The pure voices that echo round the cavernous grandeur of Christchurch Cathedral every Wednesday evening are a refreshing contrast to the chaos of Dublin's rush-hour outside. One could be walking into a medieval time warp if it wasn't for the important fact that the brightlooking faces singing the Magnificat are young girls not young boys.

In 1972 the choral foundation's all-boys choir school closed, ending a long history of musical education at the cathedral. But in 1995 Mark Duley, Christchurch's director of music, decided that the tradition of musical education in the cathedral should be revived, but this time with an all-girl cast.

It all sounds very 1990s Spicegirl "girl power", but the music is firmly rooted in the classic liturgical repertoire.

"I feel very strongly that what we're offering here is a unique education," says Duley. "They don't get an education like this at school or in music college, both in terms of the history of the place, the repertoire they are singing and the professionalism that is required of them.

"There's simply no room for a slack attitude or misbehaviour. They know that I treat them as professionals, but they have my respect if they act as professionals."

Despite the austere rhetoric it is clear that Duley is well-loved by his young proteges who variously describe him as "marvellous", "fantastic" and "brilliant", although head chorister Judith Gannon admits he can have a strict side.

Along with twins Rose and Julia Cherry, and deputy head chorister Paula Higgins, this foursome makes up the senior members of the choir who have been with it since the beginning.

Admission to the 25-strong choir is by open audition usually when children are as young as nine or 10. The youngest member of the current choir is 11, although there are a number of younger probationers who are starting their musical training.

No prior singing experience is necessary, and what Duley looks for when he auditions girls is the potential to learn from the fantastic singing education the cathedral's choral foundation offers.

"What you look for is a quick ear," he says. "Girls who can pick things up quickly, and can pitch accurately, but above all is the sort of sparkle they have."

FOUR senior girls I spoke to were enthusiastic about a recent tour to Belgium which was clearly a success. "We sang in the fifth largest cathedral in the world," said Rose Cherry enthusiastically of their concert at Brussels' Sacre Coeur Basilica. All are enamoured of the experience of singing in such beautiful surroundings and their love of the music has grown the more they learn about it.

Despite their professionalism they do admit to the occasional crisis and mistake. The most notable was when the priest started the chants in the wrong key which threw everyone, although luckily Mark Duley managed to hum them the right note to save them from the embarrassment of a rare mistake.

The choir has recently recorded a CD which is a compilation of music they have learned over the first 4 years of the choir's existence. On December 16th they give their annual lunchtime carol concert, which is a popular attraction for local office workers and is open to all. It marks the highlight of the girls' year, although they reliably inform me that they have appeared on TV each year so far, including an appearance on Kenny Live, and hope that this year will be no exception.

When questioned about the relative merits of girls' and boys' voices there is a unanimous consensus that girls' voices sound better. "I think there is more of a pure voice for girls," says Paula Higgins. They point out that a girl's treble voice will not start to crack up at the onset of puberty like a boy's.

After 4 years in charge Mark Duley is content with the way the choir has come on. "Now we've got girls who've been singing here for coming up to four years, and it's beginning to show," he says. "Their voices are beginning to work well together and they are mature enough vocally and musically to know what I'm after."

For the four seniors this will be their last year in the choir, but they hope to be able to help impart some more of their experience to the others before they leave. Now the choir is established there is healthy crop of probationers waiting to join the main choir, and in February the voice-trials for next year's probationers will be held to ensure a new generation of talent.

The girls are all keen to continue singing when they leave the choir, and some will no doubt go on to join the adult choir so that they can continue with the magic of singing in Christchurch. But they all agree that there is something very special about being one of the chosen 25 to sing in the girls choir.

"I'm going to miss it so much next year when we have to leave," says Julia Cherry to wistful nods from the other three.

The Christchurch Cathedral Girls' Choir annual lunchtime charity carol service will take place on Thursday December 16th at 1.15pm. All are welcome.