From Castleknock to Castleblayney - all in a day's work!

The schools are closed, and the Summer is most definitely here! We'd love to be sitting back in the shade enjoying a cold one, but duty calls!

This is always an interesting time of the year, with lots of once-off or short projects on the go. We are clocking up the miles and clocking up the smiles too as we deliver workshops and performances in weird and wonderful settings.

Dublin Pride

This year, we teamed up with old partners the INTO LGBT Group for the parade and returned to Belong To for the Pride Breakfast. In addition, we had a 2^nd band of freelancers working for Youth Work Ireland and South Dublin Libraries. All in all, a very busy day.

Inner City Misfits

This is a youth arts initiative of the Dublin City Council Community Section for Dublin 8. We are delivering drumming workshop with three local youth organisations – SWICN Youth Service, Dolphin House Homework Club and Focus Ireland (Francis Street).

Meath Libraries

The National Concert Hall has contracted us to deliver a series of 8 workshops in public libraries throughout County Meath in mid-July.

Muckno Mania Festival

We are delivering a short series of workshops with children in Castleblayney, building up to a performance the Festival on July 10^th. More details here: https://castleblayney.ie/young-people-invited-to-join-free-samba-drumming-workshops-in-castleblayney/

Big Bang Festival

We have been invited to deliver a workshop on maracatu drumming as part of the Festival this year – date: 26^th July 2026. Details and bookings here: https://www.nch.ie/all-events-listing/introduction-to-brazilian-marcatu-drumming-jul26/

Today, encapsulates the variety of activities at the moment. This afternoon we deliver a workshop in the 'leafy suburb' of Castleknock with a group of children and adults with Spina Bifida. This will be a first for us, and we are hoping to learn lots about this condition, and be able to tailor the session to best suit the group.

Immediately after that, we jump in the van, and head for Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan to deliver the penultimate workshop as part of the Muckno Mania Festival. We have been working with a group of young people in the town, towards a performance at a big showcase tomorrow night. The event is organised by a sister Community Services Programme called Castleblayney Community Enterprise, and we have been working with Tommy Maguire and the crew up there for many years, so it's great to be back on the shores of lake Muckno!