SONGLINES IN A VAN

Making connections through poetry & music

Songlines is a workshop and event series which engages with those living with dementia and cognitive impairment through poetry and song. Over the course of a number of sessions, participants discuss, read, and sing together favourite poems and songs from childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood.

Facilitated by professional artists with extensive experience working in arts & health, these workshops endeavour to reveal memories associated with both artforms and often results in the composition of new songs and poems by the artists and participants.

Through the workshops in care homes, community hospitals and day care centres, our facilitators gave participants the time to discuss their lives and memories, good and bad, and to show a side of their personalities and share an aspect of their life that might have been dormant or closed off for a time.

Songlines has proven to be a significantly effective programme in breaking through the loneliness and isolation that can come when living with cognitive impairment.

The project culminates in a special event performed from Festival in Van stage with the facilitators, clients, and staff; drawing in the audience through active participation via songs and poems discussed in the workshops and some additional requests along the way too.

Songlines 2025: Wicklow & Monaghan

We're delighted to be visiting four care homes across Wicklow and Monaghan throughout spring 2025 with this year's iteration of Songlines.

In Wicklow, we'll be joined by facilitators Eamon Sweeney (musician) and Eithne Hand (poet). In Monaghan, our artist facilitators are Steve Lally (storyteller / musician) and Mairéad Donnellan (poet).

Dr. Eamon Sweeney began his musical studies on the violin and subsequently studied classical guitar at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where he ultimately completed his PhD.

Eamon has a deep commitment to the provision of Music in Healthcare Settings and trained at home and abroad with organisations such as Musique et Santé, Music Network, and the HSE – supported by the Arts Council and Local Authority Arts Offices.

Eamon has led and facilitated many Art & Health projects – especially in the areas of Mental Health and Older People. Along with other ongoing Music Healthcare projects he and colleague, Lisa McGuinness, facilitate a regular dementia-friendly song group in Dublin in association with Dublin City Council and Ballyfermot Family Resource Centre.

Eithne Hand is a writer and producer from Greystones, Co Wicklow. As a radio producer, her documentary, Voicejazz, won a Prix Italia for Best Work on Music. She was Head of RTÉ Radio 1 from 2003-2006. She produced Gay Byrne’s Jazz programme on RTÉ lyric FM until 2019. Her first poetry collection, Fox Trousers was published in 2021 by Salmon Press. Her second collection, Tickle will be published in May 2025.

'For this poet, everything has a voice to be heard: not only people but also objects, photographs, the physical body. The act of listening is a vital part of Eithne Hand’s poetics.' Poetry Ireland Review

Steve Lally has worked as a storyteller writer and visual artist for over fifteen years. He writes his own fresh material as well as reimagining folk tales, myths, legends, recitations and story songs, leading participatory storytelling and arts workshops.

Mairéad Donnellan’s poetry has appeared in various publications including Crannóg, The Moth, Poetry Ireland Review, Hennessy New Irish Writing and has been widely anthologised. She has been shortlisted in national poetry competitions including Cúirt  New Writing Prize and Doire Press Chapbook Competition. Her poetry has been broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1.

She was winner of the Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award in 2013. In 2016, she won the Trócaire Poetry Ireland Poetry Competition. In 2018, she was awarded the Tyrone Guthrie bursary by Cavan Arts Office. She was selected for Poetry Ireland Introductions series in 2019.

Songlines is proudly supported by The Arts Council, Wicklow Arts Office, Creative Monaghan, Monaghan Arts Office, Réalta and Poetry Ireland.

Songlines 2024: Tipperary & Mayo

Following a successful first year, Songlines returned with visits to Rathkeevan and St. Martha's in Tipperary, as well as Aras Deirbhle and Sacred Heart in Mayo.

Workshops facilitated by John and Isabela Hoban took place in Mayo throughout March and April, culminating in a celebratory event in May.

Workshops facilitated by Margaret Galvin and Peter O'Toole took place in Tipperary throughout March, April, and May, culminating in celebratory performances in May and June.

Songlines is proud to be funded by the Arts Council with support from Tipperary County Council, Mayo County Council, Réalta, and Poetry Ireland. 

Songlines 2023: Wexford & Waterford

‘… it took many the many days of practice to perfect a song (‘Four-Legged Friend’) to tune into the life experience of the participant who had worked in the UK with horses. While the song was full of tongue twisters it was worth the effort to reach the memories carried and amplify them and indeed honour them for the gentleman. This man visibly grew in emotional stature when the song was sung for him.’

Working together, artists Lani O’Hanlon and Liam Merriman (Waterford) and Margaret Galvin and Billy Roche (Wexford) collaborated with clients in care homes and day care centres in the South East of Ireland.

The tour visited Wexford on Wednesday 17 May and Waterford on Thursday 18 May. Three workshop sessions took place in Waterford at Care Choice Dungarvan & Dungarvan Community Hospital, and in Wexford at Grantstown Community Village & St John's Community Day Care Centre.

With gratitude to Marie Brett and Jane O’Hanlon, and all the staff and residents of the care homes and day care centres for their support of this very special Festival in a Van project.

Funded by the Arts Council, Waterford County Council, Wexford County Council, Waterford Healing Arts, and Poetry Ireland.

songlines Seminar 2023

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