Songlines Project (Creative Collaboration II)

Songlines across the Border

A creative collaboration project between choir groups across the border region will crescendo towards a cross community and cross Border Choral Spectacular in may 2019. The project places an emphasis on bringing people together across the Leitrim and Fermanagh border area through singing, and choosing songs which in tell stories of who we are and reflect soemthing of our collective singing traditions.  The project seeks to celebrate diveristy and commonality as well as provide a platform to showcase the work of community choirs within and across the region.  

The project and choral event will include three primary school groups – Florencecourt Primary School (a Controlled Primary school in Northern ireland) Curravagh National School ( a small 2 teacher co-ed school with a Catholic ethos in west Cavan and Masterson National School ( a small two teacher co-ed school with a Church of Ireland ethos) all of whom have been working with Cathy Jordan of Dervish in learning new songs. The three schools will come together for the second time as a alarge group to perform together on stage.  The choral spectacular also includes Ballagh Choir of Ages a cross border and inter-generational choir group led by Dave Flynn, Borderlands Southern Gospel Choir a cross community and cross border choir group based in Manorhamilton established by Brendan MCCarthy during his time serving the community whilst working with the Church of Ireland in Manorhamilton and the two Sing Together groups one from Leitrim and one from Fermanagh lead by Sarah Garden.

The  choral event takes place on May 17th 2019 Ballroom of Romance, Glenfarne. 

This project will  reach out and seek to connect individuals who like to  perform, recite or sing but who do not belong to larger groupings. In so doing it will link up individuals who offer two similar voluntary open mic/spoken word events developing a new linkage across the border between ‘The Thing Itself’ , a newish spoken word group in Enniskillen with ‘Open Mic Manor’ which is well established in hosting open mic events in Manorhamilton.

Three cross border open mic events will take place: in Enniskillen, Blacklion/Belcoo and Manorhamilton offering individual performers, musicians, poets the opportunity to to meet with other individuals who like to perform and to come on the road and visit three locales in our border region.  

These events are themed and offer an opportunity for individuals to reflect on the meaning of the border and to contribute their own work or recite/perform work which is about our border place –  or to address the wider theme of ‘borders’ today.

The open mic environment creates a space for individuals to share and listen and  deepen their own awareness of the area through the words of peers and hopefully friends. 

 

 

 

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