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 who retired in 2024. The choir currently numbers between thirty and forty voices of all ages. As well as performing locally We have also performed in Germany, France and the UK.

We sing firstly for our own health, well being and pleasure. We then share the fruit of our music making with our audiences at least twice a year.

We sing a mixture of accompanied and ‘a cappella’ music. The styles of music are quite varied, ranging from pieces written as choral music to pieces which are arranged for SATB.

We sing to celebrate important occasions like Christmas and to raise funds for local and national charities.

On most concert occasions we invite soloists to perform. We have previously performed with other choirs and ensembles also.

We welcome singers of all ages [from 16 years] and, so long as there is a balance between Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses [SATB], new singers can join in the first couple of weeks in each season.

Our practices rehearsals take place in Blessington on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm Please contact a choir member prior to visiting us so that we can assign someone to help you with your first few weeks in the choir.

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.