News
For the second year running, Kids’ Classics will present Trad@Heart in Louth, a complimentary traditional Irish music programme across hospitals and health settings in the community during August 2019. Trad@Heart is taking place in partnership with Create Louth, the arts service of Louth County Council. An introductory Music in Healthcare workshop for musicians will form part of the festival.
A series of live performances, hospital sessions, workshops and a hospital staff ceili will take place at various locations across the county. Patients, residents, visitors and healthcare staff in Drogheda, Dundalk and beyond can expect some toe-tapping cultural visits from leading traditional players and professional hospital musicians in the days before and during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2019.
Established artists participating in the community events include Zoë Conway and John Mc Intyre (‘simply one of the best folk duos on the planet,’ BBC), Louth’s own contemporary folk trio Kern, and fourth-generation fiddle player and Dundalk local Gerry O’Connor with traditional singer and flute player Nuala Kennedy.
Connecting music across the generations will be Nós Nua, Louth County Folk Orchestra, a joint initiative of Music Generation Louth and Oriel Centre, Dundalk Gaol (Comhaltas regional centre), supported by members of Music Generation Louth Harp Ensemble. Both groups will be bringing the finest Irish music to St Oliver’s Hospital in Dundalk as their contribution to this programme.
An Introductory ‘Music in Healthcare Settings’ Workshop will take place on 13 August at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Places are limited, book here.
Trad@Heart was launched in 2018, the brainchild of Louth County Arts Officer Brian Harten and Gráinne Hope, founder of Kids’ Classics, Ireland’s leading music and health provider. The aim of the programme is to bring some of Ireland’s leading musicians directly to those who cannot access the Fleadh due to their current health circumstances. In 2019, the festival will host the first national ‘Music in Healthcare’ practice exchange day between 10 professional musicians from Meath, Waterford and Louth, in Louth County Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
Trad@Heart runs from 7-14 August 2019.
Kids’ Classics
The Kids’ Classics’ team of professional hospital musicians currently brings live music interactions into 10 hospitals and six nursing homes and day care settings around Ireland. They are also provide training for professional musicians and healthcare staff in the skills required for appropriate music delivery in the healthcare and community area. More information on their work in hospitals, communities, education and training can be found at kidsclassics.ie.
