Name: The Marriage Course (online)
Start: 2026-01-06T00:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-01-06T23:59:59+01:00
Location: Online

School choirs raise their voices at St Anne Trust Carolfest

Thursday December 4th 2025

Singing in harmony – the St Anne Trust Scholars.

Children from eight different primary schools in the Belfast area came together in St Anne’s Cathedral over two mornings this week to participate in the annual St Anne Trust Carolfest.

The Trust was formed in 2015 to foster cross-community relations and build friendships through the medium of music. This year, pupils from Cliftonville Integrated Primary School, Glenwood Primary School, Holy Cross Boys’ Primary School and Hazlewood Integrated Primary School took part in a service on Tuesday December 2, with choirs from Jordanstown School, Fane Street Primary School, Springhill Primary School and St Bride’s Primary School leading the singing on Wednesday December 3.

Poppi from Cliftonville Integrated Primary School reading a poem.

In his words of welcome, the Dean of Belfast, the Very Rev Stephen Forde, said: “Today, through the singing of carols and Christmas music, young voices will blend in a heavenly harmony that will help us all to prepare for the coming of Christmas, and the Christ child into our midst. By singing together, in each of these shared carol services, children and teachers are building partnerships which reach across the schools of this city, and across a range of school traditions and educational experiences.

“With this diversity and shared musical partnership, these Carol Services speak powerfully into a world which is marked and marred by division and the suspicion of difference.

“With the interweaving of our voices singing carols together, we call into a world were wars rage, and cruel destruction is the experience of too many children from Ukraine to Gaza, and from the Yemen to Sudan.”

The choir of Hazelwood Integrated Primary School.

The Patron of the St Anne Trust is Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle, Lord Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast, who said she was passionate about the power of music and singing.

“I firmly believe that every child should have the experience and opportunity to be part of a choir, and to learn the skills of careful listening, co-operation and concentration that this requires. Once acquired, these are skills learnt for life, and skills that are helpful in so many ways,” the Lord Lieutenant said.

As well as bringing together school choirs from different areas and traditions, a second objective of the Trust is to provide young people with opportunities to develop their musical and performance skills regardless of their background.

Beautiful singing from Holy Cross Boys’ School choir.

The Trust has created a scholarship scheme in partnership with three schools to provide musical tuition for a number of promising pupils between P5 and P7, with the first cohort graduating from the scheme last year.

On the first day of the Carolfest, the current scholars, tutored by Catherine Harper, introduced the service, singing the first verse of ‘Once in Royal David’s City,’ and later sang ‘Torches’ by John Joubert. Their wonderful harmonies were appreciated by all present, including special guests, the Lord Lieutenant, and the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly.

The choir of St Bride’s Primary School singing on day two of Carolfest.

On both days, the children, teachers and congregation were welcomed by Dean Forde, who also gave the Blessing at the end, and the services included congregational carols, readings, prayers and poems, all delivered by pupils and other representatives of the schools or the St Anne Trust.

A host of volunteers from St Anne’s Cathedral helped to chaperone the children, welcome guests and provide welcome refreshments for the parents and friends who attended following each service.