The Bray Choral Society, under the direction of Mr. Frank Kelly, presented a remarkable evening of music on Sunday 25th May at Holy Redeemer Church in celebration of its 40th anniversary. The programme featured a specially commissioned work by acclaimed composer Howard Goodall, created to mark this significant milestone.

The highlight of the evening was The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins, originally commissioned by the Royal Armouries Museum. Composed in 1999. The work is dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo conflict, part of the broader and devastating Balkan wars of the early 1990s.

Accompanied by evocative imagery projected on screens — depicting the destruction and ultimate futility of war — the performance was both powerful and deeply moving. The choir and orchestra delivered an outstanding interpretation, which was met with enthusiastic and heartfelt applause from a full Holy Redeemer Church.