Carol Service at Maynooth 2010

For three nights, the wonder of the first Christmas is retold in Carols and Readings. Over 2,000 students and seminarians, faculty and staff and many visitors to the College enjoy three nights of joy.

On Wednedsday 15th December in the College Chapel, leaders of Church and State, the diplomatic corps as well as leaders of industry and enterprise gather to celebrate the spirit of Christmas.  Some six hundred invitees of the two Presidents, Monsignor Hugh Connolly of Saint Patrick’s College and Professor Thomas Collins of NUI Maynooth, attend.

The two institutions have created a tradition going back forty years that for many people is the start of Christmas.  Four choirs under the overall direction of Dr John O’Keeffe perform traditional carols like O Holy Night and Adeste Fideles but in addition the College Choir of seminarians, and the ladies choir, Schola Gregoriana sing medieval plain chant as well as modern carols.

The beautiful mixed voices of the Chamber Choir tackle pieces by Wishart, while O Magnum Mysterium by Lauridsen is beautifully performed.

Professor Fiona Palmer of the Music Department said “with over 400 students studying Music in Maynooth, there is a rich resource of talent that makes such an evening possible”. 

If you would like to see more photography from the 2009 Carol Service, click here, click "client login" on top right, and the password is "carolservice" (one word in lower case).