Irish Traditional music is a living tradition which carries social and cultural heritage from family to family and generation to generation.  It is thriving in communities right across Northern Ireland, particularly in rural areas and within homes. 

Since 1966 Armagh Pipers Club has been involved in promoting and teaching Irish traditional music and song.  It currently has hundreds of members and a diverse activity programme that includes public concerts, workshops and the annual William Kennedy Piping Festival which attracts more than 4,000 people.

The club will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year and will mark this milestone by researching the musical heritage of its past and present members, students and their families and help to raise awareness of this culture and its legacy.

The project will be led by the club’s young members who will have the opportunity to learn a range of new skills in oral history interviewing techniques, project management and digital technologies.  The young people will conduct audio and video interviews with members and their families to map the musical landscape of the country and their community.  They will produce a digital archive, DVD and booklet to create a permanent record of this heritage which will be shared with others.

Announcing the award, Head of HLF Northern Ireland, Paul Mullan, said: “Getting young people involved in the past is a key element of our work and we are delighted to support this youth-led project.  Thanks to National Lottery players, the young members of Armagh Pipers Club will learn a host of new skills as they capture and record the social and musical history of Irish traditional music, creating an archive of this heritage for everyone to access and enjoy.”

Further information

HLF: Julie Halliday, via email: julieh@hlf.org.uk or on tel: 07733 100674