www.musicnetwork.ie

Love:live music, Ireland’s first National Music Day, took place on
Friday April 16th. The event was coordinated by Music Network in
association with RTÉ lyric fm and supported by the Department of Arts,
Sport and Tourism. Music Network is funded by The Arts Council.

Over one hundred live music events of all descriptions took place in
twenty counties across the land, eighty-eight of which were free.
Twenty-four concerts took place in traditional concert venues while
twenty-eight performances took place in cafes as recitals or lunchtime
choir events.

There were ten public events including the spectacular Friends of the Harp
event on the recently opened Samuel Beckett
Calatrava-designed 24 string ‘harp’ bridge in Dublin. Overall, seven
music workshops took place throughout the day. Eighteen schools
participated in lunchtime concerts and workshops. Five music in
healthcare events took place including workshops and performances to and
with patients. There were five night time concerts including a free
traditional Irish music concert in The Button Factory featuring some of
the finest musicians in the land including Slide, Fidil and duo Mick
O’Brien & Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. State.ie hosted special free live show
at the Mercantile on Dame Street in Dublin featuring Super Extra Bonus
Party, The Cast of Cheers and Take the Money & Run. Other events on the
day included three orchestra open rehearsals and Ireland’s first ever
orchestral flash mob by the Irish Chamber Orchestra in Limerick.
Highlights from the day were broadcast by RTÉ lyric fm.

According to Peter Finnegan, Chairman of Music Network, “Ireland’s first
national music day was a resounding success and we are delighted with
the enthusiasm and spirit with which people engaged with the day. We now
look forward to building on the success of the inaugural event and
embedding national music day into the Irish cultural calendar as a major
celebration of music in our communities”.

Aodán Ó Dubhghaill Head of RTÉ lyric fm said, “We were absolutely
thrilled with the nationwide response to Love:Live Music – Ireland’s
very first National Music Day. Groups from all around the country
participated throughout the day and RTÉ lyric fm was especially proud to
be involved with the two flagship events which took place in Limerick
and Dublin and which were broadcast on the station that same day. We
look forward to working with Music Network again next year as their
radio partner and to building on the success of this year’s event to
make it even bigger!”.

Music Network would like to thank everyone that participated in making
the event such a resounding success and looks forward to planning next
year’s event to take place in the spring.