‘Shining a light and inspiring others to do so’

The Inspire Choral Group will appear in concert at the Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells tomorrow night (Saturday).
This will be the group’s first concert in their own right, although they have performed  with headline acts such as The Celtic Tenors and Matthew Gilsenan.
The Kells-based choir is an award winning group that has become very much part of life in the town.
The show will include a guest performance by classical guitarist, Pat Coldrick, who had a recent sell out performance in the National Concert Hall.
He will perform two pieces from his new album ‘Ophelia’ and will collaborate with Inspire on one of the songs from their album, ‘True Colours.’
Others performing on the night are young Irish soprano, Sophie Whelan from Dunboyne and the McCarthy brothers from Kells will be collaborating with traditional Irish instruments.
“The theme of Saturday’s show is ‘Let your Light Shine’” says musical director, Nessa Olohan. “It is about having a sense of belonging and friendship and bringing people from sad to light through music and inspiration.
“It’s about shining your light and inspiring others to do so.”
Starting out as a small group that used to sing at mass, the Inspire Choral Group now has 35 members.
“It has taken us five or six years to get here,” Nessa explains.
“A few of us were members of the Kells Musical and Theatrical Society and a group of us sang in the Church for Sr Genevieve.
“I’m a music teacher in Dunboyne and they asked me to direct. We started off doing monthly Mass and that started to do charity events around Meath.”
They won the Popular Music Mixed Voice Choir at last year’s Navan Choral Festival and were highly commended at a festival in New Ross.
“We rehearse every Wednesday night in the Headfort Arms Hotel. They provide the rehearsal space for us each weeks to help a community based organisation,” she says.
The choir are accompanied by Gavin Murray and Noel Flanagan.
The Inspire Choral Group recorded a CD at Martin and James Quinn’s ‘Jam Studio’ and it is on sale at The BookMARKet in Kells and will also be on sale at the concert.
The pieces the group will be performing will include those they sang when they won  at festivals as well as  pieces that mean something to members of the group.
“All the pieces are touching, emotional and evoke memories.
“They include pieces from musicals, film, gospel music and pieces from the 1960s,” says Nessa.
Tickets for the show, which is at 8pm, are €15 and doors open at 7.30pm.