Taking a walk to combat loneliness back in 2007 lit a spark for Keara Sheeran that led to her founding the IGNITE Gospel Choir, which has evolved from a five-strong group 15 years ago to 60 members today, performing in different churches and for special events in Galway. Some of the biggest names in gospel music have come here to work with IGNITE and the choir has been invited to sing in cities across Europe.  Keara tells STEPHEN CORRIGAN about her passion for song and why gospel music is for everyone.

Feeling lonely, Keara Sheeran set off on a walk around Renmore one evening in 2007 that would change the course of her life.

The Castlepark-born choir director had just returned to Galway City, having been living in the countryside from the age of 15.

Seeing a light on in the surrounding darkness set Keara on the path to founding the IGNITE Gospel Choir.

“I took a walk one evening from my bedsit . . . I was just feeling desperately lonely and the lights were on in Renmore Church. I was being nosey so I went in to see what was going on. It was the tail end of Mass and the priest was Fr Murchadh Ó Madagáin – a young lad, around the same age as myself,” she laughs.

The pair got talking and she explained her background, having run a youth choir in Tuam Cathedral just a few years previously.

“The first thing he said to me was ‘you’re an answer to prayer’ because they were looking for someone to provide music at masses.

“I felt this would put me back in a place where I would meet people, plus I would be using my skill for the community,” recalls Keara.

Music and community had always been part of Keara’s life, her dad Peter having led the folk choir masses in the Jesuit Church on the city’s Sea Road throughout her childhood.

After spending five months in Renmore, Keara found herself returning to the place where it all began – the Jes – only to find that the music was gone.

She immediately offered her services, beginning to do as her father had done before her, and it was a chance meeting after mass one evening that planted the seed for IGNITE.

“A young woman came up to me and she said ‘if you’re looking to start something . . .’ She was interested in joining, even though I had no intention of starting anything.”

Keara was thinking about emigrating at the time and knew if she committed to a choir, she’d be going nowhere.

“After some time, I decided to start a choir and left behind my plans to leave. We started as five, and one of those was my sister,” laughs Keara.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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