A choir of Dublin-based teenagers has won three major awards at a prestigious international choral festival which took place in Derry at the weekend, including being named National Choir of the Festival.
Cór Linn, a mixed voice choir based at the National Concert Hall, won first place in the National Sacred and Gospel Competition at this year's Derry International Choir Festival as well as first place, for the second year running, in the National Youth Choir competition.
Watch: Cór Linn perform at the Derry International Choir Festival
They were awarded National Choir of the Festival at the final competition after receiving a standing ovation for their performance of Balleilakka, a song in the Indian Tamil language with tongue twisting lyrics.
The choir was founded in September 2018 and has 56 members – boys and girls aged between 14 and 18 years old.
It was set up to allow teenagers to develop their vocal skills and to act as a stepping stone to adult choirs.
The current choral director is Ciarán Kelly who said the young people had worked tirelessly over the past couple of months to reach new standards and "it paid off."
Mr Kelly, who is originally from Derry, said working with Cór Linn was a real pleasure and being able to take them to his hometown and see them shine on stage was something he’d remember "for a long time."
The National Concert Hall’s Choral Manager, Lesley Bishop, said the joy and pride on the singers’ faces was a "beautiful reminder of the magic and power of singing together." And she urged everyone to join a choir.
Sixty choirs take part annually in the Derry festival which has been running for twelve years. The organisers describe it as "a joyous celebration of all that choral singing has to offer". As well as competitions, there are concerts, workshops and educational events all across the city and the surrounding area.
Cór Linn transferred from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall in January 2022 along with children’s choir, Cór na nÓg, the National Symphony Chorus Ireland and the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland.
