Comhaltas seeks to build €500k centre
The organisation is seeking planning permission to add conference facilities and accommodation to its existing building in Rockchapel which when completed will enable it to train up to 60 students per year.
Local Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann branch chairman Jack Roche said if planning permission was granted it is hoped new facilities will be operational by next year.
“We envisage this will become a centre of excellence for traditional music, song and dance. It’s very specialised stuff,” Mr Roche said.
“We need to put in rooms because suitable accommodation is scarce in the Duhallow area.”
Mr Roche said he hoped funding from the venture would come from the LEADER rural development programme, Cork County Council and through expanding shows which focus on authentic ancient Gaelic music, song and dance.
The present facility, built 10 years ago, is home to a 23-strong troop of students who with the help of experts have been resurrecting the ancient entertainment.
They’ve already put on some shows, but the plan is to significantly upscale these when the centre of excellence is up and running.
With the help of Nicholas McAuliffe from Castleisland, who is one of the country’s leading authorities on Irish music, and dancing master Patrick O’Dea, the group are recreating the past.
“Research for these shows has taken three to four years and covers a span of nearly 1,000 years. The most ancient (music, song and dance) was forgotten until now, such as the oldest dances like ‘The Fair of Carman,’ which was performed every three years in South Leinster and dates back to 1200,” Mr Roche said.
His students have performed such dances at shows in Tralee, Dublin, Sweden and Scotland.
“We want to be able to train more young people to perform in more shows featuring ancient Irish music, song and dance and authenticity is very important to us. We hope in the future to take these shows all over the world and we know especially that there would be great interest in them in America,” Mr Roche said.
