University of Limerick and Corpus Christi Community Choir hit high notes with Christmas video

Members of the Corpus Christi Community Choir pictured with choir director and UL PhD student, Sarah Alley, and Professor of Music Therapy at UL’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Hilary Moss.

A heartwarming Christmas video from UL has showcased the deep connections created by music and the Corpus Christi Community Choir

A heartwarming Christmas video from University of Limerick has showcased the deep connections created by music and the women of Moyross who have found solace in song.

The video pays tribute to the Corpus Christi Community Choir – a choir embedded in the community of Moyross that empowers and uplifts its members.

In the video, the choir perform their rendition of the Leonard Cohen classic, Hallelujah, as viewers get a glimpse of the camaraderie between choir members who have bonded through a love of singing.

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The choir is a lifeline for many, a safe space where the pressures of daily life can be paused.

Through the joy of singing, members have found comfort in times of distress and formed deep and meaningful friendships.

The choir was established through funding from the UL President’s Community Engagement Fund and continues to be supported by UL’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance through research led by music therapist and UL PhD student, Sarah Alley, and Professor Hilary Moss who leads UL’s MA in Music Therapy.

Designed to support the parents of children attending the Corpus Christi Primary School in Moyross, the choir has had a profoundly positive effect on its members.

Sarah, who works as a music therapist at Corpus Christi Primary School, has led the choir since 2022, following in the footsteps of UL graduate, Dr Jessica O’Donoghue, who founded the choir in 2017 along with Professor Hilary Moss and Dr Declan Aherne, clinical psychologist at Corpus Christi Primary School, who served as Director of Student Counselling at UL for 30 years.

Since 2017, the choir has grown to include 20 active participants, and what started as a group open only to parents within the school has now expanded to the wider community, reflecting its inclusive spirit and growing reputation.

Describing the impact of the choir, its director, Sarah Alley, said: “Having a community choir in Moyross is especially important because it gives all of us a place to gather and celebrate the strength, warmth and resilience of this community.

“The purpose of the Corpus Christi Community Choir extends beyond music-making. It offers a space where everyone belongs – no auditions, no judgments, just voices coming together in harmony.

“Over the years, friendships have formed, confidence has grown and the choir has become a shining example of the talent and heart that exists in Moyross.”

Professor of Music Therapy at UL, Hilary Moss, stressed the benefits of singing in a choir and the research that has grown from UL’s collaboration with the choir.

She said: “There is plenty of evidence that group singing is good for our health, especially that choirs help to break down barriers of loneliness and social isolation, improve motivation and maintain cognitive skills.

“Since Dr Declan Aherne and I started the choir eight years ago I have been proud to support it as a key part of UL’s commitment to community-engaged research.

“We have contributed significant research in this area, but most importantly have maintained a sustained relationship with the Corpus Christi Communiy Choir.

“The research and practice we undertake evolves with members through that relationship.”

Performances and outings are important opportunities for the choir which offer members a sense of achievement, empowerment and a chance to grow in confidence.

Since its inception, the choir has performed at a variety of high-profile events in locations such as Adare Manor and Powerscourt Hotel in Wicklow.

The choir has also made a yearly Christmas trip to UL since 2022 to sing for staff and students with this year’s performance at the Irish World Academy captured on film by Seán Curtin of True Media.

Anne-Marie O’Connor from Moyross Community Champions works closely with choir director, Sarah Alley.

A familiar face to many, she has worked in Moyross for 15 years and is responsible for recruiting many of the choir members.

According to Anne-Marie, the choir ‘means everything’ to its members.

“There was a huge desire to start a community choir as singing was a big part of people’s lives.

“It’s not just a choir. It’s a therapeutic choir led by a music therapist, and it wouldn’t be possible without Sarah’s expertise, without her personality and her empathy.”

Speaking after the choir’s annual performance at UL, Anne-Marie said: “It’s more than just being here today in UL. It’s exposure to another world outside of sometimes difficult living.

“They will see that UL is accessible and that it is a possibility, that it’s something they can reach for their children.”

Sisters, Lorraine O’Brien and Evelyn Hogan, have been members of the choir since its inception along with their daughters, Shannon and Jacqueline. For all four women, the weekly one-hour choir rehearsals are a well-deserved break from the daily busyness of family life. For Lorraine, a mother of seven, the choir is time for herself.

“I love music and it’s my time – away from the kids, away from the housework, it’s my hour for myself.”

Lorraine’s sister, Evelyn, a mother of five, said, “For some people here in the choir, it’s their only time to get out of the house and spend time with others your own age. People think you’re just coming here to sing songs but it’s so much more than that. We’ve great chats, the atmosphere is fantastic here and you make loads of friends.”

Evelyn’s eldest daughter, Jacqueline, and Lorraine’s eldest daughter, Shannon, both describe the choir as being ‘just like family’. For Shannon and Jacqueline, who are both in their 20s, the choir is a refuge when times are tough.

Jacqueline said, “If you’re having a bad day, you can come to the choir, sit down with the girls and have a chat about it. Every single week it cheers me up and I love it.”

Shannon said, “Every other weekday, you could be depressed off your head looking at the same four walls at home but coming up to choir rehearsals on a Monday, it takes us away from it all.”

Eileen Sheehan, a resident of Moyross for 42 years who has served as sacristan in the local church for 20 years, is one of the choir’s most recent recruits, having joined the choir just over 12 months ago.

She encourages others in the community to consider joining the Corpus Christi Community Choir.

“Even if you haven’t a note in your head, still come along. Nobody will judge you and it’s great fun. If you have anything going on in your head or your life or anything at all, it’s gone for that hour that we’re here every week. The friendships that we’ve made and the laughter and the camaraderie we have, I’d recommend it for anyone.”

Choir director, Sarah Alley, reiterates those feelings of camaraderie and connection.

She said, “Singing together does something special. When we meet each week, we’re not just learning songs, we’re connecting, unwinding, laughing and supporting one another. Many of us arrive to rehearsal carrying the pressures of the day, and we leave feeling lighter, energised and proud of what we’ve created together. That’s the real magic of this choir.”