Now in her ninth decade, Irene Onion (right), a retired teacher and organist, has plenty of experience of playing hymns for children. Aged 83, she has now written her own — a celebration of God’s bounty through the seasons.
“Sing, sing, sing”, which she co-wrote with James Dixon, the activity coordinator at the Old Vicarage Residential Home in Bakewell, was in part inspired by a challenge to create an alternative to “All things bright and beautiful”, a hymn that Mrs Onion confesses to thinking “Not again!” about when she was asked to play it. The new hymn, composed on Apple’s Garage Band music software, comprises verses that move through the farming seasons: “Sing hallelujah About the summer light Whose golden rays Lengthen the days And hold back darker nights.”
A visit to All Saints’, Bakewell, opposite the home, inspired the duo to write a joyful hymn that children would enjoy singing, Mr Dixon recalled this week. A “skipping melody” was chosen, and Mrs Onion found chords to match.
Read it all and you may find the audio link there.
Highlight of my working week: speaking to Irene Onion about writing her first hymn aged 83. We share our taste in hymns. https://t.co/Zz8TdxKLBD
— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) October 31, 2025