It was a dawn chorus with a difference as a city welcomed summer — and the start of an international five-day festival of choral music.

Nearly 5,000 singers from 20 countries will participate in this year’s Cork International Choral Festival, which gets under way on May 1.

Cork Choral Festival is more than competition, it is primarily about the joy of singing, writes Declan Townsend

The National Chamber Choir and the Gentlemen Singers both perform at Cork Choral Festival on May 4, writes Nicki ffrench Davis

THOUSANDS of singers and dozens of choirs travelled to Leeside over the last week for the 57th Cork International Choral Festival.