THE TWO sisters, Mary Comerford and Helen Heffernan, both parents with children in St Canice's National School, in Kilkenny, strode confidently ahead.

It was 2.00 p.m. and, if we didn't hurry, we would miss the Junior Infants. But, what about the principal, I panted? Don't we need to check in with him first?

No problem. We'd see him afterwards, I was reassured. Strange to be introduced to a school by parents but this school seemed very comfortable with the arrangement. In the classroom, there were five mums and one dad all listening to their tiny virtuosos as they laboured through the beginners piece, Picadilly Circus.

One little girl was using her violin bow as a comb, drawing it through her hair. Another had just stood on hers and reduced it to a tangle of broken strings and wood. The teacher, Cathy Kenny, was unruffled as she continued to play on the keyboard while her tiny charges joined in or giggled. One little girl confided that she preferred the recorder as it's louder.

Time to meet Liam Moloney, school principal. There were three primary schools in the area, he explains, but they came together in 1981 to form St Canices, which now has 19 classes and 602 pupils, both boys and girls. It is the biggest national school in Kilkenny diocese.

Moloney says that, for him the highlight of the past year was the carol service before Christmas.

"The kids dress up in sheets and towels and every child takes parts. That and the First Confession are the two things I enjoy most each year when I see the kids coming down from the altar and they're so happy," he says.

"I'm very very lucky. We have a brilliant staff. For example, the two people involved in the choral work were co opted by the Department of Education last summer to run choral courses."

As for the parents, who seem to be everywhere in the school, Moloney says that they have welcomed parental involvement in the school. "We didn't have a parents' association until a few years ago. The staff and board of management helped set one up as parents were involved in music and games on an individual basis. We were getting a lot of support on an individual basis so we decided to formalise it. We couldn't have done ourselves a bigger favour," he adds.

As we speak, some of the children are streaming out to their school bus. Many are swinging helmets and hurleys and Moloney says that hurling, camogie and football are very important in the school. There is also a strong swimming tradition and the school has won the Kilkenny and surrounding areas inter schools gala for the past 10 years. They lost last year but are determined to regain the title.

But, it's the music that draws the attention of the outsider. Every classroom has a huddle of pupils playing instruments and the strains of various pieces fill the air.

ELEVEN years ago there were six children in the school playing the violin. Now there are 430. In 1983/84, two teachers, Regina O'Leary and Peggy Carey (now retired), decided to resurrect the long tradition of orchestral music started by the Loreto nuns in St Canice's Girls' National School.

The following school year the first trip to the Feis Ceoil took place and the orchestra came second in the junior orchestra section. Since then, the school's orchestras have been regular entrants and winners in the Feis Ceoil and the Arklow music festival.

Among other honours, the music programme became the recipient of the first ever Pushkin Educators Award. The music teachers travelled to Belfast to collect a cheque for £2,000 and the money was used to buy a timpano. There are now seven teachers (three part time) involved in the music programme and parents play an integral part in fund raising, supervision and general helping out.

The ethos of the music programme is music for all so the charges are nominal and nobody is debarred from playing because of lack of money, an instrument or talent. Regina O'Leary explains that the school now owns 114 violins, 18 cellos, five violas and a timpano. These are rented to pupils for a small fee. There are pianos in many of the classrooms and the aim is to have a piano in every classroom eventually.

All pupils participate in group tuition which consists of one hourly lesson each week. Tuition in the violin, viola, cello, recorder, flute and piano is available. Orchestra practice takes place once a week for the C and B orchestras and twice a week for the A orchestra. Sectional practices are given at any available times.

Mary Comerford and Helen Heffernan, the two parents, re appear and the tour resumes. Another classroom and the Senior Infants' group look much more professional than their junior counterparts. Very little giggling and definitely no hair combing with their bows. They are also playing Picadilly Circus (obviously an indispensable part of their repertoire) with confidence and verve.

FROM first class, things get even more serious and pupils may already have joined an orchestra. C orchestra is not practising today so it's on to the B orchestra (second class up). The 35 or so children in the violin section are practising in one room, reading sheet music off their stands, while the cellists are elsewhere. There is a pile of camogies, hurleys and helmets in the corner, momentarily discarded in favour of violins.

The A orchestra comprises all of sixth class and the better students in second, third, fourth and fifth class. The repertoire of instruments has broadened to include recorders, violins, cellos and flutes. The sound is incredible and great hopes are entertained for this year's Feis Ceoil. The enthusiasm of the teachers and parents is matched by that of the pupils, who seem only too happy to stay on after school.

While music seems to dominate the school, O'Leary says that a balance has to be struck between being a national school and a school of music. There are no auditions for places but an amazing breadth of talent has emerged. And children who are not musically gifted will leave St Can ice's with an appreciation of music, she says.