It all began when chorister, piano tuner and lover of the human voice, Archie Simpson, moved to the Burren in the early nineties, having worked in the music industry in Scotland and Dublin. He came to Fanore to tune a piano for PJ and Dympna O’Donoghue. A sing-song began, more followed, word got around and neighbours and friends joined in. Sing-songs led to music lessons for local children.

It soon became known that Archie had a special way with people and music and later a love for singing had brought together a small group of people to Archie’s home at Lismorahaun near Lisdoonvarna. Their purpose was to form a choir to sing for the Christmas Mass in the local Church at Fanore. A few had come up the Caher valley. In the murky darkness driving slowly on the narrow road crossing the only surface river in the barony of the Burren, the Caher river. Some more had come from Ballyvaughan up the corkscrew hill to the plateau above Lisdoonvarna.

Ten people in all and out of that small beginning came the wellspring of world class singing that is today the Lismorahaun Singers.

Throughout the early 2000s, the choir built its repertoire and performed concerts locally, releasing its first disc Roaring Water in 2001.

Soon afterwards came an invitation from John O’Donoghue, rising philosopher of his generation and author of world best seller, Anam Cara, to sing for the Dawn Mass at the 13th Century Cistercian Corcomroe Abbey in North Clare.  

By 2004, the choir took on its first major work and presented the west of Ireland premier of Mozarts Requim in April 2005. This work was taken to the Concert Hall in Limerick and to the RDS, Dublin.

The sonority of this production was critically well-received and it reinforced the growing reputation of the Lismorahaun singers and a live recording of the Requiem Mass by Amadeus Mozart was released in 2005.

In 2007, the choir travelled to Pozzoeleone, twinned with Ennistymon, and performed in concert there and enjoyed the warm hospitality of this Italian community and a truly memorable visit to Venice during Carnivale.

In 2009, the Lismorahaun Singers presented Mozart’s Mass in C Minor in a joint production with the London Symphony Chorus. The combined choir of over 150 voices thrilled a packed church in Ennistymon and marked the choir’s tenth anniversary celebration.

In July 2015, the choir travelled to Bolognia to perform a joint concert with the Mikrokosmos Choir who in turn came to North Clare and took part in a further joint concert.

The Lismorahaun singers hosted a group of young singers known as Osterbro Pigeker from Denmark in 2016 for a joint concert at New Quay Co. Clare.

In 2019, soloist and original Lismorahaun Choir member, Kate Daly, took on the role of Musical Director. As well as performing in a variety of genres, Kate has worked as a community group singing facilitator and brought her passion and belief that through group singing, we can positively impact on our well-being. 

Following the restrictions of 2020/2021, the choir regrouped  and thanks to her positive leadership and enthusiasm since then, the choir can look forward to another exciting term this Autumn.  

More recent performances include Hotel Doolin in 2023 with special guests including tenor Dean Power, soprano Theresa Garrihy and The Galway Baytones.

In December 2023 at St. Michaels Church, Ennistymon, the choir were joined by special guests Regina Nathan and Miltown Malbay’s Peace and Choir.