Across:
8 Candidate (CHOICE) from Trim (trim/cut = r) group of singers (‘choir’ without ‘r’ = CHOI-) going to church (Church of England = -CE) (CHOICE),
9 On the outside (EXTERNAL), this refers to The Examiner (the EXTERNAL examiner),
10 Chap from the pharmacy (‘chap’ from the ‘pharmacy’ = rmay = ARMY) is a major employer (ARMY),
11 26 across (‘church’ = CHURCH-) works (-YARD) (CHURCHYARD) in The Garden of Remembrance (CHURCHYARD),
12 Silence (Sh = S-H-) over small computer program (application = -APP-) means nothing (-O) (SAPPHO) to old poet (SAPPHO),
14 Pay out (DISBURSE) for shocking (= anagram indicators) Sue’s bird (bird sues = DISBURSE),
15 Irish Catholic religious institution (CHURCH OF IRELAND) preaching to the Anglicans here? (CHURCH OF IRELAND),
18 Overly harsh critic (ATTACKER) rubbishes (= anagram indicator) tart cake (tart cake = ATTACKER),
20 Dance orchestra opens (‘dance orchestra’ opens = DO-) Gate (gate = -TAGE) production (= anagram indicator) (DOTAGE) of The Declining Years (DOTAGE),
22 One of those in 26 across (CHURCHGOER is in ‘church’) is a supporter of The Services (CHURCHGOER),
24 Flips (= reversal indicator) record (log = GO-L) about a (-A-) (GOAL) dream (GOAL),
25 Sounds like (= homophone indicator) something Santa would give (“presents” = “PRESENCE”) to the ghost of Christmas past presumably? (PRESENCE),
26 Faith (CHURCH) has short (l) fling (‘hurl’ without ‘l’ = -HUR-) with head of college (head of ‘college’ = -C-) in Switzerland (C-H) (CHURCH).
Down:
1 Rearrange (= anagram indicator) hair? (hair = -HARI-) In African country (South Africa = S-A) (SHARIA) it’s the law! (SHARIA law),
2 Rome, for one (CITY), and Milan sacked by militancy (‘Milan’ sacked by/taken from ‘militancy’ = itcy = CITY),
3 Item for auction (-LOT-) found in Irish house (Irish ‘house’ = TEA C-H) (TEA CLOTH) can be used for drying the dishes (TEA CLOTH),
4 Describe a unique extract (‘describe a unique’ extract = BEAU) to nice lover (BEAU),
5 They provide space for the library books (STACKS) in Rick’s (ricks = STACKS),
6 A haircut associated with an older person (GREY MULLET) – a slippery type Molly Malone could identify (GREY MULLET fish),
7 Lawyer (attorney general = AG) retires (= reversal indicator) (AG = GA-) with Chuck (= anagram indicator) Norris (Norris = -RRISON) (GARRISON) for company (company/troops = GARRISON),
13 Oddball (= anagram indicator) farmer (farmer = -ERMAFR-) consumed by tweet (tweet = P-OST) (PERMAFROST) is unlikely to ever thaw out (PERMAFROST),
14 Delay decision (DEFER) to send off defenders (‘send’ off/ removed from ‘defenders’ = defer = DEFER),
16 It’s hard (H-) on richest (richest = -ITCHERS) builders (= anagram indicators) (HITCHERS) looking for a lift? They need to get their finger out! (HITCHERS),
17 Orchestrate again (REDIRECT) socialist (RED-) anger (-IRE-) at heartless (u) cut (‘cut’ without ‘u’ = -CT) (REDIRECT),
19 An authority in Hawaii (in Hawaii, a wise person = KAHUNA) rejects (= reversal indicator) article (an = -NA) that’s a laugh (ha = -AH-) in UK (UK = K-U-) (KAHUNA),
21 Take the view briefly (GLANCE) in Government (G-) this is one of the cuts the doctors are asking for? (-LANCE) (GLANCE),
23 Don’t resist (OBEY) somebody kicking out the Mods (“somebody” kicking out the “mods” = eboy = OBEY),
24 De Gaulle fails to get deal (‘De Gaulle’ fails to get ‘deal’ = gule = GLUE) to stick (GLUE).