How it all began…

In the summer of 2020 Douglas Carnes and his wife Taryn relocated to Donegal, Ireland. Having traveled all over Ireland before but never to Donegal they thought, ‘how different could it be?’ A resounding ‘VERY’ everyone in Donegal soon taught them. When Douglas was accepted into his doctorate degree at The Royal Irish Academy of Music he had just left his position as Artistic and Interim Executive Director of Sing Out Loud where he experienced first-hand the powerful and beautiful experience that is conducting a young women’s choir. After searching far and wide Carnes soon realized (realised for all of our Irish friends) that a young women’s choir outside of church and school in need of a director did not exist. He knew what he had to do.

Two years after his initial research he had finally made connection with local music educators, numerous students, principals and community members thanks to the music teachers and principal of Colaiste Ailigh Secondary School and Colmcille Gospel Choir members. Danu Young Women’s Choir was born.

With over 40 auditions from all over Donegal, a hand-full of amazing female volunteers and a beautiful rehearsal space Danu Young Women’s Choir kicked off their first season with a free Christmas concert dedicated to their community. Over 500 guests in attendance came to hear them sing, and over 500 people left with a smile on their face. A beautiful evening of musical gifts dedicated to our loved one and every one who has supported them.

Now going into their third season Danu Young Women’s Choir is expanding! Their ‘little sisters’ will be singing in two choirs, Danín (ages 10-13) and Faíthín (ages 9 and under.) They will travel to NYC in 2024 to compete at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international youth festival, as well as perform to further concerts and take part in community outreach throughout the year.

Douglas Carnes - Executive and Artistic Director

Douglas Carnes has been in the music scene his entire life. His love of music and passion for working with the youth in his community gave him a strong incentive to start the Danu Young Women’s Choir here in Letterkenny, County Donegal.

Starting at a young age, Douglas’s mother (the first of many strong female influences in his life) flew him to Kingston, Jamaica to learn how to play Latin and African percussion. This skyrocketed his trajectory for a lifetime of musical experiences. Douglas graduated from Five Towns College (FTC) in Long Island, New York with his Bachelor's degree in Music Education and his Master's degree in Choral Conducting. While there, he played percussion on Disney’s “The Lion King” on Broadway. Upon graduation, he was employed in Harlem, New York where he developed a choral curriculum for middle school-aged (11-15) students focused on healthy singing and building relationships through the barbershop choral art form.

This led Carnes to relocate to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2015 as the Artistic and Executive Director of the award-winning Great Northern Union Chorus. Then in 2019, he transitioned back to working with young adults as the Artistic and Musical Director of Sing Out Loud young women’s choirs in Rochester, Minnesota. All the while, Carnes taught at St. Louis Park Middle School where he helped grow the choral department by over 300% and took those choirs to two international youth singing competitions.

From the U.S. to Asia, and now Europe, Carnes has worked as a choral clinician, educator, coach, and performer, but his heart and soul will always live in his work with young people singing. Now living with his wife Taryn and son Cillian in Co. Donegal Ireland, Carnes is pursuing his Doctor of Music Performance at The Royal Irish Academy of Music (Trinity College Dublin.) He is thrilled to be embarking on this journey as the founder of Danu Young Women’s Choir. For more information please visit douglascarnes.com

Dr Helen Haughey - Accompanist

Helen Haughey is originally from Muff in Inishowen, and now lives in Redcastle. She began her piano studies at the age of 7 with Helen Keaveney, and studied with James MacCafferty, and Sr Eveleen in Loreto Milford, before winning a scholarship to the RIAM, where she studied for many years with Professor Brian Beckett. She holds licentiates in piano performance and teaching from the RIAM, and from Trinity and Guildhall schools of music in London. She studied music and composition in Trinity College, Dublin, where she was awarded a PhD in Musicology in 2001.

One of Helen's main interests is accompanying: she has worked at feiseanna, auditions and concerts, has broadcast for RTE, and performed at the NCH. She works with many primary schools in Inishowen, where she is also director of music in Carndonagh Parish, and the musical director of Carndonagh Musical Society.