FLEADH CHEOIL NA HEIREANN -AUGUST 12- AUGUST 19TH

Fleadh to visit hospitals and care facilities

THOSE in hospital, nursing home facilities and day care settings will get the chance to enjoy the Fleadh.

A programme of concerts and smaller recitals has been organised which will see musicians travelling to various facilities to perform for the service users and patients all over Louth.

Entitled Trad @ Heart, this initiative has been organised by CreateLouth, the Arts Service of Louth County Council.

Explains County Arts Officer, Brian Harten, “We’ve been involved with the on-going music-in-hospital initiative at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for some years now, which sees specially-trained musicians performing at bedsides in certain wards, in partnership with the medical staff. Because we see the benefit that this service brings, it seemed a logical step to expand this to more healthcare settings across the county.

‘And with Kids Classics, the organisation which delivers this service, we’ve come up with a programme which will ensure many patients will get to enjoy the Fleadh, even if they can’t get to the streets of Drogheda.”

The Trad @ Heart musicians will include Dunleer piper, Brendan McCreanor, duo extraordinaire Zoe Conway and John McIntyre, cellist Gráinne Hope, guitarist Liam Merriman, and banjo player Eoin Ó Meachair, as well as some special surprise guests.

The health care settings these musicians will be visiting include Sunhill Nursing Home, Termonfeckin, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, The Cottage Hospital, and St Mary’s Hospital, all in Drogheda, and Louth County Hospital, St. Oliver Plunkett Hospital, and The Birches, all in Dundalk. They will be joined by Music Generation Louth’s Young Traditional Ensemble for some of the visits.’

Brendan McCreanor, who is a trained musician-in-health, and has worked with fellow musicians in Our Lady of Lourdes for some years now, has no doubt about the value of the work.

“Being able to read a situation, to have empathy with patients and their families, and to work closely with health professionals, these are as important as the skills you have as a musician.

‘I’ve no doubt that people who are in hospitals and care homes will really appreciate being part of the event, and the enjoyment it will bring.”

Trad @ Heart is an initiative of CreateLouth, the Arts Service of Louth County Council, with support from the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon.