Choir Chairperson; Catherina McNicholas
0419837581
Choir Director:
Jackie Walshe 0863697983
The Lourdes Youth Choir is an all girls choir based in Drogheda. The Lourdes Youth Choir - History
Established in 1959 as a boys choir – became an all girls’ choir in 1964. At present there are 32members of the choir raging on age from 10 year to 24 years old. RECORDINGS
1. 1995 gave some of the you
ng members their first opportunity to record. The track was entered into "A Christmas Carol" competition with the Gay Byrne Radio Show. Our members were delighted to be placed third in that competition and travelled to Cork to sing live for the Gay Byrne Radio Show.
2. Our first recording which was duplicated on tape form was called "Come back to me". We recorded "O Holy Night" in November 2000.
4. 2001 the recording of “The Angel Voices” CD took place. On this CD is Silent Night which was entered into the Lyric FM choirs for Christmas competition 2001 and we were one of the finalists that year.
5. 2003 we put together our most successful CD to date “Essential Graces” which included Christmas in Heaven
6. In 2004 we recorded three tracks, Away in a Manger, Close as tomorrow and The Hiding Place. Due to lack of funds we did not reproduce this CD for sale but copied it for each member of the choir.
7. 2007 we recorded the Tenderly Calling CD
8. In 2009 the Jubilee Collection CD was recorded to mark the 50th anniversary of the Lourdes Church.
9. in 2018 we recorded Manus Salvus (Safe Hands). This recording was to support one of our youth members who was diagnosed with MS/
RTE MASSES
1. 1999 We sang with the Lourdes Folk group for a live RTE mass in the studio celebrating Easter Sunday. Celebrant Fr Michael O’Dwyer.
2. 3rd Of May 2009 Live RTE mass in the Lourdes Church celebrant Fr John McAlinden.
3. 6th February 2011 Live RTE mass in the Augustinian Church Drogheda for the SOSAD mass. Celebrant Fr Iggy O'Donovan
4. 21st February 2014 Sang for a live RTE mass in St Peter’s Church with Greenhills school choir and St Peter’s Male voice Choir celebrating Catholic Schools week.
5. 21st September 2014 Sang for a live RTE mass in the RTE studio celebrating international Peace day.
6. 23rd Nov 2025 Sang for a live RTE mass in St Peters Church with Realta Chamber Choir and members of the Voices of the Boyne, Augustinian Choir and Tradagh Singers. The Mass of the Bells was composed by Michael Holohan. Celebrant Canon Eugene Sweeney
CONCERTS / PERFORMANCES
1. Older members of the choir sang for Pope John Paul’s visit to Drogheda in 1979.
2.The choir took part in the BBC’s Songs of Praise in March 1983.
3.Choirs from the diocese gathered together in Armagh Cathedral Easter 2007 and the LY choir was chosen to perform a solo pieces for the Cardinal Sean Brady that night.
4. When Cardinal Sean Brady was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007 he stopped off in Drogheda on his way back from Rome and the choir – upon his request The Lourdes Youth Choir sang for him on the steps of St Peter’s Church.
5. 21st September 2010 took part in “Four Seasons of Peace” concert in the Helix.
6. 17th June 2012 attended the closing ceremony for the international Eucharistic Congress
7. 24th September 2012 sang for Cardinal Sean Brady during a seminar on Lay Ministry
8. The choir delighted the attendees at the “Spiritfest” which was held on 11th May 2013 in The Fairways hotel, Dundalk. The choir sang Taize at the end of the seminar.
9. We have also taken part in two radio masses for LMFM the first was with the Lourdes adult choir and the second was just the Youth Choir on 27th April 2013.
10. 15th December 2013 sang with St Peters Male Voice Choir at their annual Christmas Concert.
11. December 2015 to 2018, and 2022 to 2025 sang with the Drogheda Male Voice Concert at their annual Christmas Concert in the TLT
12. In November 2020 the choir was one of many local choirs who took part in the Charity recording of "Santa are you Listening"
13. 30th August 2025 we were invited guests of past member Hannah O'Brien Soprano for her first home concert, Summer Recital. YOUTH AWARDS
1. 22nd March 2012 saw our first youth member Hannah O’Brien receive the “Gold Pope John Paul Award”
2. 15th of April 2013 Eibhlin Munster received the Gold Award and Hannah O’Brien received the Gold cross award.
3. 26th March 2014 Lynsey Reilly, Aine Rock and Katie Goldsmith received the “Gold Pope John Paul Award”
