Songs for the docks to be unveiled

FOuR new songs about Dublin’s Docklands will be performed at the Bord Gáis Theatre this summer.

Dublin City Council (DCC) announced that tickets have gone on sale for Sing a Song of Docklands on May 21.

DCC and partners Sing Ireland, supported by Creative Ireland, created four new songs with the local communities of the Docklands.

Sing a Song of Docklands is from the vision of David Brophy, and each song was created alongside schools, youth groups, residents and other community groups.

The songs celebrate and connect the communities of old and new Irish that make the Docklands a dynamic and vibrant gateway to the city.

TWELVE North Dublin students were amongst 36 young artists from the county to have won top prizes in this year’s 69th Texaco Children’s Art Competition.

All were winners of Special Merit Awards for artworks that Final Adjudicator, Professor Gary Granville said ‘were imaginative and displayed high levels of skill and creativity’. They were Walt Russell (age 13), a pupil at Sutton Park High School; Emily Chen (11), from St. Philip’s S.N.S. Clonsilla; Sophia Wu (6), from Stapolin Educate Together National School, Belmayne; Marlie Salinger (6), from Our Lady Immaculate Junior School Darndale; Lucy Giblin (5) from Scoil Mobhi, Glasnevin; Connor O’Brien (11), from St. Paul’s School, Beaumount; Isabella Romera (9), Skyler Dunphy (11) and Evan Murphy (10), all pupils at St. Joseph’s School, Drumcondra; and Ruby Zhou (11), Nicole Lin (11) and Conor Griffin (5), all St. Fintan’s National School, Sutton.

A multiple previous winner, Walt won second prize in his age Categories in 2022, 2019 and 2018, and Special Merit Awards in both 2021 and 2017.

The Texaco Children’s Art Competition is popularly regarded as the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts sponsoring in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates back to the very first Competition held in 1955.

This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Dublin and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended.

Dermot O’Callaghan, CEO of Sing Ireland, said: “This event and project celebrate the rich song tradition of Dublin and the Docks. Singing together has an incredible power to unite and create belonging.”

The four new songs will be performed by Sing Ireland affiliate choirs Kings Hospital School Choir, Cór na nÓg, Guinness Choir and Maryfield College Choir, with guest supporting acts Jerry Fish, DJ Robbie Kitt, Ciaran Kelly.