Cór Chúíl Aodha with Séan O Sé 

Cathedral of Christ the King

Friday 11th August | 8.30PM | TICKETS: €25 

 

Bunaígh Seán Ó Riada agus an Athair  Donnacha Ó Concubhair  Cór Chúíl Aodha 1964.  So scríobh Seán Ó Riada dhá Aifreann idir sin agus an bhliain gur caileadh é – 1971.   Bhí meascán d’iomainibh laidine agus traidisiúnta dá n’úsáid agus gan dabht bo thréimhse cinniúnach é de dheascaibh an Comhairle Vatacánach a dó do bheith tabhartha chun scríbe agus polasaí tahbahctach i dtaobh  teanga an phobail ag eascairt as. Tá Peadar Ó Riada i bhfeidhil an Cór ón céad Domhnach de Mheann Fhomhair 1971 go dtí an lá inniu.   Tá cnuasacht mór amhráin diaga mar aon le sleachtannaibh liturgach curtha le ceol aige agus tá an Cór ag freastal ar curamaí an phobail áitiúil i séipéal Chúíl Aodha mar aon le timpeall ar thír na hÉireann is Alaban is abhus, anois agus igcónaí.

Cór fireann amháin atá sa chór seo.  Tugann athaireacha a gclann mac leo chun aifrinn don gcéad uair nuair a bhíon na garsúin dhá nó trí mbliana d’aois nó fiú níos óige, ina mbacalain ar uairibh.  Tá repertoire oscionn dhá chéad píosa acu.  Ní chanann siad aon bhluirín i dteanga an bhéarla ná ní chanann siad saothair le ughdair nó daoinibh eile lasmuigh dá dtraidisiún féinig.

The Cúil Aodha Choir was founded in 1964 by Seán Ó Riada and his friend an t-Athair Donnacha Ó Concubhair.    From that date until his death in 1971, Seán Ó Riada composed two masses and arranged many lay and liturgical texts for this choir.  In this period, both Latin and the Irish language were being used.   This was an exciting time in church-music as the Second Vatican Council had just finished and same radical new changes to liturgy were being implemented as well as the vernacular language being re-introduced.   Peadar Ó Riada is in charge of the choir since the first Sunday of September 1971.   He has many liturgical and lay texts set to music for the choir since then.   The choir fulfills its weekly obligations to the community of Cúil Aodha with the Sunday Mass at 10:00 am and any funerals weddings etc that may take place.   They also give concerts, recitals and liturgical services in Ireland, Scotland and further affield.

It is an all male choir from its inception.   Fathers bring their sons along when they are about two to three years of age and they, in turn, grow up learning the culture of the choir.   The choir does not sing in English nor do they perform other people’s work.   Their repertoire exceeds two hundred pieces between lay and liturgical settings.

Seán Ó Sé is a native of Bantry, Co. Cork, where he was born into an Irish speaking family immersed in traditional music and song. He studied singing under the late John T. Horne at The Cork School of Music. Seán had a long association with Seán Ó Riada, which began with their recording of An Poc ar Buile for Gael-Linn. He sang with Ó Riada on several radio and television programmes, most notably Fleadh Cheoil an Radio. He is featured on many of Ó Riada’s recordings including Ó Riada sa Gaiety and the film music of Rhapsody of a River and Kennedy’s Ireland.

Since Ó Riada’s death Seán has recorded with Donal Lunny, Dermot O’Brien and Peadar O’ Riada He has also featured on a number of Comhaltas Echoes of Erin CDs.

In recent years he has toured in Moscow, Shanghai and Havana with Comhaltas. In July he will go to The Catskills north of NY for their famous Irish Festival and he has recently returned form visits to Milan and Cape Breton.