Pictured are the Senior Mixed Choir who won the Mary Collins Rose Bowl

There was great success for the three choirs, orchestra, traditional group, ethnic percussion groups and string quartet at the recent Newry feis. The Senior Mixed choir won the Mary Collins Rose Bowl, defeating the Sacred Heart Grammar School and St. Colman’s College, with 89 marks. They sang: Irish Blessing and Non Nobis Domine. The adjudicator said there was ‘..a great deal to commend in this performance. The driving rhythm was maintained throughout.’ It was ‘..a very polished performance.’ As a result of this performance, they won the Harry Heather Memorial Cup for the highest mark in a Choral class.

The orchestra came joint first, with the Sacred Heart Grammar School, winning the Perpetual Challenge Cup, with 87 marks. The adjudicator commented on their ‘very secure performance, with good tuning and panache.’

The Senior Girls Choir were victorious in winning the Rafferty Family Cup in the High School Choir competition. They sang Deo Gracias and Bridge Over Troubled Water, gaining 87 marks. The Junior Choir came 2^nd place, defeating St. Mark’s High School, Warrenpoint.

The Traditional group gave an excellent performance, gaining 92.5 marks. They were narrowly defeated by the Sacred Heart Grammar School, who gained 93 marks.

The Senior String Quartet came 1^st place, for the second year in a row. They played The Owl And The Cuckoo, from a suite called Birds Of a Feather. The adjudicator commented on the excellent communication within the ensemble and outstanding engagement with the audience.

The Ethnic Percussion Senior group were victorious in winning the Mary Higgins Cup, with 87 marks. They had ‘excellent control of dynamic and timbre changes. Rhythmic complexities were well together.’