Passengers on an Aer Lingus flight from Brussels to Dublin on December 14th were treated to a festive surprise when a choir that was travelling on the same flight serenaded them with Christmas hymns.
The Island of Ireland Peace choir - formerly known as the Waterford-Omagh Peace choir - is a cross-border choir set up in 2006.
They treated the passengers to a beautiful performance of 'Silent Night' and 'Oh Holy Night'.
And videos of the Christmas treat were uploaded to Instagram and posted to Aer Lingus’ Facebook page. As Aer Lingus themselves commented, that is what you call in-flight entertainment.
What a wonderful welcome to both visitors and those returning home.
The choir was visiting Belgium to sing at the a ceremony at the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Flanders to commemorate the centenary of the World War I outbreak.
Martin McGuinness was also in attendance at the park which was opened by Mary McAleese in 1998.
The choir also stopped by the Church of St Nicholas in Messines to attend a commemoration of the Christmas Truce. On Christmas Eve, 1914, soldiers from both the German and British sides called a temporary halt to fighting. Soldiers from both sides used the time to bury their dead and some also exchanged gifts, sang carols and played football.
The Christmas Truce was also the inspiration for this year’s Sainsbury’s Christmas ad.