About Choir

Blessington Millennium Choir was founded as an ecumenical initiative to celebrate the Christian Millennium Year 2000 in Blessington. Under the direction of Yvonne O'Conor the choir boasts between forty and fifty voices of all ages, Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses. We sing for our own pleasure and, on occasions, have joined with other choirs. We sing to celebrate important occasions like Christmas and Easter and to raise much needed funds for local and national charities. In the past few years we have performed in Germany, France and the UK as well as supporting a number of charities here in Ireland.

Our practices take place in the Kare Centre, Blessington on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm and new members are always welcome.

Musical Director
John Francis Murphy.

The world of choral music opened up for John Francis while singing in three different choirs with inspiring conductors during his time at University College, Cork where he gained his B. Mus. degree. Since then, he has been involved in either singing with or directing various choirs. Among those he has sung with are the [former] RTE Philharmonic Choir, the [now] Dublin Bach Singers and the Nás na Rí Singers. Local choirs he has directed include the Nás na Rí Singers, the Millicent Singers and most recently, Newbridge Chamber Choir. Before retiring from teaching Music at Holy Family Secondary School, Newbridge, he also directed the school choir. Regular upskilling in choral music practices has taken him to England, Sweden, Spain and America to learn from various leading choral experts. A return to academia in 2022 led to a Masters in Ritual Chant and Song from the University of Limerick. Further training in the therapeutic application of sound, chant and related vocal practices is ongoing alongside his involvement in choral singing.

Retired Musical Director
Yvonne O'Conor.

Yvonne O'Conor, BSc, is a horticulturalist and garden designer by profession and a talented musical director in her spare time. She founded the Blessington Millennium Choir with accompanist Ruarc Gahan in 1999 following years of Gilbert and Sullivan musical direction at the National Stud.

Retired Rehearsal Pianist
Harry Carpendale

Harry Carpendale, Mus. B., M. Ed. joined the choir as a bass singer in 2012 and quickly took up position as rehearsal pianist. He is a talented harpist and an accomplished musician. His musical talent is a wonderful asset to the choir.

Listen to Harry perform