Kildare Choral and Organ Festival celebrates Brigid 1500

The 2024 Kildare Choral and Organ Festival, which takes place in St Brigid’s Cathedral from the 14th to 28th August, will mark the 1500th anniversary of the death of St Brigid with a range of performances from acclaimed women musicians in Ireland.

The annual Festival, will this year explore the theme, ‘Women in music honouring Brigid 1500’. It begins on Wednesday 14th August, 7.30pm, with an organ recital from Dr Carole O’Connor, organist and choir director of the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Whitefriar Street, Dublin.

The second night of the Festival, Friday 23rd August, 7.30pm, will feature a choral performance from the celebrated Irish female vocal ensemble, Dulciana. Since its very inception, part of Dulciana’s mission has been the promotion of music by female composers, both those neglected by history, and those currently making history. They are particularly firm supporters of contemporary female Irish composers.

The closing night of the Festival, Wednesday 28th August, 7.30pm will feature Tatiana Konina on organ and Aoise O’Dwyer on viola. Tatiana is the Director of Music and Organist of Christ Church, Bray and Aoise is a violist, music educator and orchestral musician from Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

Commenting on the Festival, the Dean of St Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare, Very Rev Isobel Jackson said, “Last year’s Festival marked the 800th anniversary of the construction of St Brigid’s Cathedral, so this year we wanted to celebrate the founder of our ancient hilltop site, St Brigid herself. She is strongly associated with the arts, so it is wonderful to think that 1500 years after her death, glorious sacred music continues to reverberate on the site she founded”.

Tickets are €15 per concert or €40 for the whole festival. They can be purchased online on Eventbrite (see links below) or at the door on the night of the concerts. Those attending are welcome to bring a cushion to compliment the wooden seating.

Ticket links:

Carole O’Connor (14th August): https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/kildare-choral-and-organ-festival-2024-carole-oconnor-tickets-951305669867?

Dulciana (23rd August): https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/kildare-choral-and-organ-festival-2024-dulciana-tickets-951378086467

Tatiana Konina and Aoise O’Dwyer (28th August): https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/kildare-choral-and-organ-festival-2024-tatiana-konina-aoise-odwyer-tickets-951472829847?

For more information, see https://stbrigidscathedral.com/