Santa is starting work early this year by distributing sackfuls of free musical equipment to twelve community facilities as part of the IRMA Trust’s €130,000 Capital Music Scheme.
With the assistance of The Arts Council and Music Network, each of the groups will receive a package of guitars, amps, drum-kits and keyboards along with a P.A. system, rehearsal equipment, microphones, accessories and a starter fund of €500 to get things rolling.
They are: The Youghal Youth Project, County Monaghan VEC, RED South Dublin Arts Centre, Ballymun Regional Youth Resources, Model Arts & Niland Gallery, The Attic Youth Café, Youth Work Ireland Phoenix Youth Centre (Roscommon), West Dublin YMCA, Kerry Diocesan Youth Service, Gurranbraher/Churchfield Development Centre (Cork), Carlow Regional Youth Services and Killaloe/Ballina Family Resource Centre.
Also receiving a selection of goodies from the IRMA Trust Instrument Bank are Cavan Community Youth Projects and Donegal Youth Service.
"The Trust is delighted with the outcome of the Capital Music Scheme,” enthuses IRMA’s Dick Doyle. “We were astonished at the level of music activity nationwide and are very pleased to be able to provide assistance to fifteen organisations throughout the country. Our original mission was to give something back from the industry and to provide young people with the opportunity to be actively involved in making music. This scheme is a most fitting final programme for the IRMA Trust (before it’s wound down). We hope that these new partnerships between the music industry, The Arts Council and the youth arts community endure into the future and that these new rehearsal rooms are filled with music."