On Wednesday night we had the College Advent Carol Service. This year it was held in the Church of Ireland College of Education - where teachers are trained in Rathmines. As such, with a much bigger chapel, it was open to the public - having been advertised in the C of I Gazette, and quite a lot of people were in attendance.
You might have seen the words 'Carol Service' and thought it was all O Come let us adore him, and Silent Night. No, and no. It was an Advent Carol service, which means it was carols from advent. So the opener was O come, o come Emmanuel - that wonderfully dismal hymn. The first four verses were choir solo verses - I was singing the first verse, and it all seemed to go well. Even better, we all managed to stay in pitch! The fourth verse was Colin and Clare, but lots of people thought it was me and Clare, so I don't know whether it was a compliment for me or Colin, or neither of us!
The choir sang three songs - 'Great Day' - a negro spiritual adapted for use by us; 'Comfort, comfort now my people' - one we sang last year, only in three-part harmony rather than the more complicated four-part harmony of last year; and 'The angel Gabriel from heaven came' - a standard anthem I think I've sung every year for the past 15...
Readings were done by students, residents and staff, and there were other congregational songs.
The Archbishop of Dublin was in attendance, but he didn't really do anything apart from the blessing at the end.
Mince pies were dished out after the service in another part of the College complex.
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