Secret Diary of an Irish Teacher: Music helps learning, improves mood and behaviour - we need more in our schools

"We need more music teachers and more artists in our schools to unlock the creativity of our young people. These artists need paid employment. They need to know how important they are to us. Especially now."

U2 on Sandymount Beach, Dublin in 1980

Last week, my school was given a real treat when students performed a little concert in the corridor.

Covid-19 and the quotidian morning gloom that hovers above teenagers seemed to vanish. Masked and motionless, we stood in awe of their combined talents. Our necks straightened and our eyes glistened, as we were drawn together by powerful young voices — charged with our shared emotion.