Musical Memories – Echoes from Longford 2024, created at co:worx.

Building a Connected Community Through Music – a  cultural gem

A Heartfelt Collaboration - This project is a creative collaboration between co:worx Edgeworthstown, Creative Ireland, Longford Libraries and Age Friendly. Led by co:worx, the goal was to capture and share the personal stories of Longford musicians and the impact of music on their lives. This initiative bridges generational gaps and brings creativity into our remote working hub.

At co:worx, while we usually focus on business connections, we recently had the pleasure of collaborating with some incredibly talented musicians from Longford and Longford County Council. Together, we created "Musical Memories – Echoes from Longford" in April 2024.

The Beginning - The idea for this project began during Fleadh 2023, when Sean Marshall, Brendan Daly, and Mary Marshall recorded some traditional Irish tunes at co:worx recording studio. Mary, who had returned home from Australia for the Fleadh, was joined by her husband Darren Heathcote, who was using co:worx as a base to work. We decided it would be wonderful to record their musical talents, and the "Musical Memories" project was born from this seed.

Bringing Musicians Together - Our aim was to create a digital archive of Longford musicians from across the county. The project features Sean Marshall (Flute), Jimmy Whelan (Accordion), Mary Brady (Fiddle), Noel Sweeney (Flute & Saxophone), Olive Kilbane (Fiddle & Singing), Bernardine Farrelly (Harp), Michael Owens (Guitar), and Brendan Daly (Keyboards).

A Day of Music and Stories - On April 20th, 2024, we hosted a fantastic day at co:worx bringing together these eight musicians to share their music and stories. Jimmy Connell (Jimmy Jests) expertly interviewed each musician, gathering wonderful stories while Lee Williamson from Shuttermanic Productions filmed the event and music sessions. Clare Frances Photography captured beautiful portraits of the musicians with their beloved instruments. The day concluded with an impromptu ceilí followed by lunch, and the musicians also visited the Maria Edgeworth Centre.

Celebrating Musical Memories - On the evening of June 18th, friends and families gathered at Edgeworthstown Library to watch the screening of short film "Musical Memories – Echoes from Longford April 2024." Longford County Manager Paddy Mahon made a presentation of a copy of the film and portraits to the musicians. It was a lovely evening, filled with lively music, and real community spirit. 

A Word from Martina Needham Longford County Librarian who shared her thoughts on the project:

"This project supports our shared goals by highlighting Longford as a wonderful place to live, work, and grow old. It encourages people of all ages to lead healthier, more active, and connected lives, and creates new opportunities to share their stories and talents within our local community."

The "Musical Memories" project has not only preserved the rich musical heritage of Longford but also strengthened the bonds within our community. We look forward to more such inspiring collaborations in the future with co:worx to support Edgeworthstown become a creative space.