Taking the Benedictine Beat to Ireland
Benedictine Bands Completes a Summer Tour of the Emerald Isle
The Benedictine Band during a street performance in Clonakilty, Ireland.
Benedictine College strives to provide its students with a broad liberal arts education that will help launch them into successful lives, careers and relationships. That applies both in Atchison, Kansas, and abroad.
This summer, the Benedictine Bands, the various ensembles of the Department of Music (brass, woodwinds and percussion), were invited to perform in several events across Ireland. The student musicians were able to participate as guests in the South of Ireland Band Championships, showcasing their talents. The group spent around a week and a half in various places like Clonakilty, Bunratty, Cork and Galway.
Along with performances in the South of Ireland Band Championships, students were involved in street concerts as well as Mass and ecumenical services. Not only did these students deepen their relationships with their peers, but they also had a unique experience that included visits to historic sites like Kylemoore Abbey, the oldest Irish Benedictine Monastery, and meetings with the Abbess, Mother Karol, and her Benedictine nuns.
Recent Benedictine College alumnae, Julia Nore ’25 and Abby Jones ’25, close friends and members of the band, took advantage of the opportunity to travel and perform throughout Ireland.
Julia, who majored in Finance while minoring in Music and Theology, plays bass clarinet for the band. She noted how impactful the Ireland experience was and how the Benedictine Bands shaped her college career.
Julia Nore, left, and Abby Jones in Ireland.
“It was absolutely incredible. I never dreamed our Music Department would have the opportunity to go to Ireland,” she said. “When I was a freshman, I was honestly hesitant to participate in the band. Thankfully, I believe, God had a plan and that same year our conductor, Dr. Thomas Davoren, was hired. He has taken this program to heights we never thought possible! Through his connections, we met so many talented musicians and other conductors. Overall, it’s remarkable for the growing program at Benedictine College.”
Abby, who majored in Music Education and was highly involved in Benedictine’s music atmosphere, wrote a letter to her instructors and peers. She expresses gratitude for the Benedictine Bands and the experience in Ireland.
“Your passion is the reason we’ve found ours. Thank you for teaching us to live lives full of meaning, beauty and music,” she said. “Underclassmen, thank you — thank you for being exactly who you are. You’ve made this group a home, not just an ensemble. Keep building. Keep loving. Keep showing up, even when it’s hard. Because our band, as Dr. Davoren says, is unlike any other. Upperclassmen, let your lives sing even louder than your instruments. Music is our way of touching the divine—it’s our glimpse of Heaven, and the world desperately needs it.”
Julia and Abby are witnesses to the impact of Benedictine College’s Music Department and the exceptional instructors and experiences associated with it…even for non-Music majors.
“You are joining a community that shares the same unique passion for music as you do. Not only that, but the connections I’ve been able to make through band were far greater than any of my other activities. You will be blown away at just what band can become,” said Julia. “Let it transform your life. Soon enough, rehearsal might just be the number one thing you look forward to every Tuesday and Thursday!”
Through Benedictine College’s commitment to its students, programs like the Benedictine Bands’ Ireland trip have provided an educational experience of a lifetime.
Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas. The school is honored to have been named one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, the best private college in Kansas by The Wall Street Journal, and one of the top Catholic colleges in the nation by First Things magazine and the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. It prides itself on outstanding academics, extraordinary faith life, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging. Benedictine College is dedicated to transforming culture in America through its mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.
