Originally from South Africa, Mmangana (who also goes by Jackie) has been to and from Ireland frequently since 2013 and now lives in Fermoy. After encouragement from her mother-in-law, Jackie joined the Fermoy International Choir in early 2019. She says, “I was nervous the first night going to meet the members, but it turns out perfect.”ย Hereโs Jackieโs story!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ข๐ซ?
The thing I enjoy most is this choir is not something serious, it is all about chatting and laughing out loud.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ข๐ซ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฅ?
More relaxed, forgetting my problems, especially people like me that are far away from my family. The moment you’re in the place you feel really good, with everyone smiling, making you feel welcomed.
๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ?
As I met a lovely lady (Eileen) at the choir she taught me how to swim. We meet up with other ladies from the same choir for swimming and now we have swimming group, some from the choir and we have walking and jogging groups, which all start from the choir, which is all about love and respect, joy and happiness!
๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ข๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ?
I’m working in the garden centre so everytime I see someone that I know, I feel different, I feel special that I know someone besides my in-laws in Ireland. And when someone shouts my name maybe in town, I’m like OMG who is calling me! It really felt special. Nice to have friends, good to hear a doorbell when you open it is your friend.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐!๐ผ๐ถ๐ต
We are looking to help more towns bring people together and build closer communities, via community singing groups for all! Email info@onetownonevoice.ie to get involved.