5.
Damian Carey has lived in Newbridge his whole life and has been part of the choir for the last ten years. "I was always interested in music and I was looking for something for myself to take time- out and I heard the choir singing with my wife and my wife said that I should join... "It was good fortune that my cousin was in the choir at the time and she told me the last enrolment is the following Monday so I went and I haven't looked back since.... "I used to sing when I was happy now I'm happy when I'm singing....you turn up here and after five or ten minutes you just go to a happy place and your surrounded by happy faces".
6.
Paul Nolan from Newbridge has been a member of the gospel choir since 2022 after his wife suggested that he join. "I always liked singing and now it's a good thing to have built into my routine.....singing is well recognised as being great for people's mental health.... "It's great fun and it's a good way to get to know people around the town....and we also have gigs pretty regularly as well".
7.
Rachel Pender from Newbridge joined the choir in February of 2019. "I always sang my whole life....I was in family choir's and stuff and when I had my children quite young I kind of gave up on that part of my life..... "I was at a parent group and Lisa, the music director, actually heard me singing and she said I should join the choir.... "I didn't think I would go but then I plucked up the courage and went....it was something just for me then where I wasn't mammy and I wasn't a partner and I was doing something that I just enjoyed doing..... "I've made friends that I know I'll have for the rest of my life....I also love that we give back to charity....I love that aspect of it because it can make such a good impact on the local community....at Christmas we go to the nursing homes.... "We go into them and you see people and something would just ignite in them....whereas before they wouldn't look like they have much life in their face and then you sing a song that they recognise and something is kind of awoken in them.. "Lisa is fantastic she doesn't just support us musically but in life as well and pushing us to reach our goals even when you don't think you'd be good at something".
8.
Siobhan Hurley from Newbridge is retired now but used to own a restaurant in Newbridge town called 'An Cistin' so has plenty of time for her love of music. Siobhan is also a member since the group first started nearly 15 years ago and she said she has never looked back. "It's like a lovely family.....I had breast cancer seven years ago now....thank god it's over...they were so good to me when I was out having treatment.... "Little things like....Lisa arrived down with a big box full of cards from everyone and I used to open one everyday just to read the little notes...it meant to much.... "I hate when I miss a night now....I love when we're doing a concert and when all of our voices come together in a big hall.....it's just superb".