A very eventful December - meeting the President

Arás an Uachtaráin (literally means Hall of the President)

We were very excited back in October to recieve a gilt edged invitation from President Michael D Higgins' office to attend the lighting of the Christmas tree at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin on 7th December.  

President Higgins who is known by everyone as Michael D is the 9th president of Ireland and a very interesting character which is reflected in everything he does.  A poet and scholar, a native Irish speaker as well as a seasoned politician, and married to Sabina a former actress from the Abbey Theatre, his entire presidency has been a message of integration and inclusion - at his inauguration he had speakers from every major religion in the country including humanists and atheists!  If you're interested here's the link to his Christmas speech which focussed on welcoming the new Irish into the country and helping them feel at home at a time when family is important. 

Michael D Higgins, President

The president's home is in the Phoenix Park in Dublin and was formerly the seat of the British High Consul.   It is a fabulous early Georgian building which houses all the offices associated with the Presidency and is where all visiting dignitaries are welcomed including the Queen and Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Camilla and many former US presidents including Barack Obama.  

The entire day was set up for children and 100 kids from orphanages are entertained each year with their carers.   We assumed we were invited because Tom's book The BirdsSong is about inclusion and aimed at children - we were delighted whatever the reason and were especially pleased to have an invite for four of us, so Colum who illustrated the BirdsSong book was also able to attend with his wife Deirdre.

photo courtesy of www.president.ie

We did have our photos taken with the President and his wife but haven't been able to locate a copy yet and with us all being slighty starstruck, not one of us had the presence of mind to ask one of the staff take a photo for us ... however... We did catch Santa! 

 

After been ushered into meet MIchael D and Sabina we were then moved through to meet Santa and his elves and from there outside again and into a hall where entertainment and food was laid on before the speeches.  

Outside this hall there was an avenue of trees planted by various dignitaries ... 

planted by Barack Obama

and the Peace Bell which was commissioned to honour the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement by Mary McAleese, one of two female presidents and the only president to come from the North of Ireland - she's a native of Rostrevor where I live.  

The fabulous Dublin Youth choir sang in small groups and as one large group throughout the whole afternoon - just gorgeous. 

and the main entertainment stage had young performers from all over the country - 2 dancers from the South East, a couple of young sisters singing who came from the West and a young family of traditional musicians from Co Tyrone in Northern Ireland as well as comedians, jugglers etc etc ... 

traditional musicians from Co. Tyrone

And the highlight of the entertainment particularly for the young ones, although I was quite thrilled to see hime too, was Hozier who's chart hit Take Me To Church a few years back has made him into a household name.  He did a lovely set, finishing with Silent Night in Irish (Oiche Chuin)   He's a beautiful singer and a former member of Anuna who we were to meet the following day. 

Hozier on stage in the Douglas Hyde room

 

Tom, myself, Colum and Deirdre

And then outside for the switch on of the tree....

official photo

The building was kept open afterwards for us to look around - and for more teas and coffees, mince pies and choirs . 

The main entrance is a hall of bronze busts of former presidents ... Mary McAleese, Mary Robinson and Eamon deValera pictured here.

All in all it was a charming afternoon.   I would love to go back sometime and do the official tour as the building is crammed with fabulous Irish art and sculpture and I find President Higgins charming - a welcome change from the political bluster that is the norm at the minute. 

 

The Birds' Song Book

It seems like a long time since the end of July when we launched Tom's children's book at Fiddlers Green Festival back at the end of July.  Since then we've waited to promote it until we decided how to proceed.  It has been taken back to primary schools in England, Germany, Denmark, Australia and Canada and there's already a German translation of it, so there are possiblities if we can follow them.  It has even ended up on the desk of the President of Ireland!

The Birds' Song is a fun song about the problems of immigration ... and when we first started to sing it in folk clubs, several people asked for it to be put into a book for children as it relates to the themes of diversity and culture that they focus on for 6 and 7 year olds.  

So now we're onto its second print (and we're delighted to be able to take the price down a wee bit) and we're just starting to get it out beyond friends and family and the local area, so fingers and toes crossed that we can get it to those who like to read to children and teach them songs.  One teacher in Liverpool has promised to teach it to her children for christmas assembly and video it for us - that would be so exciting and another friend in Germany who did the translation of it is also teaching it to  her 6 and 7 year olds. 

The Birds'Song illustrated for children in a 16pp book
to teach that differences are good.

Robin and his friends Blackbird and Thrush are wondering why the foreign birds are not visiting and think that something is afoot.  Are other birds stopping them at the borders?  

The Birds' Song is a gentle parody song about immigration, in a language that children can understand.  It is told from the perspective of the home birds versus the migrating birds. It was Tom's idea and he wrote the text.   It has been illustrated beautifully by Colum McEvoy and I wrote the music.

“We may have different feathers and sing a different song
But when we sing together the differences are gone.”

Aimed at children aged 5-7 years old and covering themes of diversity and culture, the Birds’ Song book is 16 pages, A4, has the sheet music included and is priced at £6.

Listen to The Birds Song here
Purchase here