Kathleen Kinsella
PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED SOPRANO
Hello, I'm Kathleen. I provide live music that feels right for your day and means something to you and the people who are there.
I sing at weddings, funerals, private and corporate events, and with choirs — all over Ireland.
Classical and choral music is my first passion — I've sung it all my life, and that training comes with me into every style I perform. It's what makes a classically trained voice versatile: pop sounds like pop, folk sounds like folk, classical sounds like classical — from hymns and classic songs to today's chart music, each sung in its own voice.
Whatever songs you choose, I'll give you a version that's yours alone — a trained voice making a familiar song original, personal, and memorable for your occasion.
About me
I was never not with music. I come from a family of trained singers going back generations — my father sang at weddings and funerals across the southeast of Ireland, and I went with him from the time I was a child. When my father passed, I took over singing at them myself. I've been singing professionally ever since:
My training began when I was thirteen and carried on into my mid-twenties — a Grade 8 singing exam with the Royal Irish Academy, and then a performance degree in Music and Theology at Maynooth University, where I sang with the Chamber Choir and the Choral Society. For ten years I also sang with the Irish Youth Choir
Today I'm the musical director of two choirs. I'm a trained and practising chaplain, and I teach religious studies at a secondary school— so I understand ceremonies from the inside: the joyful days and the hardest ones — and music has its place in every one of them
My Approach
Every event begins with a conversation — a call, a message, whatever suits you. We'll talk about your story and the atmosphere you want to create. Only when it feels right to you do we turn to the music.
No two occasions are the same. A wedding asks for joy, a funeral for gentleness, a celebration for the right kind of energy — so I don't arrive with a set list. I start with you. Whatever music matters to you, we'll find the place for it; and if you don't know where to begin, that's fine too. We'll work it out together, at your own pace.
There's never any rush and never any pressure. My job is to make the music the easiest part of your day — so you're free to enjoy it.
A performance for every occasion
Wedding Music
'All of Me' (John Legend)
Your wedding day isn't one occasion, it's many — the walk up the aisle, the vows, the signing, the hour your guests spend finding each other again, the first dance. Each one asks something different of the music, and I have a vast repertoire for all of them, religious and non-religious.
And no two couples want the same day. That's the part I care about most. Tell me what matters to you, and every song will be one you've chosen, sung the way you want to hear it. This is one moment from one couple's day — yours would be entirely your own.
SOME SUGGESTIONS- for the signing of the register
'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' (Roberta Flack) · 'At Last' (Etta James) · 'All of Me' (John Legend) · 'Songbird' (Eva Cassidy) · 'What a Wonderful World' (Louis Armstrong)
Funeral Music
'Abide With Me' (Traditional)
A funeral holds more moments than people expect — arriving at the church, the service itself, the graveside, or a memorial some months on. Each one carries something different, and I'll sing what you want at any of them.
These days are arranged quickly, at the worst time in a family's life, and I'd like this to be the part you don't have to worry about. Some families know exactly what they want sung; others would rather be guided — either is right. Tell me about the person you've lost and what they loved, and we'll go from there. This is one moment from one family's day.
SOME SUGGESTIONS - for the entrance
'Abide With Me' (Traditional) · 'Morning Has Broken' (Traditional) · 'Lord of All Hopefulness' (Traditional, Slane) · 'Here I Am, Lord' (Dan Schutte) · 'All Things Bright and Beautiful' (Traditional)
Events - Private & Corporate
'You Raise Me Up' (Westlife)
No two events are the same, so I plan each one on its own terms — a morning, an afternoon, or a night that runs long. I sing in many different styles, so whatever theme or feeling you have in mind, the music can be built around it.
The music can stay in the background, take the room, or move between the two as the day goes on. Tell me what you'd like and that's what I'll bring — because it's how the day felt that people carry home with them.
SOME SUGGESTIONS - for anniversaries
'You Raise Me Up' (Westlife) · 'Morning Has Broken' (Traditional) · 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' (Eva Cassidy) · 'You'll Never Walk Alone' (Rodgers & Hammerstein) · 'The Parting Glass' (Traditional) · 'The Best' (Tina Turner)
Performing across Ireland - wherever your day takes me
Weddings
Joyful, personal music for your ceremony: any genre, any song.
Funerals
Gentle, reassuring music to help you say goodbye to your loved one.
Events
The right voice and the right atmosphere, whatever the occasion.
Choir
Singing with choirs, and workshops in technique, breathing, and harmony.
Some kind words from people I've sung for
Kathleen understands the funeral liturgy like few singers I have worked with. She never distracts from the ceremony — she lifts it, gently and exactly where it's needed, and families always feel the difference."
— Fr. Patrick Murphy, Mullingar
"From our very first meeting, Kathleen made everything easy. She took the songs we love and made them sound like they were written for our day — so beautiful, and so much heart."
— Amy & Peter O’Brien, Tullamore
Whatever your occasion, I'd love to hear from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions people ask me most often.
Every page on this site has answers of its own too — so if you're wondering about a wedding, a funeral, an event, or a choir, you'll find more FAQ’s there.
And if you can't find your answer, just contact me — I'm happy to help.
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Whatever way suits you: tap to call, message me on WhatsApp, or use the contact form — I'll come back to you quickly.
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I'm based in the Midlands and I perform all over Ireland.
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Yes — religious, secular, and spiritual ceremonies. I know where the music belongs in each.
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Yes — I can arrange additional singers or a keyboard player, and even four-part harmony for something really special.
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Yes — happily. Whether it's joining a band, singing over a choir, or working with the organist on the day, I'll fit in with whoever is making music with you.
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Every occasion is different, so the simplest thing is to call me and tell me what you have in mind — I'll give you a straight answer, and you'll find me very reasonable.