For those who were privileged enough to witness the Balbiny choir, Malbork perform their songs and dance routines in Kilkenny over the St Patrick’s weekend it will be a memory that they will replay for years to come. A travelling group of 20 girls and 2 boys arrived in Kilkenny as part of the Twilight Group’s “connect the world ” Programme. This is part of the Group’s International Network Protocols that connects like minded communities & businesses together to encourage integration, Inter-cultural exchanges and social inclusion for all.
First stop for the Balbiny was KCLR and an interview and performance live on the Sue Nunn show. As their songs were heard not only city & county wide but all the way back to Poland on the world wide web services of our Local radio.
On to an evening with the CBS students in the Primary school where food and sandwiches were served as the students of both the choir and CBS re kindled their friendships from the 2017 visit by the CBS to Malbork , also part of the “Connect the World” Programme and performances by both groups entertained the Parents and guests present.
March 17th was the big day as the Girls and Boys marched in the Parade and sang for the Public under the City Hall for a full 45 Minutes and after been ” feed & watered” the Irish way courtesy of BOSCO’S Kilkenny it was a quick change of clothes and on to the Party night hosted in the CBS GYM of the Primary school on Stephen’s street, Kilkenny. After their long day it was sleep and get ready for Sundays activities .
Sunday saw the older members sing songs of praise at midday mass in the Friary with their beautifully performed hymns and harmonies that enthralled the congregation with their voices that had the sounds of Angels filling the Friary “Cathedral” like ceilings with airs of Poland, much to the enjoyment of the Polish Friars saying mass.
The younger members headed to the a morning of bowling thanks to K Bowl Kilkenny. The afternoon saw the group reunite and head to Macdonagh Junction and joined by the CBS Choir perform for the Customers present and witness the signing of their Twinning agreements which sees the CBS Choir and the Balbiny join forces to work together into the coming years and the primary school joined with Szkola Podstrawowa nr 6 im.Jana, Kochanowskeigo w Malborku. The two schools will now have weekly classes through Skype as they come together to learn each others cultures and traditions and eventually as part of the Twilight Groups “Connect the world” and progress to an exchange programme.
Monday saw our visitors depart for home. The group were a pleasure to host and their teachers, supervisors and parents should be proud of the way these young adults behaved and acted as true Ambassadors of their City and Country here in Kilkenny, the Medieval Capital of Ireland
