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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Kingswood Community Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 90 minutes.
  • In Person on Monday nights.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Rotunda Choir

  • Staff within the hospital. As a means to relax and have fun and enjoy singing together.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

The Firhouse Singers

  • Open to everyone.
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • No longer meets.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Monthly.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

  • Staff and retirees of Dun Laoghaire rathdown County Council
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

People's College 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.

Rush Players and St. Joseph's secondary school

  • Adults with intellectual disabilities in collaboration with transition year students
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Performs once a year.

DLR Sings

  • Staff and retirees
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Terenure College Community Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.

Aware Volunteer Service

  • Volunteers supporting people experiencing mental health issues
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Every two weeks Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Our Choir reformed in November 2020, trialling online rehearsals.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Performs once a year.

Coombe Womens & Infants University Hospital Workplace Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • We organise remote music videos and we have just completed our third music video. We host Zoom singalongs for the choir and all staff to join in from home to help connect, boost morale and most importantly to encourage them all to Sing..
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Tallaght Choral Society

  • Open to everyone.
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours..
  • In Person.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Between two and four times a year. Open Public Rehearsal 12 September ..

Heartbeats - TUH Choir

  • Workplace choir for current and retired TUH Staff
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Meets virtually on Zoom.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

NCH Sing Out! Choir

  • This is a community choir for ages 16+
  • 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.

Firhouse CRC Melody Group

  • Adults with physical disabilities
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Mater Staff Choir

  • Staff and retired staff
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Chant and Chai

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: No performances.

The Lalala Choir

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Monthly.

Local vocals sing for fun

  • 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.

Hail Breakers (Music Group)

  • Individuals living with enduring Mental Health conditions.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Performs once a year.

The Riverside Singers

  • Mostly active Retirement People
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Weekly mp3s are sent to those with internet access, and CDs are sent at regular intervals to those without internet..
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Monthly.

The Ramparts

  • Men
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • Met a few times outside.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Monthly.

Global Harmonies

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

Continuum Youth Choir

  • Youths
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Zoom meetings.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Anúna

  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Only to prepare for specific performances Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Weekly.

Mellow Tonics

  • Open to everyone.
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Zoom, Weekly zoom rehearsals.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

International Harmony

  • Women from different nationalities
  • Audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Weekly on Zoom.
  • Publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between tow and four times a year.

Get Singing

  • Must be over 55 years
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Performs once a year.

Children's Health Ireland - On The Move Together Choir

  • Staff of Children's Health Ireland
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Meets virtually via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Once 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.