What we’re about
Sacred Harp or shape note singing is a four-part a cappella music dating from the 16th through the 20th centuries. It is characterised by haunting harmonies, traditional modes, raucous songs, serene hymns, fast fugues, and high-energy anthems. The notation is written in shapes that correspond to degrees of the scale, making it easy to sight-sing. This tradition is democratic and egalitarian. We meet for the joy of singing together, rather than for performance. We’re an established group who meet every Friday, but we’re really keen to welcome some new members into the group and that’s why we’ve joined Meetup. All voices and all levels of experience are welcome.
We meet each Friday from 7 - 9 pm in the Robert Emmet Community Development Project, Usher St, Usher's Quay, Dublin: https://share.google/zNUTfZqGWoevnT8l4
You can hear some of the music we sing at the following locations:
Bandcamp: https://sacredharpsingersofdublin.bandcamp....
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/dublin-sacred-harp
If you have any questions or want to know more about what we do, please feel free to message me or ask on the Discussions page, or contact us at sacredharpdublin@gmail.com.
Upcoming events
3
Weekly Singing
Robert Emmet Community Development Project, Usher Street, Dublin, D, IELocation: Robert Emmet Community Development Project, Usher St, Usher's Quay, Dublin. https://g.co/kgs/9hCzJ4J
All voices are welcome, all levels of experience are welcome. Newcomers and beginners are always welcome. We are an established singing group and so we will be singing regardless of how many attendees you see coming to this event :)
We sing from a book called The Sacred Harp, and we can loan you a copy to sing from. We sing as a group, take it in turns to choose the songs we'd like to sing, and take a tea break (very important!) around 20.00.
Check out this YouTube playlist to hear the music and to hear us and some international visitors singing together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xghHi2bV-ZI&list=PLYHNt0OEEyLqDnQHhXt04RfTWnaOZvwcS3 attendeesBeginners' Night: Sacred Harp (Shapenote) Singing
Robert Emmet Community Development Project, Usher Street, Dublin, D, IECurious about singing in four‑part harmony in a relaxed, welcoming environment? Join us Friday 19:00-21:00 to bring more music into 2026.
We meet every Friday from 19:00 to 21:00 simply for the joy of singing together. There are no rehearsals, no performances, and no pressure. Our group sings Sacred Harp (shapenote) music, an American folk tradition known for its powerful sound, haunting harmonies and easy‑to‑learn notation. It’s perfect for beginners and experienced singers alike. You don’t need to read music, and you don’t need to audition. Just show up and sing. We will provide loaner books.
Location
Robert Emmet Community Development Project
Usher St, Usher’s Quay, Dublin
Map: https://share.google/zNUTfZqGWoevnT8l4
What does it sound like?
Sacred Harp singing has featured in films such as Cold Mountain, Lawless, and The Ladykillers. You can hear recordings from our Dublin singers here:
- Bandcamp: https://sacredharpsingersofdublin.bandcamp.com/album/tullamore-dew
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/dublin-sacred-harp
Whether you’ve sung for years or haven’t sung since school, you’ll be warmly welcomed. Come along, try something new, and add a little harmony to your Fridays.
8 attendees
Alternative Harmonies: Shenandoah Harmony and Sacred Harp Singing
Robert Emmet Community Development Project, Usher Street, Dublin, D, IELocation: Robert Emmet Community Development Project, Usher St, Usher's Quay, Dublin. https://g.co/kgs/9hCzJ4J
First Friday singing from alternative sources. Sacred Harp 19:00 - 19:50, Shenandoah Harmony 20:10 - 21:00.
All voices are welcome, all levels of experience are welcome. Newcomers and beginners are always welcome. We are an established singing group and so we will be singing regardless of how many attendees you see coming to this event :)
We sing from a book called The Sacred Harp, and we can loan you a copy to sing from. We sing as a group, take it in turns to choose the songs we'd like to sing, and take a tea break (very important!) around 20.00.
Check out this YouTube playlist to hear the music and to hear us and some international visitors singing together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xghHi2bV-ZI&list=PLYHNt0OEEyLqDnQHhXt04RfTWnaOZvwcS3 attendees
Past events
313
