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Wednesday, 6 December, 2000, 13:26 GMT
Royal showtime for Omagh choir
Omagh choir
Children from both sides of the religious divide
A choir of Protestant and Catholic children from Omagh have performed at this year's Royal Variety Show in the presence of the Prince of Wales.

The singers came from all parts of the community in the County Tyrone town, which was devastated by a bomb in August 1998, killing 29 people.

The 44-strong choir was formed as a gesture of solidarity after the attack.

Prince Charles at Omagh, August 1998
Prince Charles visited the Omagh bomb scene
It sang Let Us Love In Peace with Josie Walker, one of the stars of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton's musical The Beautiful Game.

Prince Charles visited Omagh just days after the attack.

The choir's performance was one of the highlights of the show.

Money-raising event

Also performing were singers Dame Shirley Bassey, Kylie Minogue and Lionel Ritchie, as well as comedians Martin Clunes and Rowan Atkinson.

First held for George V in 1912, the Royal Variety Performance has become an entertainment institution, raising money for retired performers across the UK.

Comedian and writer Ben Elton hosted this year's event, which will also be shown on BBC One on 17 December.

The show provides worldwide exposure for its performers, and provides cash for the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund, which was originally founded in 1908 to cater for retired members of the variety and music hall profession.

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See also:

05 Dec 00 | Entertainment
Stars prepare for royal show
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