" SINCE 1881 when the new St. Peter's Church first opened its massive doors to the public there was always a fine choir in attendance and even then great care and dedication was given to the extensive repertoire of church music that was in vogue at that time.

There were fine choirmasters too, among them the legendary Edward Lambe, to whom the console of the organ in the church is dedidcated. Following his death in 1932 he was succeeded by Joseph Massart (‘32-'34), Xavier Stephaan Marien (‘36-'39), followed by Very Rev. Padraic O'Kelly (1939 - 1947). After Fr. O'Kelly's transfer from the parish in 1947 a very young and enthusiastic Eugene Mooney was appointed organist and choirmaster and for the next thirty years he gave his all to the choir and to the church. He was no stranger to the choir either, having sung there as a boy soprano. Eugene was expert on the organ, a pupil of the renowned musician, Michael Van Dessel, and an admirer of the polyphonic music of the great masters including Palestrina and Viadana of the Italian school. He had inherited a very experienced choir of boys and men and he went to work enthusiastically with them, preparing them for a radio broadcast in 1948. This choir would have also sung at many parish occasions and concerts and by the time the mid 1950s came around, many of the former choirboys of the 40s had returned with their adult voices and with the help of Rev. Fr. Coyle, who tutured the younger choristers, Eugene was in possession of one of the finest church choirs in the country.

In the summer of 1956 Eugene invited choir member, Bobby Kierans, to accompany him and his brother, Pat, to a variety concert in Bessbrook, Co. Armagh where Pat, by now a well-known singer and performer, was making a guest appearance. They travelled to the concert with John Black, a prominent businessman in Drogheda at the time, who was also the possessor of a great bass voice.

One particular item on the show really appealed to them, a short recital by the famous Harlandic Male Voice Choir from Belfast , who were one of the foremost choirs in the British Isles . Eugene was well aware he had the nucleus of such a group in his own church choir which had many fine singers and later when he had discussed with them the possibility of forming a specific male voice choir, they were very enthusiastic about the idea. A meeting was held one Sunday morning in October 1956 in the practice room of St. Peter's Church, a committee formed and without further ado, St. Peter's Male Voice Choir was born. " Extract from Wings of Song"