Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School is holding Mercy Creative Arts Workshops for some of the students. The first of the workshops being held in September is a bodhrán making workshop with Michael Vignoles. Michael has been crafting uilleann pipes and bodhrán drums in his workshop in Claddagh, Galway for the past 25 years. Michael will teach students the art of making one of his quality bodhrán drums.

The students will be provided with all the raw materials; wood frame, goatskin, cross bars and tacks. They will also be given the necessary tools. After giving a brief history on the origins of the bodhrán, he will go through each step of making one.

The workshop ends with Michael showing the students how to play jigs and reels on their new drum.

In December, the students will join with Createschool to produce original lyrics and music. Students will collaborate in small groups to write songs and then record them. Createschool’s tutors will facilitate the workshop and assist the students with ideas generation, song writing, arrangement, recording and production techniques.

Students will be encouraged to continue and develop their skills and ideas after the workshop with their own devices. When the song is recorded, it can then be distributed via Spotify.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.