Carlow care homes to welcome return of Mobile Music Machine for Christmas
Carlow Arts Service welcomed a second phase of funding this November from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of €143,000 through the Local Live Performance fund put in place to support the live performance sector through the pandemic.
As part of this scheme Carlow County Council Arts Service are delighted to announce the return of the Mobile Music Machine (MMM) "Covid Care Concerts" series. The Mobile Music Machine, led by Gerald Peregrine, will return once again bring music and dancing to 29 Care Home all over County Carlow throughout the month of December kicking off on December 1 in Borris.
The Christmas season concert series is jam packed with exceptional singers and musicians and will feature live performances by Mary Coughlan, Orla Fallon and The Wild Turkeys.
These series of concerts have been the highlight of our yearly programming. Sinead Dowling, Carlow County Council Arts Officer added:
“We are delighted to provide another series of concerts across the county to all residents.
"This time we are fortunate enough that families of those residents will also be able to join their loved ones and come sing along too. Along with the Mobile Music Machine musicians Carlow musicians will join the performances providing work opportunities locally.
"We know from their previous visit to Carlow that the impact music had on residents that day was truly up-lifting and we asked that they return to Carlow to help brighten Christmas for both residents and staff. We look forward to the great reaction live music can bring both for the musicians performing and for all the families and residents that will have this special encounter”.
Feedback from both residents and staff of the care homes has been extremely positive.
Nurse Manager of Sacred Heart Hospital Carlow said:
“We have residents who have not spoken for a long time and today we saw them sing”.
Nursing homes in Ireland have borne the brunt of the Covid 19 impact. Along with the devastating loss of life, there has been a huge toll on the emotional and psychological well-being of both staff and residents.
This project is designed to lighten the load they are feeling whilst also offering work to world class Irish musicians, many of whom are facing long term unemployment and high levels of psychological stress due to the pandemic.