Members

Mary Walsh

Mary is a Dublin-based conductor who has completed an MA in Conducting and a BMus degree in the MTU Cork School of Music, Cork.

During her masters, Mary conducted Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale, Mozart’s Linz Symphony and Barber’s Adagio for Strings.

In 2022, Mary was selected as a finalist in Dublin Feis Ceol Conducting Competition as well as the National Concert Hall Female Conductor Programme where she conducted both the National Symphony Orchestra and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

In 2021, she was selected to take part in the Sorrell Women’s Conducting Programme in the Royal Academy of Music, London under the guidance of Sian Edwards and Alice Farnham.

In 2022 Mary worked as assistant conductor to conductor Elaine Kelly on the opera production of Horse Ape Bird. A children’s opera produced by Irish National Opera, Music Generation Kildare, Music Generation Meath and Solstice Arts Centre. Mary was also assistant conductor to Stephen Barlow on the opera Alice in Wonderland produced by Opera Collective Ireland.

Mary’s professional work lies primarily in conducting. She is currently the conductor of Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir, Wexford Gateway Orchestra and St. Mary’s Junior School Choir and Newpark Junior Choir.

As a choral singer, Mary sings with New Dublin Voices directed by Bernie Sherlock.

James Short

James Short is an organist, conductor, and teacher based in Dublin. As Assistant Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral he is the principal accompanist to the Cathedral and Girls’ Choirs, as well as director of the organ outreach programme. 

Born in Hertfordshire and raised in Kent, James’s musical career began as a chorister at his parish church. After displaying talent at the keyboard, he took organ lessons with David Newsholme at Canterbury Cathedral before being offered an organ scholarship at Exeter College, Oxford.
At Oxford, he maintained a busy schedule directing the acclaimed chapel choir whilst studying for an undergraduate degree in Music. After Oxford, James moved to Florence where he spent two years in charge of the music at the English Church.

James is active as a recitalist, having performed at Galway Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, St Andrew’s Westland Row, and the prestigious Dun Laoghaire Organ Festival. Passionate about sharing the magic of his profession, he operates a social media channel @thecathedralorganist through which he shares insights into his life as a musician.

Now in his fifth year in Ireland, James lives with his husband, Vini, and their dog Lilla. A keen hillwalker since childhood, he enjoys exploring the mountains when not at the keyboard!

Members (as at 1st January 2026)

• David Abbott
• Albert Campbell
• Jim Carroll
• David Kelly
• Alex McIntosh
• Dorian Rees
• Connor Hillman
• Arnold Kavukattu
• Bryan Lynch
• Cecil McCabe

• Trevor Byron
• Alan Collins
• Chris Davies
• John Hoey
• Brian Maher
• Pat Mullins
• Peter O’Brien
• Peter O’Leary
• Benjamin Szabo
• Fred Daly

• Frank Bergin
• Mark Delargy
• Ronan Egan
• Tom Kelly
• Eddie O’Sullivan
• Hugh Quigley
• Gerry Stone
• Sean Stone
• Brian Kelly
• Andy Carlisle
• Mark MacMahon
• Osian Denman

• Brian Flynn
• Gareth Llwyd Jones
• John Lauder
• David Lombard
• John Wong
• Declan Gannon
• John Dunne
• Jody Judge
• Tiago Dennehy

Life Members

• • Alan Ogmore Tilley
  • Keith Young
  • Sally Kelly