National Map: Singing For Health Groups

This map documents all Singing for Health and Wellbeing groups in the Republic of Ireland. The database is a unique collaboration between Sing Ireland and the Music Therapy Department at the University of Limerick.

This map documents all Singing for Health and Wellbeing groups in the Republic of Ireland. The database is a unique collaboration between Sing Ireland and the Music Therapy Department at the University of Limerick.

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Mitchelstown Singing for the Brain

  • Targets a specific population - Individuals with dementia, their carers and anyone in the community
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly .

Berrings Church Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Only to prepare for specific performances Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.

Shandon Health Action Zone Band

  • Targets a specific population
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.

Cor Na Laoi, Cork Community Arts and Health Choir

  • Any adult who can use choral singing to improve there overall health and well being
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • We have not resumed as of yet.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Singing for the Brain Ireland

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Meets online through Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: No performances.

Voices of Cork

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • On Zoom& whats app.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between and two and four times a year.

Óró

  • Irish Speaker
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • ocasionally on Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

East Cork Choral Society

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Murphy's Rock Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Meets vitrually.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Scrubs Workplace Choir

  • Those affiliated with Cork University Hospital, current or retired staff, close family of staff.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Virtually through zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Monthly.

Flourishing Voices

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • Virtually via zoom and making virtual choir videos.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Lantern Project Music and Singing Group

  • Criteria outlined by The Lantern Project - specific circumstances e.g. recovering from mental health, addiction, facing diffuiculties etc
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly for 8-week terms Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Performs once a year.

Cork Prison Officers Male Voice Choir

  • Cork Prison male officers
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Initially met virtually but no longer do so..
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Cantairí Mhuscraí

  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Music 4 Children Community Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Cór Geal

  • Open to everyone.
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Bravehearts choir

  • Anyone affected by a cancer diagnosis, directly or indirectly, who wants to sing and raise money for cancer charities.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Dundanion Ladies Choir

  • Women
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • Zoom for last few weeks.
  • Publicly accessible.

West Cork Choral Singers

  • Open to everyone.
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Bantry Community Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • Via zoom and when feasible outdoors in small groups. Frequency of meeting has dropped considerably..
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Monthly.

Drimoleague Community Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Group meets infrequently on Zoom and in person outdoors when appropriate.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Skibbereen Community Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Meets vitrually over zoom/Facebook live.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

From October 2020 - April of 2021 researchers at UL contacted 2,736 stakeholders with links to singing for health and wellbeing, collecting data on singing groups and choirs across the country. The results, presented here, form a national and international public resource for singers, referrers, policymakers, carers, and other stakeholders invested in singing for health and wellbeing. Several gaps in provision have been identified and it is hoped that data contained here will encourage more people to try singing for health and wellbeing, provide compelling evidence for investment in new services and encourage stakeholders to establish groups in areas of low provision.

The evidence to date supports singing for health and wellbeing as a potentially cost-effective intervention, including increased feelings of social connection and enhanced memory and coping skills for individuals with dementia and their carers; positive experiences of group singing for individuals with cancer; respiratory wellbeing for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and improvements in vocal quality of life for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Social, psychological, and physical benefits are documented for the general public, homeless and marginalized individuals, adults with a chronic mental health condition and/or an intellectual or physical disability, and staff workplace choirs. While there is a growing body of evidence around the health and wellbeing benefits of group singing, there is a paucity of national maps of this nature. This resource is the first-ever national mapping of group singing for health and wellbeing in the ROI and one of few internationally. It serves as a roadmap for people wishing to sing for their health, establish or improve service provision, and network with others. We hope that this map encourages high-quality practice and investment as well as providing a useful resource for all living in Ireland.

Dr Hilary Moss, Senior Lecturer of Music Therapy, Chair of the Arts and Health Research Network, University of Limerick.