St Mary's Choral Society in Clonmel, has purchased a former Methodist Chapel as its permanent home.
St Mary's Choral Society, Clonmel, is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a production of Victor Herbert's 1910 operetta, 'Naughty Marietta'. It opens at Clonmel's Regal Theatre on 6 May 1975 with Stella MacCusker in the title role.
St Mary's Choral Society has acquired, and is restoring to its original state, the building once known as,
The Most Beautiful Chapel in the Methodist Church.
The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at the top of Wolfe Tone Street, formerly known as Gordon Street, was built in 1843 by the Clonmel-born architect William Tinsley. The chapel is constructed in the style of a modified Greek temple.
St Mary's Choral Society, Clonmel’s public relations officer, David Croucher, tells reporter Tom MacSweeney why the Society decided to buy the chapel. It was mandated by committee members to acquire a building for the administration of the Choral Society, with enough space for rehearsals. They were also looking for a way to commemorate their late musical director, James A White. The chapel will be renamed the James A White Memorial Hall.
The acquisition of such a building is a major financial outlay for an amateur society. They are purchasing the chapel incrementally and are looking at creative ways to raise funds for the final payment. This includes using the proceeds from 'Naughty Marietta’, although such productions generally do not make money and, at best, break even. However,
We've always relied on the generosity of the people of Clonmel and district here, and I must say they’ve always turned up trumps.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 30 April 1975. The reporter is Dermot Mullane.
