St. Fergal’s College, Rathdowney, Co. Laois

‘Music Speaks’, performed by the 39-strong St. Fergal’s College Choir. Post-Primary Finalist in the 2020 Waltons Music for Schools Competition. In responding to the 2020 Competition theme – ‘Where words fail, music speaks’ – the teacher and students of St. Fergal’s College decided to develop a medley of different songs. ‘Caledonia’, a much-loved song about missing home, was the first to be selected. Words were simply not enough to express to family and friends how the songwriter was feeling. This is followed by ‘Music Speaks’, a lively jig composed especially for their entry by one of the 6th-year students. The jig is followed by ‘Faded’, an emotional song with a powerful melody about searching for something lost, to which the group added their own harmonies. Their medley finishes with ‘Dance Monkey’, a fast-paced song, the lyrics of which would simply be incomprehensible without music.