Christmas was marked in Coláiste na Trócaire, Rath-keale with a concert titled ‘A Christmas Miscellany’ which celebrated the many aspects of Christmas. The variety concert held on Wednesday December 22nd in the school hall followed weeks of preparation by the students under Musical Director Ms Jean O’Brien and showed the vast amount of talent in the school. The concert was planned months ago by Jean and a committee of teachers and students and this helped to make the event the huge success that it was. The school choir, consisting of students from first to sixth year, performed throughout the evening to the accompaniment of Jean and Brendan McInerney, a fifth year student who played the drums. Violinist Anne Phelan, a former music student of Ms O’Brien and who now plays with the RTE Concert Orchestra, returned to play accompaniment and she also performed a number of soloes and a particular version of ‘The Mason’s Apron’ accompanied by Dylan O’Shea on bodhrán brought great delight to the audience. MC for the evening was Alan Chawke, a fifth year student who carried out the task superbly. Aisling Donovan performed a ballet piece called ‘Ladies in Lavender’ adding a touch of magic to the evening and hip-hop dances were performed by junior and senior students. A senior group of singers, under the direction of Ms Susan Burke, performed a Christmas medley. The Art Department in the school made a huge contribution to the show, Ms Emma O’Connor designed and painted the beautiful stage backdrop and Ms Kathleen Kingston designed the costumes for the nativity scene. Most of the second half of the performance was devoted to a Christmas theme with carols sung by soloists and the school choir which was conducted by Ms Tracey Boylan. This was interspersed seamlessly with poetry readings on the Christmas theme. Niamh Mulqueen, a sixth year student, sang a beautiful version of ‘I’m Not That Girl’ and this was followed by a beautiful nativity scene which was dramatised by first year pupils and accompanied by songs like ‘Voice of an Angel’ sung by Laura Kelly, ‘Pie Jesu’ performed by Lisa O’Keeffe and Marie Sheahan, and ‘May it Be’ sung by Lisa Moran. First year student Enda Walsh’s rendition of ‘Walking in the Air’ was one of the many highlights of the evening along with Shannon Ruttle singing ‘Oh Holy Night’ backed by the school choir and musicians which brought this very special evening in Coláiste na Trócaire to a close.