IRD DUHALLOW | PROGRESS REPORT
2020 - 2021
Culture and Heritage Duhallow Choral Society The Duhallow Choral Society was founded twenty-five years ago on the 6th March 1996. Brigid Daly has been the choir manager since the beginning. At the time Brigid was a director on the board of IRD Duhallow and applied to LEADER for funding to setup a choir for people around Duhallow. Throughout their 25 years, the choir has travelled far and wide. They received LEADER funding under the 07-13 programme for new uniforms which give a professional and positive look to the choir. The choir are silent for over a year now because of the pandemic, but with brighter times ahead, the choir will celebrate their silver Jubilee with a Gala concert hopefully in the not-too-distant future.
footage to showcase the history and background attached to the famous seanchaí. These recordings were released on social media helping to keep the significance of the festival alive. In previous years, workshops on storytelling have been held with local children and youth and the committee hope to come back stronger than ever in 2021 to help ensure the tradition of storytelling in Sliabh Luachra is preserved for future generations. Millstreet Pipe Band There are few regions which can boast such a richness of pipe band music as the Duhallow region itself. Duhallow is fortunate to lay claim to Cullen, Newmarket and Millstreet Pipe Bands all of whom are awarding winning in their own right. Millstreet Pipe Band is 70 years old this year and are well renowned nationally and Members of Millstreet Pipe Band proudly showing off their new instruments and internationally. In 2020 they were uniforms that were funded by LEADER. supported under the LEADER Programme to upgrade their uniforms which were over 35 years old and had served the members well along with new equipment also. This funding has helped bring the band into a new era with new modern uniforms and better sounding equipment. It will also help them to continue to train, encourage and continue the tradition of pipe music in the locality and beyond.
Members of Duhallow Choral Society who performed for President Michael D and his wife Sabina Higgins.
Castlemagner Book With the support of SICAP Castlemagner Community Development Association produced a book entitled ‘When I was About Knee High’ The publication is a wonderful record of times past with heart-warming stories, memories, poems, precious old and beautiful scenic photographs. It has preserved old stories and traditions and in future years will very much be part of local history. In the words of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, who penned the book’s foreword: “In their own way, each of the contributors to this book is also capturing forever their unique lives and perspective and these are equally worth remembering and celebrating; ní bheidh a leithéidí arís ann.”
Muskerry through the Mac Suibhne Lens IRD Duhallow has always recognised the important role that local publications play in preserving our history and heritage. Through the LEADER Programme Macroom Tidy Towns were supported in their publication of a book based on over 470 local pictures and stories of local events which relates to the 1980s and which was compiled by local authors Sean and Maire McSweeney.
The book ‘When I was Knee High’ features local memories and stories. It was compiled by Castlemagner Development Association during lockdown.
The Eamonn Kelly Weekend Legendary Seanchaí and Actor Eamonn Kelly was born in Gneeveguilla, and though it is almost 20 years since his passing the local community are as passionate as ever to remember him and to keep his legacy for story telling alive in Sliabh Luachra and through the LEADER programme a monument was erected in his memory. The Eamonn Kelly Weekend was established over 5 years ago and enables locals and those from further afield to honour Eamonn Kelly by taking part in various workshops and storytelling sessions. Like many festivals and events in 2020 their roll out had to change and with this the community showed their innovative nature by keeping the weekend’s activities alive virtually. With the support of SICAP funding the committee was able to undertake video recordings including drone With the support of SICAP, the annual Eamonn Kelly event held a
Sean Mac Suibhne, Martin Coughlan and John Lyons launching the book Muskerry through the Mac Suibhne Lens that was funded by LEADER in South Cork.
Cultural Centres Duhallow is home to a number of cultural centres including Gneeveguilla Teach Failte, Glash, Tureencahill, Freemount Heritage Centre, Aubane, Laharn, Bruach na Carraige and the Glen Theatre in Banteer. These were developed with the support of LEADER Triona Dennehy of IRD Duhallow and committee funding and are important members (right to left) Donal Hickey, Eileen Fleming and local amenities acting as Martin Murphy launching the latest edition of the Sliabh Luachra Journal. local social hubs, but also playing a pivotal role in preserving and passing on Duhallow’s unique and vibrant heritage.
series of events online this year to mark the occasion.
19
