In 2008 Glencairn Community Trust received several council grants towards the running of Moniaive Folk Festival. Part of this was to set up a series of singing workshops with a view to producing a choir that would hopefully perform at the Festival.
Ali Burns a well known Singing teacher was engaged to work with the group and for several months the group met once a week in the George Hotel to learn new songs and practice arrangements. This was augmented by a few one day courses.
It was a good laugh, new friendships were formed and on the opening night of the Festival the group performed for the first time as The Singers Club. The performance amazed the audience. It also amazed many of the singers.
Such was the response that a decision was taken to continue on a permanent basis. Meetings were held, a constitution adopted and committee elected. Ali Burns is still involved and the group still meets every Thursday Night in the function room of the George Hotel.
Everybody is welcome and don’t worry about not knowing anything about music or thinking you can’t sing. That is not important. All you need is a bit of enthusiasm and the rest will come. Just come along and you’ll be made very welcome.
And the name? Alyne Jones suggested it. It’s a club, and the purpose is to sing. Besides which the name was once used by a London club run by the famous Folk Singers Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger.
In 2009 members of the group voted to change the name to Cairn Chorus.