Donagh brings heavenly music to the Cathedral

THE enormous contribution made by a Belgian composer to the musical heritage of Clare will be recalled at a special mass and CD launch in Ennis this weekend.
Professor Ernest de Regge’s special mass in honour of Blessed [St] Oliver Plunkett will be performed at 6.30pm on Saturday in the Cathedral. Afterwards, Bishop Willie Walsh will launch a CD of Prof de Regge’s mass at the Old Ground Hotel. The title, From Heav’n on High, is loosely based on a carol arranged by de Regge called From Heav’n High.
The mass is sung by the Enniscorthy Choral Society accompanied by organist Eanna McKenna, under the musical direction of Ennis man, Donagh Wylde, whose late father, Denis, was a student of Prof de Regge. A professional musician, Donagh has been musical director of the Enniscorthy choir since 1993.
The Plunkett Mass, which was written by Ernest de Regge while he was living in Ennis, was first performed in a then very rare outside broadcast by Radio Éireann in July 1947.
Prof de Regge was organist and choirmaster in St Peter and Paul’s Cathedral from 1923 until his untimely death in the Carmody’s Hotel tragedy in 1958 when he and seven others died when a floor collapsed under the weight of an auction crowd. He was also a music teacher in St Flannan’s College and influenced generations of musicians in the town and beyond.
Fifty years after the tragedy in which he died, a commemoration was held in the town to mark the event. By coincidence, Mr Wylde was working on a collection of de Regge’s manuscript music, which he had saved from oblivion. The painstaking work involved in de-ciphering and editing the hand-written sheets was a nightmare but, for Mr Wylde, it was a labour of love.
The Plunkett Mass was the most important work in the collection and was triumphantly resurrected in time for the ceremonies. Its high musical quality was obvious and it has now been recorded and released as a CD.
The recording of From Heav’n on High would not have been possible without the support of the de Regge family, Michael Houlihan Solicitors, Ennis Town Council, Enniscorthy UDC and, in particular, Councillor Sean Doyle and Wexford Farmers’ Co-op, Donagh explained.
Born in 1901 in Overmere, Belgium, Prof de Regge studied composition, organ and Gregorian music at the Lemmens Conservatory in Malines, claiming first place in composition in his final year. He was one of a number of young Belgian and German musicians who were recruited in the early 20th century to improve the quality of church music in Ireland.
He became professor of music at St Flannan’s College, Ennis in 1923 and choirmaster at the cathedral. He composed almost 300 works for choirs, including songs based upon English and Irish texts, masses, motets, piano and organ pieces.
Prof de Regge’s death, along with the deaths of the other people in the hotel, had a huge effect on the people of the town. His pupils and, in particular, Denis Wylde, never forgot their piano teacher and mentor.
Shortly before his death, Mr Wylde gave his son, Donagh a box of photocopied manuscripts. It included among other pieces the sketch of a carol called From Heav’n High and a complete mass in honour of St Oliver Plunkett, to whom Prof de Regge had a special devotion.
Mr Wylde edited the music over a period and the result can be heard live at the Cathedral on Saturday evening or on the new CD.
Mr Wylde began his musical studies under the tutelage of his father. He later studied music at UCD and piano and organ at the College of Music, Dublin with Gerard Shanahan. He undertook post-graduate studies in 1989 at the Kodaly Institute in Hungary, winning a scholarship from the institute in his second year.
He now lives in Wexford and since 1991 has taught piano, keyboard, singing and music theory based on the Kodaly philosophy and methods of music education. He is currently on the examiners’ panel for The Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Enniscorthy Choral Society has been under the direction of Mr Wylde since its foundation in 1993. It is made up of people from varying walks of life, united by their love of choral singing and their aspiration to perform to the highest possible standards. The choir has travelled extensively in Ireland and Europe, competing in major choral festivals.