National Lottery Funding boost for budding North Coast musicians

The £5,000 grant will go towards the cost of providing music tuition in the Portstewart and Portrush area.

North Coast Trad is a new, independent, non-profit making music club based in Portrush.

Set up in 2019 with support from the Arts Council’s Rural Needs programme, itprovides lessons, family sessions and concerts under the guidance of a talented host of tutors ,including Sorcha Meehan (fiddle,), Conor Mallon (pipes), Martin Meehan (flute, tin whistle) and Lauren O’Neill (harp).

Sorcha Meehan said: “North Coast Trad is delighted with this Small Grants Award.

“Without the support from the Arts Council our activities would most likely have ceased during this difficult period.

“Thanks to the Arts Council and the National Lottery, traditional music is alive and kicking on the North Coast.”

At North Coast Trad, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, tuition is continuing on, in person when possible, as well as online.