Cross-community BelfastTrad group honoured by President of Ireland
Michael D. Higgins has praised the South Belfast group for its' contribution to the music and arts scene on this island
Last updated 1st Jul 2022
A cross-community traditional music group in Belfast that's over three decades old has been honoured for its’ contribution to the music and arts scene by the President of Ireland.
BelfastTrad, which has over 300 members attending some 40 weekly classes in music and set dancing, accepted an invitation from President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina to attend a special garden party at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.
Based in Stanmillis University College in the Queen’s Quarter, the neutral venue has been hailed as a safe and welcoming space for all sides of the local community, young and old, to get involved in traditional music and dance.
The 10-strong group of representatives from BelfastTrad took a break from playing to enjoy a concert at the Phoenix Park residence.
Artists including harpist Siobhan Flynn, The Bonny Men, John Francis Flynn and the Kilfenora Céilí Band gave performances.
"Vibrations on your skin"
Administrator Fióna Ní Mhearáin told Downtown/ Cool FM News that the occasion brought the group great joy after several difficult years of pandemic learning.
“Late march/ early April 2020, we moved very quickly to online classes and then we had two years of doing it that way.
"It’s only in the last couple of months that we have started to get back to normal with face-to-face classes. It’s brilliant. It’s just great to be back learning music together.
“Online platforms, although a great stop-gap and we were delighted to have technology, was just not the same in terms of what we could achieve collectively through music, song and dance.
The music enthusiast continued: “One of the limitations of online teaching was that we couldn’t all play together so that was a big drawback, so now, being in the same room as other people playing music together, feeling the vibrations on your skin, it’s just such a wonderful experience.
“It’s really overwhelming when you think about how long it has been since we were last together.”
"It's not too late"
This reporter asked Fióna what she feels makes BelfastTrad, created in 1990, so special.
“A lot of our members are older adults so they’re coming to learn music, or song, or dance for the first time as an adult,” she replied.
“Many people think they have missed the boat, that it’s too late to learn and they’ve always regretted not having the opportunity as a young person.
“Whenever they find us and find classes of adult learners, they realise it’s not too late, it can be a very positive and sometimes life-changing experience for them”.
Bród and Misneach
In case you are wondering, the talented group did get to meet the President's famous pair of enormous mountain dogs, Bród and Misneach.
You can watch highlights from the garden party here 👇.
Read more:
Derry Girls writer to receive Freedom of the City
Charity champ Ben wins prestigious Diana award