Bricin’s and Mogue’s join forces to write song

Two local schools in west Cavan have joined forces to write a song exploring social deprivation in Co Cavan highlight a number of challenges including, for example, the lack of public rural transport.
Transition Year students from St Bricin's and St Mogue's came together on the project, which was funded by LAEP and the CMEBT. Designed by musician and psychologist, Davina Brady, the project aimed to give young people the opportunity to learn about music and composition, while addressing social challenges and issues in the Cavan area.

The programme, known as We Are Music (WAM) was delivered over an eight-week period. The first of its kind, WAM gave students from the Belturbet and Bawnboy schools the opportunity to explore music and its place in modern society. The final outcome was to compose a song, using non mainstream practices, and record it once it was composed.
Designed initially for TY students, WAM saw other students join in along the way. Collectively they all had a massive impact on the song and video.
With limited music experience, these young people wrote a song, directed a video and professionally recorded the audio and visual onsite - all in eight weeks. During this time, they learned about music from a theory perspective and a practical perspective. They worked with leading artists and producers including spoken word and rap artist, John Cummins; musician, Aidan Mulloy; producer and engineer, Damian Brady (SL Studios) and short film maker, Artur Janowsky.
The song entitled 'It is Time for Something More' looks at the challenges the young people face growing up in Cavan. The main challenge that came up throughout the programme was an issue with public transport and the lack of it. Young people found that this held them back. At one point in the song, the young people call the Minister for Transport out and ask him if he listening to rural Ireland. The programme developer and facilitator, Davina Brady, was pleased with how it worked out. “The programme itself took the young people on a journey of self discovery and the song 'It is Time for Something More' shows, not only, the wisdom these young people have, but their eagerness to participate in projects with their peers to address social issues,” she said.
Ms Brady added: “It was an absolute pleasure to work with such powerful young people. On week one, some were shy and quiet, by week eight, they were professionally recording a song they had helped produce. If this is not courage, I don’t know what it. The song and video are available on YouTube. Share and share alike.”