Farmers are among those hitting a high note in the Timahoe male choir, Co. Laois, as they prepare to take part in their big gig of the summer, Electric Picnic.
Dubbed the vocal version of the Men’s Shed by its founder, Damien Bowe, the male choir has proven to be hugely popular among all ages.
Bowe, who lives in the Laois village, formed a family band at the age of 15 and signed his first record deal in 2000.
He went on to sign with Warner Bros Music and Universal Music as part of the international pop act, D-SIDE in the noughties.
Now working in human resources (HR) at the University of Limerick (UL), he got the choir up and running last November.
“I had a conversation with a gentleman, the late Billy Ramsbottom, before Christmas about a male choir in Timahoe in the 1950s. Women weren’t allowed to sing at the novenas then,” Bowe said.
“There was a great tradition of singing in Timahoe, so we decided to set up a men’s choir. We started rehearsals on Monday nights, alternating between the two local pubs, Ramsbottoms and Headens. That was the carrot – to have it in the pub,” Bowe added.
Members don’t have to show musical ability: “My philosophy is, if you can talk, you can sing. Everyone is welcome; there is no criteria,” said Bowe, who is originally from Shanahoe.
“We had about four or five rehearsals before our first performance and a carol service in Timahoe church where we got a standing ovation. People were blown away by the performance and how good everyone looked in their uniforms,” he remarked.
“We are now up to 50 members and we still have people joining the group. They include our priest, Fr. David Vard, prison officers and farmers. There are no solos, everyone sings as a group and the emphasis is on fun.
“We sit down for a chat after rehearsals. The men are stepping out of their comfort zone and there is a range of ages, from 25 to 75. It’s been genuinely incredible to experience the atmosphere,” he said.
“We are promoting positive communication. Some of the men are living on their own and what a great thing for them to do on a Monday night.
“We have got very positive feedback from the men and from their adult children. One chap moved to the area during Covid so it has been a fantastic way for him of meeting local people,” he said.
Choir
Local dairy farmer Mike Delaney was encouraged to get involved by his wife and children and is thrilled that he did.
“It was coming up to calving and they were onto me to join the choir which had just formed. My wife thought it would be ideal for me during the calving season, giving me something to do outside farming. I’m 45 and retired from football so it is something that gets me away from farming.
“I had never sang in public in my life and didn’t know the words of any songs but now we are all learning songs every week. It’s only an hour a week and we go down and have a drink and a bit of food,” Delaney said.
The farmer added that there “are other dairy farmers there, as well as suckler farmers and tillage farmers”.
He continued: “We have performed at lots of events including in a full church at the Embrace Farm ecumenical service for those who have lost family members in farm accidents. That was very emotional.
“None of us had ever sang before in public and we all love it. Who would have thought that we’d be performing at Electric Picnic.”
Another local farmer, Andy Daly, milks early on Mondays so that he is organised for practice: “I look forward to the choir and meeting the others,” said Andy who can play the accordion.
An engineer by trade, he worked for Laois County Council for 35 years, milking every morning and going to work while rearing a family. After retiring and going back to farming, he was looking for something to fill the gap.
“There was talk of a choir being started up so I got involved and we performed at a fundraiser for the local national school. They were delighted with us and it gave us a bit of confidence and whole thing grew wings,” said Daly.
“I go down to the village and we meet up, practice a few songs and have a chat about the local news and a few jokes.
“We have nicknames on some of the lads. It’s total fun. No materials are needed and there’s no cost. It’s just perfect. We throw €5 in a jar which will build up into a fund for a trip or something like that,” he added.
Bowe is delighted with the response to the choir: “We are encouraging people in other communities to do the same thing. There is a wealth of untapped talent out there and a great energy in the performances.”