Living la Vida Liberties

It’s funny how our work often seems to coalesce around particular neighbourhoods at different times of the year. Back in April and May, we seemed to be on the M4, M6 and M7 motorways at least once a week heading westward to deliver workshops to a variety of groups. A couple of weeks ago, it was all about Dublin 4 and Dublin 6 with events in Ballsbridge and Rathmines.

Right now, we have a cluster of work around our home base in the Liberties. We have been delivering a lovely mental health promotion project for the HSE on Cork Street for the last few weeks, which will continue to the end of the month. Yesterday, we were back on Cork Street, this time with Sophia Housing delivering a session with children and young people from the local area (some of whom we already know from working in their schools). This week and next week, we will be delivering similar workshops in Oliver Bond House, for Dublin City Council. Oliver Bond House has a special significance for us, as it was the stomping ground of a past Board member Tony O’Rourke, who passed away not long ago.

Next week is the Liberties Festival, one of Ireland’s longest established festivals, which began in 1970. We have worked with the Liberties Festival over several years, and this year, we are involved in a couple of very special events. On Wednesday next (July 23^rd), we return to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham/IMMA to perform as part of the Liberties Fun Run. We have played at this event several times in the past, and it’s always good fun. Then on Saturday, July 26^th, we are co-ordinating a small carnival parade as part of the Liberties Got Talent event, Routing the parade has proven a challenge as there are significant roadworks in the area, but we think we have a short parade worked out. This project will see Masamba Samba School and the Masamba Youth Project collaborating with Atomic Stage School and Rather Gather to bring colour, excitement and of course music, to the historic Liberties area. In another nod to our past, the parade will begin literally at the door of where Masamba legend Sarah Walker used to live on Meath Place.

We love it when we get invited to new and possibly exotic locations and events, but our connections to the local community are more important. Without a solid foundation, nothing else is possible, and it’s an honour for us to give something back to the community that has supported us for over 20 years.