On Friday, September 28, 78 people, including a conductor, accompanist and 26 choristers, boarded two coaches from Taf Valley in Whitland, and travelled to Pembroke Dock to board the Inishmore ferry for a long weekend trip to Southern Ireland.

Stopping overnight at Dooley's Hotel in Waterford, the two coaches travelled on, on the Saturday, to Killarney, staying at the Towers Hotel, where the food and welcome was astounding. This is a family-run hotel and nothing was too much trouble for them.

Later on that Saturday, an evening concert was held at St. Mary's Church of Ireland in Killarney. Soloist for the evening was Clive 'the bus' Edwards from Taf Valley Coaches, and Hefin and Juliet kept the singing in order.

On the Sunday, all 78 people took the horse and carriages available, for a trip through the Killarney National Park to the Lake of Leane. The boat guide told all about this beautiful lake which thankfully was very calm that day. He also told about the Isle of Ross in the bay, which used to house a community of monks, but which is now not populated and only the ruins of the monastery can be seen.

On the Monday, the two coaches and guides took the party on a tour around the beautiful Ring of Kerry. As usual with the gentlemen of Whitland choir, wherever they stopped they sang. Even when they stopped for coffee at the Kerry-Bog Village, they had a reasonable piano and consequently the choir sang a few numbers.

This bog-village and its buildings would not have been out of place at St. Fagans National Museum of Welsh Life.

Later that day, the choir sang in the main square at Killarney, where many people stopped to listen to their 'concert.'

On the Tuesday, they made their way back to Rosslare, to board the ferry home. The homeward sailing was quite rough, but all 78 people arrived safely and very tired at Pembroke Dock Port in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Thanks of the choir go to Clive and Steve, their wonderful drivers from Taf Valley, and to Hugh and Stan, their transport manager and secretary, who organised the trip and concert.

Whitland's next concert is tomorrow (Saturday) at Gravells showroom, Redstone Road, Narberth, where the choir will be singing for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Immunisation Against Polio charity. This concert is organised by the Narberth and Whitland Rotary Club and Round Table and tickets are available at Gravells Motors.