Local talent shines through adversity
CLLR CODD’S CALL TO ARMS LEADS TO NIGHTLY SHOWS
AS we enter our fourth week of lockdown people all around the county are coming up with new and creative ways to keep themselves, and everyone else, entertained.
And one of our own councillors has been encouraging people of all ages and all abilities to join him for a celebration of creativity on his Faceook page. Asking musicians, singers, comedians, dancers, anyone with a creative spark, to send him videos of them doing what they love best, Aontú Cllr Jim Codd has been sharing these clips on his own account, and to great acclaim.
‘It started off with me asking a few friends to play a bit of music and tell a few jokes to try and combat the terrible negativity and fear that I saw seeping through on my social media feeds every day,’ Cllr Codd said.
‘ This is obviously an extremely stressful time for people. As well as the fear of Covid-19, there is also the added pressures of the lockdown, the loss of employment for so many and the uncertainty which we all face. We needed a bit of positivity.’
This ‘ bit of positivity’ has seen the Councillor inundated with videos from all over the county, with children and adults alike sharing their work with him and the local community through the wonders of social media.
‘Almost immediately musicians started contacting me offering their services,’ says Cllr Codd.
‘I asked more to join, and the whole thing ballooned. As well as more well-known local musicians like John Murphy, Daithi Kavanagh, PJ Maloney, Nicky Furlong, George Maloney and Declan Cosgrove, we also received performances from some incredible young and up-and-coming stars.’
‘We even managed to run a special Easter Show over the weekend to mark the occasion. It’s important to remember that all of the contributors gave their time for free just to try and cheer up their friends and neighbours on Facebook.’
And Cllr Codd has decided it all needs to be preserved for posterity.
‘As the quality was so high and the response so good, we are now going to put together a CD/DVD release after the crisis and give all the takings to Wexford General Hospital. It’s the least we can do for our frontline workers, the effort made by these wonderful musicians should be recorded,’