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The Oriel Traditional Music Archive are seeking volunteers to help preserve our local traditional songs and music and to this end are holding an open night in Newry later this month to explain how you can help pass on our heritage to the next generation.
If you have a passion for Irish traditional music and songs and would you like to help to preserve the unique traditions of our local area OTMA would like to hear from you.
The project was set up to record the tradition bearers of the area but there’s so much of it needs volunteers to help with the work.
The Open Night is taking place Thursday 11 January from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail, Chapel Street, Newry. It will be an informal event where those interested in traditional music will be able to see the work being done in the development of this regional music archive.
“There is a lot of traditional music to be collected in South Down, Armagh and Louth and OTMA will need every willing pair of ears and hands to create the biggest traditional music archive in the region” project co-ordinator, Josephine Dunbar, said.
The project needs a range of skills and expertise, not just those who play music.
“You don’t need to be a musician or expert in the field to contribute to the archive,” Ms Dunbar said.
“There are many aspects to this work - cataloguing and editing for example and of course collecting and recording in the field."
“The success of the project depends on volunteers.”
“Maybe you are a genius on video editing, maybe you know some singers and could convince them to come forward and be recorded, or maybe you are good at writing press releases!”
OTMA offers training and coaching on different aspects of the collecting and archiving work. The OTMA 2024 training programme will start on the 18th of January with hands-on video production followed by photography.
The archive has secured a vast collection of local songs collected in the 1950s by Seán Ó Baoill which has now been digitised. OTMA does not only collect recorded material, photos and memorabilia, the team is always busy recording local singers and musicians.
It is possible to see a sample of the recordings on the Oriel Traditional Music Archive YouTube channel and Facebook page while the online archive is being developed.
For further information the contact is archiveoriel@gmail.com or just turn up on the night.
The event will be followed by a session in the Railway Bar in Monaghan Street, Newry.
OTMA is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
