Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin, expert Irish rap artist and renowned Listowel poet will hold a workshop on Monday 29th May at St. John’s Theatre and Arts Centre with students from Gaelscoil Lios Tuathail. It will be co-facilitated by Proinsias Mac Cárthaigh from The Kabin Studio.
The Kabin Studio are first class specialists in song composition and music production, primarily based on their love for hip-hop and original music. Their approach is holistic and includes the facilitation of workshops, recording and producing original songs. This full day workshop will give the students an introduction to composing and producing hip-hop music. They will learn voice, recitation and stage performance techniques throughout the day.
All the essentials will be covered in regards creating and developing new material through writing, song structure, theatre performance and reciting techniques. The first half of the workshop will be spent developing song concepts, practicing speech rhythms, composing verses, performing pieces and rehearsing. The second half of the workshop will see the students record their newly composed verses.
Traditional Irish songs and verses will be used as a source for forming the new song. Musical instruments will be used as part of the project as will the sound of dancers for percussion. The students will also have the opportunity to learn how to handle recording equipment.
This event is funded by the new Ciste Spreagtha Fund, which is supported by Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia and is an important development in promoting the Irish language. The project is a great way to increase opportunities to use the Irish language across communities and to celebrate the language at a local level.
This will be a wonderful space for the students to use the Irish language creatively in an environment far removed from the restraints that can be felt at times in the classroom. “It’s all about raising awareness of the language and bringing communities together by organising events aimed at people who wish to use the language and learn the language,” says Áine Ní Chuaig of St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre who initiated the workshop.
Ó Súilleabhain says he is very much looking forward to getting a taste of the musical and poetic talents of the young students in Listowel. “I’m also anticipating a return to my roots because it was in fact at Gaelscoil Lios Tuathail I first began rhyming as a young student. In a way, I will be meeting the next generation of young Irish language rappers, writers and musicians from the town of Listowel.”
“We’re delighted that St. John’s Theatre have been awarded this funding and we’re very excited about the collaboration with Séamus Barra and The Kabin Studio. It will be a wonderful opportunity for the students to try out something different and have fun with the language,” says Ní Chuaig. “It’ll be very interesting to hear what they produce and it will hopefully inspire some new young writers as Gaeilge in Listowel.”
