcox—Sherwood, UK; Simon White—Buxton, UK; Beverly Rollins Thompson—Georgia, USA; Phillip Reeves—Georgia, USA, Bernard Collard—Oxford, UK; Rob Mahoney—Goring By Sea, UK; Steve Biggs—Hove, UK; Jon Jaffa—London, UK; Denis McAuley—Dublin; Noreen Corrigan—Dublin; John Bennett—Germany; Sebastian Roskosch—Germany; Gráinne O’Flynn—Ballyhea, Ireland/New York, USA; Julia Poston—Alabama, USA; Henry Guthery—Alabama, USA; Earl Ballinger—Alabama, USA; Bob Goodman—Georgia, USA; Marth Ann Stegar—Georgia, USA; Susan Fetcho—California, USA; Chloe Webb—Texas, USA; John Roberts—New York, USA; Massi Agosti—Pennsylvania, USA; Malik Williams—Alabama, USA; Kathleen Smith—Blue Anchor; Gerry Wolfe—Cork; Riffat Jamy—Islamabad, Pakistan; Ann Schluter—North Dakota, USA; Olive Cotter—Dublin; Mick Platt—Crawley, UK; Georgia Lassoff—London, UK; Els Theunnissen—Amsterdam, NL; Stephen Clancy—Shetland, UK; Jeff Begely—California, USA; Zareer Mazani—London, UK; Peter Polish—Wales; Dinos Nearchou—London, USA; Peter Child—London, UK; Constanze Denis—London, UK; Dingo Dinkleman—South Africa; Olive Gibson—London, UK; Eileen McCollum—Cork; Barbara Murphy—Dublin; Uushi Nolte—Germany; Eileen Keane—Cavan and Dublin; Robin Nicholson—Sussex, UK; Máire Hickey—Galway; Breda Morrisroe—Cork; Jim Thornhill and Eilish Thornhill—Cork.

Leaders: David Brodeur 466; Bridge Hill Kennedy 456; Áine Uí Cheallaigh 300; Joshua Lant 506; Hannah Land 103. Dermot Peel offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Ailish McMahon brought the afternoon session to order leading 127. Leaders: Cath Saunt 183; Kevin Barrans 128; Ruby Bilger 30t; Ted Brown 113; Marie Brandis 328; Derek Buckland 348t; Eimear Maguire 61; Oskar Kvasnes 361; Jerusha Wheeler 200; Matthew Parkinson 224; Kim Lusk 445; Greg Carson 350; Caitlin Jay 340; Chris Adam 112; Ellie Knickman 448b; Tara Walsh 29t; Al Williams 43; Anne Altringham 227; Sam Kleinman 426b; Scarlett Lassoff 331; Doug Kurtze 467; Clara Potter-Sweet 324.

RECESS

Eleanor Jones-McAuley called the class back to order leading 480. Leaders: June Murphy 547; Chris Affolter 69t; Anne Eringa 285t; Calum Parker 383; Caro Stamm-Reusch 528; James Roche 475; Sadhbh O’Flynn 175; David Brodeur 517; Kate Kirwan 172; Thom Fahrbach 111t; Declan Barron 34b; Joshua Lant 34t.

A business meeting was held in order to hear reports from the various committees. The Secretary reported a total of one hundred and ninety two songs had been sung by eighty nine registered singers, with sixty nine leaders. Seven countries and nine states were represented. The Treasurer reported that all expenses had been met. The meeting was closed.

Sinéad Hanrahan thanked everyone for a great singing and led 62 as the closing song. Ger Wolfe offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chair—Sinéad Hanrahan; Vice Chair—Katie Ahern; Secretary—Amanda Parkes