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THE TELEGRAM, Toronto, Mon, June 30, 1958
The music is something grand, a credit to ...
... Old Ireland is Ulster's Singing Band
By LUCINDA CROZIER
Choir director Irene Brown plays the piano, four former members of the
Ulster Girls' Choir who are now living in Toronto sing the songs that will be
on the programme when the choir visits Toronto next April, Left to right are
Eileen Knox, Maureen MacCullough, Mrs Gavin McEwan and Ethel
Thompson.
In Northern Ireland, they're holding beetle drives and selling rhubarb ... In
Canada, they are getting their heads together figuring out a way to raise
money .
In both countries members of the Ulster Girls Choir are making plans for
the Choirs trip to Canada next April.
Miss Irene G. Browne, choir director, is in Toronto now, making
arrangements for the tour. The girls will give two concerts at Eaton
Auditorium and one at Timothy Eaton United Church.
Miss brown hopes that they'll give concerts all over the province, and in
the United States too. "We'll go wherever we're invited. " She laughed.
The girls have raised the money to bring them here themselves. All the
proceeds from their concerts will go to charity.
Age of choir members range from 12 to 23 years. There are 80 girls in the
choir but only 60 will make the trip. The youngest ones will stay home.
The girls in Ulster are raising money by all sorts of methods. A favourite
is the beetle drive. "Beetle" is apparently something like our bingo.
Instead of covering the numbers with cardboard, however, contestants
must draw part of the beetle over the number. When the whole beetle is
drawn the game is over.
One girl is selling rhubarb out of her fathers garden. One is making
chocolate eclairs and selling them to friends at school. Others are
.... Missing fragment ......
The programme will include Ulster Folk Songs, and all sorts, from the
classics to popular. There'll be Irish folk dancing too, taught by choir
member Adeline Johnston. The girls will dance in Irish Green costumes
with Celtic embroidery,
The choir costumes are pure Irish Linen - tan skirts, topped with beige
blouses and matching tan ties. The red hand of Ulster is embroidered on
the blouse.
The choir founded by Miss Brown eight years ago, has given concerts all
over Ireland and in London. Their pet charity has been , since 1954, The
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
It's charming ambassador, Miss Browne is enjoying her Toronto stay -
although she was a little doubtful when she arrived in Malton.
"It was pouring rain," she said in her soft Irish brogue. "I thought the
plane had turned around and I was back at Nutt's Corner !" Nutt's Corner
is the foggy, damp Northern Ireland airport location.
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This is Maureen MacCulloch the lady who sent me this material from Toronto, Canada. It was taken in London February 1956 and appeared in a London newspaper.
