Ukes4youth is Music Generation Leitrim’s cross border Ukulele project for teenagers, which has been developed with partners Enniskillen Royal Grammar School and Carrigallen Vocational School under Leitrim County Council’s Peace IV programme. The programme, which involves over sixty teenagers from across the two counties, had their closing performance in the Community Centre in Carrigallen on Saturday.

 

The programme involved a number of workshops over the last six months as well as performances in Leitrim and Fermanagh. The young participants said of their experience during the project, there were many enjoyable aspects to the project including an opportunity to meet new friends and share in the learning of a new instrument, learn new songs and be introduced to bands and styles that perhaps they wouldn’t otherwise have considered.

 

Speaking at the launch Therese McCartin, Music Generation Leitrim Development Officer said: ‘The children and young people of Leitrim are very lucky to have Music Generation in the county at last. It is already creating wonderful and exciting opportunities to learn an instrument and engage in ensemble work in the county. On foot of the success of Ukes4Youth we plan to develop a permanent Ukulele Orchestra in this part of the county in September’.

 

In his speech Cathaoirleach Sean McGowan thanked the members of the Leitrim PEACE IV Partnership and acknowledged the capacity of cross-border projects like Ukes4Youth in helping young people to consider and develop trust and tolerance across communities in a fun and creative way.

 

The Leitrim PEACE IV Partnership was established in 2016 with €1.8 million in funding confirmed for peace building programmes in Leitrim. The programme is funded through the European Union, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. It is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and is designed to promote peace and reconciliation across Northern Ireland and the border counties.

 

For more information on Ukes4youth/Ukulele Orchestra or any of Music Generation Leitrim’s work, contact Therese McCartin on 086 0453816