First year students from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick will be presenting the new music series Ar Bhruach na Sionainne on the national airwaves on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta as part of the station’s summer schedule that starts this month.

The series title means ‘on the banks of the Shannon’ where it was recorded on the beautiful UL campus.  In it, we’ll hear music and song from the students, their friends and family, former students, and academic staff at the university.   The programme is broadcast every Monday at 4.30 pm, and listeners can also listen live online or listen back at www.rnag.ie.

All students on the course must study Irish for the first year and a half, and Irish lecturer and piper Máire Ní Ghráda was instrumental in this initiative, together with RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta broadcaster Áine Hensey, who produces the series.

Áine Hensey said:
“This is a great way to show the students the practical uses for Irish, as well as giving them an understanding of radio broadcasting, and how a radio programme is put together.  It’s an experience which, we hope, will stand to them in their musical careers, and as well as that the project was a very enjoyable experience all round.”

Some of the guest traditional musicians to be heard in the series will include John Carty, Eileen O’Brien, Róisín McGrory, Sandra Joyce, Marty Barry, Keelan McGrath and Gearóid McNamara.

The students presenting the programmes are: Michaela Kissane (Kerry), Rachel Walls (Dublin), Maeve Walsh (Cill Chainnigh), Katie Nee (Galway), Darragh Carey-Kennedy (Tipperary), Aoife McCabe (Monaghan), Anna Leonard (Limerick), Dean Griffin (Kerry), Seán Kelliher (Kerry), Sarah Dennehy (Cork), Loretta Coyne (Galway),  Eimear Murphy (Tipperary), Laura Doherty (Longford), Chloe McCarthy (Kerry) and Deirdre McGrory (Donegal).

Ar Bhruach na Sionainne is broadcast on Monday at 4.30 pm on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.