About Us
Chicago Irish Singers Club was founded in October of 2023 by Dr. Christine Lawless and a small group of local Irish Singers, who wished to form a singing community, modeled after the great singing clubs of Ireland. Our mission is to “preserve and promote Traditional Irish Singing in all its forms.” Starting with monthly singing circles and a monthly newsletter, the Club grew from 3 members to over 300 members in just two short years. It became apparent that some singers wished to create a performance team, so in August of 2024, some members of the Club auditioned for and became a performance team, known as “The Chicago Irish Singers.”
Since 2024, the Chicago Irish Singers has performed over 40 gigs at a variety of venues, including the Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago Gaelic Park, Irish Fests, Libraries, Chief O’Neill’s Pub, Barney Callaghan’s, Quigley’s in Naperville, Mystic Rogue, schools, retirement homes, fundraisers and private events. In March 2026, we had 11 gigs within 2 weeks to celebrate the March Madness of St Patrick’s month. We had the honor of performing for the Irish Minister of Culture Patrick O’Donovan in Nov 2025 at Gaelic Park for a special Famine Commemoration event, performing multiple times with Colm Keegan, member of the famed Celtic Thunder when he comes to Chicago, and singing at the 2026 Rose of Tralee Selection Event.
Irish Singing Activities Offered
- Free Club membership- which includes email list and monthly newsletter.
- Participation in The Chicago Irish Singers performance team- Requires an audition, and annual dues of $50 to pay for our professional choral directors.
- Irish Singing group lessons- These are offered in spring and fall at IAHC, Gaelic Park, and at McNally’s in St Charles IL, starting in September of 2026.
Watch this website, and cultural center websites for registration.
Private lessons are also offered via Zoom by contacting Christine Lawless at christine@chicagoirishsingers.
Join us and connect with others who share a passion for Irish song and heritage! We offer something for everyone.
Dr. Christine Lawless has been singing since childhood, and has had a career performing as cantor, soloist, and/or choir member for a number of Chicago-area churches, including Holy Name Cathedral, St Francis Xavier in LaGrange, and Mary Queen of Heaven in Elmhurst. Christine began a life-long interest in singing Irish traditional songs as principal soloist in a series of Irish historical plays (Celtic Tracery) at St. Thomas More Church in the 1980s. She won her first Midwest Fleadh in 1988 in Ladies English Ballads and was a finalist in the All-Ireland singing competition that same year in Kilkenny. In 2025, she won all 3 singing disciplines (English Singing, Irish Singing, Lilting) at the Midwest Fleadh. Now, Christine teaches traditional Irish Singing to group classes at IAHC and Gaelic Park, and to private students via Zoom. She has coached 9 students over the past 2 years to win the Midwest Fleadh, and qualify for the All-Ireland. Dr. Lawless created the Chicago Irish Singers performance team in 2024, and serves as its Executive Director. The team performs at cultural centers, Irish Fests, libraries, pubs, schools, fundraisers, retirement homes, and private events.
When not singing, Dr. Lawless has had a distinguished career as a cardiologist.
Eugene O'Donoghue, Vice President
Eugene O’Donoghue was born in St. Margaret’s north county, Dublin in 1958, immigrated to the US in 1979 and settled in Edgebrook on the Northwest side of Chicago. Married to Lee Anne and has three daughters, Maggie, Katie and Eileen and two grand children, Helen and Lucas. Eugene started singing at the age of three and sang with the St Margaret’s parish choir and graduated to singing in pubs and local parties before immigrating to the US. Here he played Gaelic football with St. Mell’s and McBride’s and would sing in sessions after the matches. He’s been singing with his local parish contemporary choir for the last 30 years. He also sang with the local traditional Irish band, the Celtic Groundhogs from 2004 to 2011 at venues like the IAHC and O’Brien’s Pub in Old Town. Eugene also sang with the Irish rock group In Spite of Ourselves for 10 years, until he retired in 2021. He joined the Chicago Irish Singers in November of 2023 under the guidance of Christine Lawless. Became Midwest Fleadh champion, male Traditional singing in English and best original song and went on to represent the US in Wexford, Ireland in August 2024.
Betty Miller Kort, Secretary
Betty Miller Kort found her voice in 1961, along with her parents and siblings, at a downtown production of the Sound of Music. The story of the Trapp Family was so powerful and Betty could relate as she is 5th oldest of 14 children. Betty has been married to Clayton Kort since 1976 and together they have raised 4 children. Betty has performed in various community choirs and serves as a cantor at St. John Fisher Parish since 1990. Fast forward to the 21st Century, Betty retired from Sam’s Club after 22 years in 2015 and threw herself into anything Irish. Ceili dances at Chicago Gaelic Park on Tuesday, the GP choir that sings at the monthly mass, and has been on and off stage with the Gaelic Park Players theater group since 2018. Betty has attended three zoom Irish Singing Classes since 2022 and is delighted to be participating in the Chicago Irish Singers Club since its inception in 2023.