The Irish Pensioners Choir, based in Hackney, formed part of the line up at the nineteenth Trafalgar Square St Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday 13 March.
The London Mayor’s official festival, which was free to attend, was curated by the London Irish Centre and attracted more than 75,000 attendees. The festival has had a two-year Covid hiatus.
Today’s St Patrick’s Day parade showed the very best of our city.
It’s been two years since London’s Irish community were last able to come together in this way. Huge thank you to everyone who made it such a fantastic event.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh! ?? pic.twitter.com/73JanKtIk6
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) March 13, 2022
About the Irish Pensioners Choir
The Choir, which was set up 15 years ago and is non-auditioned, has 30 members, most of whom are in their 70s and 80s. The repertoire at the parade included Irish classics including The Fields of Athenry, Danny Boy, and Raglan Road.
The Choir has performed in care homes and day centres, as well as at the Tyneside Irish Festival, the Return to Camden Festival, the Royal Albert Hall, and on BBC London Radio. A selection of Irish musicians accompany them at their rehearsals and performances.
It has also recorded songs with Irish musical duo, Foster & Allen and has appeared on television with Irish radio and television broadcaster, Terry Wogan.
About the Choir’s founder
Sally Mulready OBE, founder of the Choir and former councillor of the Chatham Ward in Hackney, said: “We were delighted and honoured to take part in the Saint Patrick’s Day event. The choir has undoubtedly enriched our lives and we’d like to see more of Hackney’s Irish community attend; they’d be made very welcome.”
Mulready is a member of the Irish Council of State, a body which advises the President of Ireland, due to her decades of work for the Irish community in Britain. Her campaigns and policies focus on empowering the disadvantaged.
The Irish Elderly Advice Network
Although the Choir is independent, it is supported by the Irish Elderly Advice Network, a charity which has a base in Stoke Newington and supports around 300 elderly Irish people across Hackney.
Sally Mulready’s daughter, Nora Mulready, CEO of the Irish Elderly Advice Network and Choir Leader, said: “It was just brilliant for our Choir to perform at such a prestigious Irish event.”
The choral group is launching a crowdfunding campaign on St Patrick’s Day to try and raise £10,000 which will support their future endeavours. Nora Mulready said: “We want to make the Irish Pensioners Choir’s comeback album after Covid. We’ve got amazing singers, and we really want to preserve older Irish heritage and keep Irish songs alive for future generations in London.”
The Choir meets every second Monday evening to rehearse at the London Irish Centre in Camden Square.
