Barbara Poole -Past President and Noble Person
Barbara wearing her “Duine Urramach” medal.
In 2024, Barbara Poole, our past President, was awarded the Celtic Honour of being deemed Duine Urramach (Noble Person) by the Celtic Council of Australia (Qld), with the following citation: “In recognition of long-standing service to the Irish Community in Queensland and promotion of Irish and wider Celtic heritage and culture in Queensland, primarily through Celtic music; a founder of Celtic Connection choir, formed to present a repertoire of music from all of the Celtic nations; outstanding leadership in bringing about the amalgamation of Celtic Connection and the QIA Tara Singers to form Queensland Irish Choir; serving in positions such as Musical Director, President, Vice-President and Secretary for both Celtic Connection and Queensland Irish Choir; leading both groups in holding their own concerts and appearing at a wide range of Celtic events and occasions.”
Barbara has a long music history in Brisbane. From her Diploma in Piano exams through AMEB to Level 8, then becoming an Associate Teacher of Music from the University of Southern Queensland. She started teaching young students the piano in a downstairs studio in their house at Coorparoo where they have lived for 51 years. That’s 35 years of teaching/ training young Brisbane’s future virtuosos! (It’s no secret Barbara celebrated her 80th birthday last year, which was when she planned to retire from teaching, but she’s still busy with the Choir).
She started singing with Celtic Connection in 2000, the sister choir to the original Irish choir - the Tara Singers. Barbara took over the Secretary role until the formation of the Queensland Irish Choir. She then became Minute Secretary for the QIC and was elected at the next AGM as Secretary- 15 years in total in these roles.
Barbara also ‘moonlighted’ with the Brisbane City Sounds Chorus women's a-cappella, barbershop-style choir, which she joined in 2003 and stayed with until 2018. Barbara recalled: “It was a very enjoyable time – a great bunch of women and we learnt so much about singing from our many Australian and even American coaches. We competed every couple of years against other Australian choruses which were held in a different capital city each time. I also travelled to Hawaii eleven years ago, for the International Convention which was out of this world. Great times!”
Barbara followed Ray Clarke and Peter O’Loughlin as President of the Queensland Irish Choir. She did a terrific job, serving in that position for six years, which she recalls fondly; “We had a very good Executive team!” Unfortunately, Barbara became unwell in 2022, and had to resign from the Committee. Amazingly, Barbara resumed her role as a choir committee member in 2024. Along with those many years serving the choir in executive roles, Barbara has been the go-to/stand-in person with the baton or piano when our gold-standard Music Director David O’Keefe or Virtuoso Accompanist Tim Li are ever away.
She is still working on her application for retirement as we speak. Depending on the season she achieves this, she has the slippers and a cold Crown Lager ready in anticipation
When we think of Barbara, we think of a quietly spoken person, quick to smile and crack a joke, express herself diplomatically but always ‘fair dinkum’. Our Barbara doesn’t expect anyone to curtsy, even with a Certificate attesting to her lengthy, noble service. We are just grateful for all she has contributed to our Irish choirs over many years, and we raise our Crown Lagers in joyful chorus:
Céad míle go raibh maith agat and Slainte’ Barbara!
