U2 GUITARIST The Edge has pledged to continue supporting the Music Generation programme which yesterday awarded €1.7 million to three local authorities to fund musical programmes.
Cork city, Laois and Wicklow are the latest beneficiaries of the fund which was set up in 2009 with a €5 million grant from the band and a further €2 million from the Ireland Funds.
The €1.7 million grant will be spread over three years.
Among the projects it will fund are a school of rock in Laois, three new instrumental and vocal tuition hubs in Wicklow, catering for 1,500 children, and Kickstart, an early years programme in every childcare facility in Cork city.
The Edge said access to music for children was “very close to our hearts” and the band was delighted to “address the gap in individual and group vocal and instrumental music tuition in our education system”.
Studies have shown that Ireland has one of the lowest rates of instrumental training in Europe, with only about 1 per cent of children receiving formal training through the school system.
The scheme is already under way in Louth, Mayo and Sligo, which between them have received €1.6 million in funding. They were successful in the first round of applications.
The money will be used to fund up to a dozen musical partnerships, involving local authorities, schools, individual music teachers and music schools, between now and 2015, when it is due to be funded by the Government.
