Regeneration is music to pupils’ ears

ORCHESTRAL music and children’s songs yesterday swept through a school in the heart of one of Limerick’s designated regeneration areas.

The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) teamed up with 55 boys and girls at Galvone primary school for a performance that brought a new and exciting chapter to the school.

The music, written by the orchestra, was based on lyrics written by the pupils from fourth, fifth and sixth classes.

Galvone primary school draws its 160 pupils from Southill, Kennedy Park, Carew Park, Glasgow Park and Roxboro Road.

Fifteen members of the ICO, with the young singers, brought what they called “the magical feeling” into their school life for a few hours yesterday in a performance attended by mayor, John Gilligan, and community leaders.

Kathleen Turner of the ICO has been working with the children two days a week for the past ten weeks. The end result was four songs that were recorded in the school yesterday for a DVD.

School principal, Maureen Clune, said the project was devised to get the children into music and make them aware that their area was embarking on exciting times with the planned huge regeneration project.

She said the rehearsals had “helped the children focus and develop greater language skills” as well as “develop a greater degree of confidence”.

John Kelly, chief executive of the ICO, which is based at the University of Limerick, said: “If you give kids a lead they will deliver. This project has helped and will help develop their innovative skills.”

He said it had been doing similar projects in schools around the country for the past 15 years.

As yesterday’s performance concluded, Munster rugby development officer, Ed Daly, pulled a great surprise, literally, from a kit bag: the Heineken Cup.

Mr Daly said: “We take it around to schools to let as many young hands get a hold of it as possible.”