WEST Cork musicians raise their voices, with the clear message that the region’s resilient music community is still here and looking forward to the time when they can share their music with you once more.
With so many missing the chance to share songs and stories, West Cork Music has announced Resound, a programme of original music by locally-based artistes. Filmed in Bantry House over four days in early December, the performances will be available on westcorkmusic.ie/resound and social media, every Monday and Friday.
It’s an unusual time when the local community has been separated from the musicians in its midst. At no other time has the collective creation and sharing of music not been a central part of our society, whether in times of joy and sorrow, celebration or lament. Music in the community has always captured moments of our history, expressing and reacting to our situation and providing a sense of solidarity.
Bantry has a vibrant local creative scene and each year visitors are astounded by the amount of talent in the community. With restrictions in place and venues closed for much of the year, these local musicians have had no means of sharing their work or earning an income from their music.
West Cork Music’s Clodagh Whelan says, ‘I think everyone this year has felt the void, not being able to connect with people, sit around and share songs and stories. Resound attempts in some small way to hold that space, to reassure that this is a temporary situation - that we’re still here, behind the mask, beyond the closed door and that we will be back together soon.
‘It is more important than ever that we should acknowledge the importance of music in our day-to-day lives, promote those who are continuing to persevere in these trying time. The creation and sharing of music is so very much at the core of our culture and society and is particularly so here in Bantry.’
It is hoped that Resound will help to promote and share work of musicians living and working in West Cork on a much broader scale as well as the incredibly beautiful and vibrant place where we live. By doing this, West Cork Music hopes to build an interest both in the musicians’ work and in the local community.
Musicians who participated in Resound include Bean Dolan, Irene Dunne, Dolce Ross Keogh, Alan Brooks, Aoife Doolan, Brendan Connolly, Alan Mahn, Stuart Wilde, Beth Cummins, Bear Bojak (Chris McDonald, Gemma Greany, Gráinne McCarthy & Joe Bracken), Frank Wieler, Polly Barrett and Eoghan O’Keefe.
West Cork Music is generously supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Cork County Council.
