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Covid impacted many particularly older people who were urged to cocoon, separating them often from family, friends and their communities . Ballyphehane Togher CDP in partnership with Tory Top Library brought a range of groups together today to celebrate the creative resilience displayed by many during the pandemic.
Deirbhile Dennehy, Librarian welcomed everyone to Tory Top Library and acknowledged the close collaborations between the library and Ballyphehane Togher CDP including this latest Bealtaine event, which they have been delighted to support. She then invited Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Fergal Dennehy to formally open the exhibition on display.
Leas Ard Mheara Cllr Dennehy launching the Ballyphehane Bealtaine Celebration paid tribute to the wonderful creativity on display:
The extensive art work collection exhibited by member groups of the Ballyphehane Togher Community Arts Network, the CD Ballyphehane in Bloom composed online during Singing for the Brain sessions launched today and the gorgeous choral numbers performed by Cor na Laoi. He also paid tribute to all who had supported these community groups to engage and connect, even in the most difficult of periods.
Teresa McCarthy , Community Health Worker with Ballyphehane Togher CDP said:
This Celebration is about returning to our old ways of sharing and learning together as we have always done over the years. Today’s focus is on celebrating a return to community gatherings and the recognition of people’s resilience throughout the pandemic demonstrated creatively in song, in art work and in textiles.
The following groups participated in the Ballyphehane Bealtaine Celebrations:
Ballyphehane/Togher Community Arts Network
This network was set up in 2008 to encourage local community artists to come together to share skills in the areas of Arts & Crafts. These skills included painting, crochet, flower arranging, Christmas crafts, cake decoration and cookery, jewelry-making. The community Arts Network strives to provide inclusive, accessible and affordable opportunities to learn Arts and Craft. 47 Different art works, created by local community artists will be on display in Tory Top Library throughout May.
Cork Community Arts & Health Choir
Cor Na Laoi was set up in 2017 as part of the Happy Voices Healthy Living Initiative to explore the benefits of using music and choir-singing to tackle social isolation and promote positive health. The main aim is to use involvement in choral singing to spread health enhancing messages, health promotion and to encourage people to come join us and use music to create positivity. We are a fun choir with a specific remit to create happiness.
Cor Na Laoi uses a sensitive arts and health approach to encourage participation thus tackling isolation, promoting social inclusion, encouraging healthy lifestyles and promoting positive health and well-being through music. Musical Director Hannah Healy said “ Many of our choir members are older age therefore we use this platform to encourage people out of isolation and loneliness and into participation”.
BALLYPHEHANE/TOGHER CDP SINGING FOR THE BRAIN GROUP.
Featuring their song: Ballyphehane In Bloom’.
Written by Ballyphehane/Togher CDP Singing For The Brain Group in Collaboration with Singer/Songwriter Liz Clarke
Singing for the Brain Singing for the Brain (SFTB) is an inclusive, community singing programme. It encourages participants to engage through music, song, storytelling and poetry in a fun, safe, secure and supportive social environment. It was initially set up to support dementia patients and their carers as music is especially easy to recall and songs of bygone days can evoke many memories.
Siobhán O’Dowd Project Co-ordinator at Ballyphehane Togher CDP acknowledged the support of the CDP Team, the staff at Tory Top Library , Cork Kerry Community HealthCare, Cork City Council and Cork ETB in facilitating such creative activities culminating in today’s gathering.