American choir performs in Baldoyle at benefit concert

MEMBERS of an American choir paid a visit to the Northside last week to take part in a benefit concert for a local award-winning choir.  

The 60-strong South Main Baptist Choir from Houston, Texas, led by Director Carey Cannon, is on a musical tour of Ireland and Scotland.

After hearing about the Forget-Me-Nots, they got in touch and offered to hold a benefit concert at Baldoyle Community Hall for the choir.  Baldoyle Forum kindly arranged seating for approximately 200 people and the event was a big success. 

The Forget-Me-Nots Seniors Choir, inspired by The Unforgettables Chorus in New York, is a dementia-inclusive choir for carers and family as well as those suffering from memory loss conditions.

Set up in 2014, it now has a membership of over 100 drawn from the local community, and includes residents of local nursing homes and enthusiastic volunteers. 

The choir’s mission is to offer a socially inclusive and challenging quality arts pursuit within the Dublin North East community so the lives of seniors, including those suffering from memory loss, their carers, family, friends and neighbours are enhanced through the joy and reward of choral learning and public performances

?? drawing from a wealth of nostalgic and remembered songs of old.

Under the direction of wonderful Choral Director, Norah Walsh, Forget-Me-Nots has continued to grow in popularity and reputation and has featured in RTE’s

‘Doc on One’ and RTE’s social media documentaries as well as being chosen to feature in a choral documentary on RTE

‘s Lyric FM later this year.

Past public performances include carol singing on Ireland AM, The Dementia Elevator Roadshow in the Helix, Dementia Understand Together caroling in Busáras, Sutton Methodist Church Singathon in aid of St Francis Hospice, AONTAS Adult-Learning Star Awards 2015, Age-Action Ireland Marigold Festival 2016, 1916 Centenary Plaque Unveiling Baldoyle and regular performances in local nursing homes and local community meeting places such as Insomnia, Sutton. 

Founder of the choir, �rla Horn, was the 2016 recipient of the Pride of Ireland Award for her tireless efforts to help enrich the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens. The Forget-Me-Nots Organisation became a registered charity in May.