About us

In the beginning

The Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir owes its origins to the St. David’s Society, formed in the late 19th Century to assist indigent Welsh seamen who were stranded in Dublin.

On 20 October 1966 a group of the regular attendees formed a male voice choir.

The choir’s first public performance took place in 1969. The concert was remembered for the fact that the stage collapsed under the choir as it sang!

In 1970, on the eve of the Ireland-Wales rugby match, the choir sang in Old Wesley Rugby Club under the direction of Keith Young for the first time. Also in 1970, the choir competed in the Pan Celtic Festival in Killarney. In 1976, the choir returned to Killarney and won the male voice choir competition for the first time.

By the mid 1970s, the choir was well established and widely recognised in Ireland and beyond for its unique style and repertoire.

Our CDs

The choir has produced a number of CDs, covering a wide repertoire comprising operatic choruses, more popular music and, of course, the hymns for which Welsh choirs are internationally renowned. In 1999 the DWMVC recorded 2 CDs “All Through The Night” and “XV on Song”.

As a result of their success, the choir recorded two further CDs “Christmas Songs and Carols” in 2001 and “Live at Monkstown” in 2003. In May 2010 the choir recorded “The Creation” CD. Vincent Browne a longtime admirer of the Choir was the special guest speaker at the official launch. In 2016, to celebrate our 50th anniversary, we released a double CD “Yma o Hyd – Still Here”.

All the choir’s CDs are available for purchase from this website.

TV Appearances

DWMVC have appeared on television both in the UK & Ireland right through the 1970s to the current date. Some of the more memorable occasions in Ireland have been; The Late Late show on RTE with folk singer Rita McNeill, The Live Mike Murphy Show with Dermot Morgan and more recently, Nationwide, Seoige Live, Tonight with Vincent Browne and The Claire Byrne Show.

The Choir have also been featured on various recordings for the BBC, ITV and S4C. The highlight for the Scarlet supporters in the Choir was the S4C filmed performance at Parc y Scarlets.

Special Events

The choir has had the privilege of performing at many prestigious events and venues.
We have performed at both St Patrick’s and Christchurch Cathedrals in Dublin and made several appearances at the National Concert Hall. DWMVC have sung the anthems at Lansdowne Road on three occasions, The Special Olympics in Croke Park and at the Aviva Stadium, most recently at the Pro14 Final between Leinster and Scarlets in May 2018.

In 2015 we became the first choir from outside the United Kingdom to sing at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff before a Wales v Ireland Rugby International.

In 2016 we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a gala concert at the National Concert Hall,  Dublin with the renowned Welsh soprano, Elin Manahan Thomas and 120 male choristers from Wales who joined us for the occasion.

We have performed several times for the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin both at garden parties and, in 2017, as the sole after-dinner entertainment for the visit of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

In Wales we have sung at National Stadium, Cardiff International Arena, and the Millennium Stadium. We have performed at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Festival of 1000 Voices. Over the years the Choir has shared a stage with Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Bryn Terfel,  Rhys Meirion and Elin Manahan Thomas.

In May 2017 we were invited to spend an evening with the British and Irish Lions at Carton House helping them to learn four songs (one from each of the Lions’ countries) which the players and management subsequently performed on their successful tour of New Zealand.

In May 2018 we were invited to provide the half-time on-pitch entertainment during the Guinness Pro14 Final between Leinster and Scarlets at the Aviva Stadium.

In 2012 Conductor Emeritus Keith Young was awarded an MBE for services to Welsh Music and culture Overseas.

Since 1966 DWMVC has helped to raise over €500,000 for charities and good causes. We hope to continue having a positive effect through our music. We have traveled across Europe and North America and look forward to more trips and creating new memories.

To the future…