The Ballymun Music Room celebrates 10 year anniversary
The inspirational music room has run a successful programme for children in North Dublin since 2009
Initiated as part of the Dublin City Council’s Ballymun Rengeneration Project, the Ballymun Music Room is celebrating 10 years in existence as the centre of the Ballymun Music Programme. To mark this anniversary, a screening of the documentary ‘Ballymun Lullaby’ directed by Frank Berry, will take place on Saturday, 9th February at the Light House Cinema in Dublin at 10.30am.
Credited with opening up a new world of music for children, the Music Room continues to be every bit as impactful, urgent and innovative today as it was in 2009.
Director Frank Berry captured the first days of the Music Room in a documentary released in 2011 to heartfelt praise, in particular striking a cord with the public when it screened on RTÉ 1. In addition to featuring a number of students, the film also followed the making of a specially composed CD by Daragh O’Toole titled ‘Ballymun Lullaby’, which featured performances from the students of the Music Programme alongside the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
Iain White – Fennell Photography.
One student featured in the film, Tara O’Brien, emphasised how much music has given her an improved confidence and self-esteem, and she expressed a desire to complete a Bachelor of Music Degree and to return to Ballymun to inspire a new generation of music lovers. And that’s exactly what she did. Ten years on, Tara teaches in the same music room which fostered and supported her interest in music.
Ron Cooney is the Musical Director of The Ballymun Music Programme, which has been running successful programmes for children in North Dublin since 1996. He commented, “The Music Room is significant in helping to ensure that music education is embedded in the community. Music has an immense power to connect people and is a really effective educational tool. It’s extremely satisfying to see the students so receptive to the programme, year in, year out, and the Music Room has been an invaluable tool in that regard.”
Maura Doyle, of the Ballymun Music Programme, said, “The music programme is a great opportunity for students to develop confidence in themselves and even challenge perceptions of Ballymun. Over the past decade it has been a pleasure to highlight the talent and creativity among our students.”
Over the past decade, students of the Ballymun Music Programme have visited and performed in distinguished venues such as Trinity College Dublin, Dublin Castle, The National Convention Centre, Cork City Hall and the National Concert Hall.
