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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Athenry Youth Choir

  • Teenager/ Secondary School age group
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

GMIT Student Choir

  • GMIT Students/graduates/alumni
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Virtual choir projects.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

GMIT Voices

  • GMIT Staff
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Twice weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Virtual choir projects.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Medtronic Harmonics

  • Employee or former employees of Medtronic
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Meets online.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Omna singers

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: 6-week blocks Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.

Galway Sings Project

  • Open to everyone. People wanting to reengage with music or those who want to learn fun pop music and also a space to meet other singers
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 1-2 hours.
  • Virtual Choir.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Performs once a year.

BARA Singers

  • Singers visit local nursing homes to interact one on one in a musical setting
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: 2 hours+.
  • No longer meets.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Performs once a year.

Galway Simon Music Project

  • people availing of a GSC service
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • Performances: Between two and four times a year.

Cor Le Cheile

  • Open to everyone.
  • No audition required.
  • Rehearses: Weekly Rehearsal Length: An hour.
  • Meets online via Zoom.
  • Not publicly accessible.
  • 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.