Summer with 4 in a Bar: 'Animal Crackers', Maynooth

4 in a Bar and Speak Up, Sing Out Choir present: 'Animal Crackers' – a summer afternoon concert of animal-themed vocal and choral music.A word of explanation from Eoin:'Most of the time, when composers write songs about animals, they’re not really talking about animals at all. The animals are stand-ins for ourselves: our wishes, our failings, and our absurdities. The trout is in danger of being caught by the fisherman, just as an innocent girl may be trapped by a man. The deer yearns for running streams in the same way that the soul longs for the divine. The blackbird becomes a symbol of the civil rights movement. As for Josquin’s cricket or Arcadelt’s swan… perhaps it’s best not to go into too much detail in a family-friendly programme note.But sometimes the animal itself really is the star of the show. Janequin fills 'Les Chants des Oiseaux' with exuberant imitations of birdsong, while Rossini’s celebrated 'Duet for Two Cats' presents exactly what the title promises: a completely straight-faced operatic duet performed entirely in “meows”.4 in a Bar’s new programme gathers together a menagerie of musical animals from across five centuries, ranging from Renaissance madrigals and sacred music to music hall comedy, jazz, and Disney classics. Some songs raise more questions than they answer. We never discover why that old lady swallowed a fly, or why the Gnu insists on pronouncing the 'G', or what exactly Tom Lehrer has against pigeons. Humans have always looked at animals and seen reflections of themselves. In this concert, we invite you to do the same.'***About SPEAK UP, SING OUT – Straffan Community Choir:SCC started out as a six-week project in the Steam Museum in Straffan (a beautiful, pet-friendly cafe), where they quickly realised they had something really special and regrouped in September 2025. They were offered a stunning venue to rehearse in the K Club.SCC has just celebrated our 1 year anniversary and SCC has grown from strength to strength, taking part in local fundraising events such as the launch of the fundraising for Straffan Church of Ireland and competing in the prestigious Feis Ceoil in All Hallows Chapel in DCU.As a community choir, SCC is inclusive and welcoming and promises to leave you with a smile on your face and music in your heart.SCC is run by the dynamic duo Susan O'Brien and Ailish Moriarty.