Adjudicator says standard of Derry Feis choirs “ridiculously high”

Twelve choirs from the primary and post-primary sectors contested the Choral Section of this year’s Feis Dhoire Cholmcille.

The competitions, held for the first time at Ardnashee School and College as ever attracted a bumper audience who were treated to an extremely strong standard and highly diverse choice of repertoire across the Irish language, Scared and Gregorian and English language genres.

Ardnashee School and College Choir kicked the competition off with two joyous and rapturously greeted performances in the Unison choir section and duly received a special award for their efforts from the adjudicator.

This year’s adjudicator was Derry native Ciaran Kelly who is Head of Music at The King’s Hospital School in Dublin as well as director of Cór Linn and conductor of The Guinness Choir and the NSO Youth Choir.

Speaking about the overall quality of the competitions, Mr Kelly said: “The standard is ridiculously high amongst the Derry and Tyrone choirs here today and it’s been an absolute pleasure to be here.

READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: Ardnashee School hosts record choral competition at Feis Dhoire Cholmcille

“I want to say thank you to the committee of Feis Dhoire Cholmcille for inviting me here to adjudicate, especially Pat MacCafferty and Ursula Clifford who have looked after me so well. Without going into too much detail, I spent a long time competing at the feis many years ago. I haven’t been involved in Easter week for a long time, and I haven’t been back since most of the competitors were born”.

During his address Ciaran Kelly also urged greater participation from the post-primary sector to compliment what he described as “outstanding” performances from St Ceclia’s and Thornhill College’s choirs.

Following on from Mr Kelly’s comments, Chair of Feis Dhoire Cholmcille Ursula Clifford encouraged choristers in the senior section of this year’s competition to continuing singing by transitioning to adult choirs after the end of their school careers.

“I have been a member of the Colmcille Ladies Choir for 55 years and this summer we are travelling to Provence in France to take part in a choral festival even though we are getting on. So, there’s no excuse for young singers not to continue singing after school”.

Mrs Clifford also thanked Ardnashee School and College headteacher Mr Raymond McFeeters and his staff for hosting this year’s event and for the warm welcome given to the Feis Committee, contestants and the audience.

READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: Local children celebrate success at Feis Dhoire Cholmcille

Feis Dhoire Cholmcille Choral Section results 2026

Primary school section

Competition 444 – Unison choirs - 1st – Holy Family Primary School

Competition 445 – Two-part Choir - 1st – Holy Family Primary School

Competition 447 – Sacred Music or Gregorian Choir - 1st in Sacred Music – Long Tower Primary School. 1st in Gregorian Chant – St Anne’s Primary School

Competition 448 – Knights of Columbanus Cup and Bursary - 1st – Hollybush Primary School; 2nd – Sacred Heart Primary School

Special Awards in the Primary School Section

Adjudicators’ Award for Favourite Performance - St Brigid’s Primary School

Most Promising Choir - St Catherine’s Primary School, Strabane

Post-Primary school section

Competition 450 – Two-part Choir - 1st – St Cecilia’s College

Competition 451 - Three-part Choir - 1st – Thornhill College

Competition 452 – Sacred Music or Gregorian Choir - 1st – Thornhill College

Competition 454 – Patrick Carlin Cup and Bursary – Irish Composers from the 20th and 21st Centuries - 1st – Thornhill College

Special Award – The Mason Cup for the best performance in the Post-Primary Section - Thornhill College