The Blue Heaven Barbershop Chorus had its genesis in 1981 as "The Voice Squad", formed by renowned music director Ray Ryan, who has been our leader and guiding light since its creation.
The Voice Squad in 1986
Within a few years we grew to 13 members and became "The Barbers Dozen", remaining as such for some time. However, the growth of the original group reduced the comedic irony of its name, and in 1997 we renamed ourselves "Blue Heaven", to reflect the mellow sound of barbershop harmony.
Blue Heaven is an amateur barbershop chorus and we have great fun singing at concerts and festivals throughout Ireland and Europe. We perform at annual events such as the St Patrick's Day festivities, Christmas and summer fairs, conventions, corporate and private parties as well as charitable functions. Visit our Gallery and have a look at us at some of our gigs.
We originally set out wearing traditional barbershop garb of waistcoat, bow tie and boater, but time and style have caught up with us, and in 2007 we acquired a more radical change in identity by adopting a blazer (complete with logo), and a choice of either a long or bow tie. The picture on the right shows our musical director, Ray Ryan, looking smart in our current uniform, whilst the picture below shows us in our first outfit. When the occasion demands it we will combine the two looks, as seen on our home page, where we are wearing everything!
We pride ourselves on our performing ability, and in our various incarnations we have won Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals in the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers (IABS) conventions (National Male Chorus category). Want to see what we sing? There are a few examples of our repertoire to be found in the Music section.
Still have questions and
don't want to search the site for an answer? Look no further: there's every chance that others have asked the same questions (many, many times before), so check FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
There are many barbershop organisations in Ireland and world-wide, as well as related groups, societies, chat-rooms, etc, so enter Links for more information. |
Our Music Director, Ray Ryan |
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Looking for entertainment?
If you need entertainment for your wedding, party, concert, fundraiser, or other event, Blue Heaven will be happy to help. Why not Contact Us and see what we can provide. You certainly won't regret it! |
Would you like to sing with us?
We are always looking for new members and if you want to see what we can offer why not come along to one of our rehearsals - you'll be very welcome. We rehearse regularly on Sunday lunchtimes from 11.45am - 1.00pm, so why not drop in and take a look. Our rehearsal venue is located in Firhouse, near Tallaght, Dublin. You'll find full details of how to find us in Contact Us.
Age is unimportant - our members vary from whippersnappers to revered sages - all you need to have is a desire to sing barbershop harmony. Our musical director coaches us personally during our rehearsals and, as a member of the group, you will have access to all the musical scores and mp3 files you need in our Members Area, so that you can practice in the privacy of your chosen environment!
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