Fermanagh’s Sounding Board participants nominated for Pride of N.Ireland Awards.

Sounding Board, the music technology programme led by Sligo LEADER is full of pride after learning that 4 of its participants are up for a Special Achievement Pride of N.Ireland Award. The participants, all from Co Fermanagh were part of the cross border Open College Network training course RAPP (Reconciliation and Leadership) organised by Sligo LEADER and delivered by YMCA, Belfast. It ran during the summer months.

Nominees are Shea Daly (Lisbellaw), Cona Gallagher (Belcoo), Louise O’Neill (Belleek) and Hayley McCauley (Belleek).

Majella Flanagan, Sounding Board Development Worker, explains how this has come about. “The four participants were part of a group of 11 young people from Fermanagh and county Sligo. The cross border cross community RAPP training was expertly delivered by 2 great tutors from YMCA, Jill Caskey and Darryl Petticrew, August to late September. The group showed a great commitment to the training as it was over 90 hours and was often very challenging but they all completed it with great humour to receive the OCN II Diploma. I am so pleased that their hard work has been acknowledged by other people and in such a high profile way. I am familiar with the Daily Mirror Pride of N.Ireland Awards and important role that they play in supporting N.Ireland’s youth sector. We are all very proud of our 4 Special Achievers and wish them all the best. I and the rest of the training group will be attending the Award ceremony to cheer them on.”

The Pride of N.Ireland Awards is on Saturday evening Dec 3 in Stormont Castle and promises to be a memorable evening for all.

Michael D’s Active Citizenship Alive and Well in County Sligo

It was with great interest that the members of Sligo County Community Forum listened to the inaugural speech of our new president elect, Michael D Higgins, on Friday last.  Michael D’s promise to encourage active citizenship and build social solidarity between people, spoke directly to the aims of the Community Forum in Sligo…. Press Release re active citizenship

Sligo LEADER and Sligo Council Arts Service joined forces for the innovative finale of the Arts Service’s project, Games Without Frontiers, Oct 29, 2011.

Games Without Frontiers was a 6 week visual arts and technology games project for young people in the borough of Sligo. Its finale was a showcase of the participants’ work in Doorly Park. Participants, their families and friends attended to look and try out the many games created. Andy Parsons was the principal artist facilitator.

SOUNDING BOARD is Sligo LEADER’s music technology and tuition programme for the county’s young rural people. It has been delivering workshops for over 12 months and has trained participants in composition, recording and performance. It will continue until August 2012, delivering workshops, offering day trips to music production companies, gigs and summer schemes.

Sligo Arts Service invited SOUNDING BOARD participants to attend as a documentary crew to capture opinions and images, sounds of the games/art works. Participants carried out interviews, photographed the works as well as created soundscapes based on the event. Some of these will be available to see on www.youthgroupsligo.com so keep visiting the site for updates.

The SOUNDING BOARD crew was made up of Matthew Hallinan, Ciaran Harte, Nathan Healey, Keelan Mitchell Hughes, Clara, Evan, Jordan and Leona McSharry and David Woods. Tutors were John Crowe and Darren Dwyer.

Majella Flanagan, SOUNDING BOARD Development worker at Sligo LEADER explained the value of this collaboration. “Games Without Frontiers was a very innovative event that uses creative tools, much like Sounding Board, to enrich our local community and its young people. Both myself and Andy saw that bringing the 2 programmes together would spread the benefits of the resources out there. It was a great day, as the footage shows. Thanks to Sligo Arts for including us.”

 For information on the day and upcoming opportunities in SOUNDING BOARD, please contact Majella on mflanagan@sligo leader.com, 071 9141138

National Recreation Week – Friday October 28^th –Thursday November 3^rd 2011

Events are aimed at young people between the ages of 12 and 18 years

Enquiries in relation to any of the above can be directed to Community & Enterprise, Sligo County Council. Tel: 071 9111802

CRAFTFEST NORTHWEST – VIEW OR DO from 3 to 24 November. 

Knitted monuments, embroidered banners, workshops, demonstrations and master classes – Craftfest Northwest 2011 is a celebration inspired by contemporary and traditional crafts in Sligo.  Indoors and outdoors, Sligo residents and visitors will be treated to stunning displays and demonstrations of contemporary and traditional crafts as Sligo launches the inaugural Craftfest Northwest 2011 from 3 to 24 November. 

Craftfest Northwest starts on Thursday 3 November with the opening of the prestigious RDS Showcase Exhibition of Craft celebrating 2011 Year of Craft.   The annual RDS National Crafts Competition is one of Europe’s leading craft competitions with categories include ceramics, glass, furniture and textiles.   It showcases the highest standards of Irish design and technique in traditional and contemporary craft disciplines.   Each year, the winning and commended entries are showcased at the RDS National Crafts Competition.  The exhibition runs Monday to Friday from 10am – 5 pm in the Yeats Gallery.   Award winning designer Úna Burke who numbers Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera and Daphne among her fans, will perform the opening ceremony.

All exhibitions run from 3 November to 24 November with other events running on selected Friday and Saturdays.   Booking is essential for workshops and master classes.   For details of all events see local press or www.facebook.com/CraftfestNorthwest.  For bookings email craftsnorthwest@gmail.com or phone 071 9143686 Monday to Friday 10am – 5.00pm.

Craftfest Northwest 2011 is joint initiative supported by Crafts Council of Ireland, Sligo Leader Partnership and Sligo County Enterprise.

Music Generation Sligo:

Discovering Music Programme

Music Generation Sligo is seeking to establish a panel of

music tutors to deliver the Discovering Music programme

a six-week introductory music programme which is to be

offered to every child and young adult in Sligo.

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Applications are invited for the following posts with

immediate effect for 2011/2012:

Discovering Music Tier 1 – Pre-school plus parents/guardians

Discovering Music Tier 2 – 4-12 years old

Discovering Music Tier 3 – 12-18 years old

Closing Date:

Application form and job specifications are available at

http://www.sligovec.ie/vacancies

12 noon, Friday 28th October 2011.

SOUNDING BOARD, Sligo LEADER’s music technology and tuition programme for rural youth, is going on tour. Sessions will take place in venues across counties Sligo and Fermanagh during the Halloween midterm and anyone aged 12 to 18 living nearby is welcome to attend.

Majella Flanagan, Programme worker at SLPC explains what will happen. “SOUNDING BOARD has now been running for a year. We have offered evening, full day and day trips away to 150 young people from across rural Sligo and Fermanagh areas. Learning from our summer scheme series, we will offer day-long workshops in DJ, Sampling, Recording, percussion, guitar and percussion tuition. Making the most of the Halloween mid term break when children are off school, we will offer workshops in each area over the week.”

Sessions will be as follows:  Tuesday 1 November: Ballisadare and surrounding areas, St Mary’s College, Ballisadare.

Tuesday 1 November: Grange and surrounding areas in Grange Post Primary

Wednesday 2 November: in SE Fermanagh Foundation, Manderwood Centre, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh

Thursday 3 November: Tubbercurry, St Attracta’s College

Friday 4 November: CLASP/Ballymote in Colaiste Mhuire

Sessions will run 10.30am to 4pm. There is no cost to attend but please bring a lunch. The workshops will have assistance from SOUNDING BOARD’s graduates who have just completed the Diploma in RAPP Leadership.

To register and for information, contact Majella on 071 9141138, mflanagan@sligoleader.com

Seminar 21/10/2011: Has Cross Border Co-operation and Partnership Enhanced the work of Peacebuilding?

The CWC Harnessing Equality for Lasting Peace (HELP) project and Community Dialogue in association with the North West Community Network are hosting a seminar entitled Has Cross Border Co-operation and Partnership enhanced the work of Peacebuilding? in The Station House Hotel, Letterkenny on Friday 21^st October from 9.30am to 2.30pm.  Cross Border Seminar – Invite – 21.10.2011

This Sunday 9^th October at 8pm in Gurteen Community Centre.

This promises to be a very enjoyable night with debuts by 14 personalities Admission €10, bar facilities available, with music and dancing afterwards by Junior Davey & Friends.

You can pledge your sponsorship as a vote in advance and/or on the night for your local personality or work colleague  Cllrs Margaret Gormley and Jerry Lundy are also performing, representing their electoral areas.

Participants:

Cllr Margaret Gormley, Cllr Jerry Lundy, Michael Carty, Ross Donovan, Fr James McDonagh, Tony McLoughlin TD, Michael Colreavy TD, Joe Lavelle, Paddy Casey, Camilla Smyth Kelly, Teresa McGuinness, Seamus McCormack, Padraig McCormack, Noel Mooney.

There will be prizes for the best performance (judged) and the highest votes (total sponsorship).