Tracing its origins back to 1493 with the founding of the choir school by Prior David Wynchester, Christ Church Cathedral Choir has always been highly regarded in Dublin’s musical life and, together with the choir of neighbouring St Patrick’s Cathedral, took part in the first performance of Handel’s Messiah in 1742. With the closure of the choir school in 1972, a new mixed-voice choir was formed and this remains the cathedral’s principal choir today.

Under the direction of Judy Martin, Director of Music, the present choir is made up of female and male Lay Vicars Choral and Choral Scholars. In addition to the full part it plays in the worship in the cathedral, singing at least five choral services every week, the cathedral choir is also highly active with concerts, tours and regular broadcasts on both the RTÉ and BBC networks.

The choir has, in recent years, toured extensively. It has performed in concerts and at services in New Zealand, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia and in London’s Westminster Abbey. In 2005, the choir undertook a week’s residency at St Paul’s Cathedral in London; in 2006, a very successful tour of the East coast of the United States of America and, in 2008 it performed Messiah in Basilica of the Holy House in the Italian town of Loreto at the invitation of the Associazione Rassegna Lauretana di Musica Sacra.