Young Ambassadors perform as part of the first Public Service-wide Innovation Week

Pictured: The Scoil Eoin Phóil school choir performs together with Principal Simon Byrne at the Department of Education and Skills office in Tullamore.

Young Ambassadors from Offaly, Westmeath and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown (dlr) represented Music Generation at three events as part of the first ever Public Service-wide Innovation Week. The initiative, which took place from 9 to 13 December, is designed to spotlight innovation culture throughout the public service and place a concentrated focus on innovation-related activities throughout the week. This included offering a platform to young musicians from Music Generation to perform at Department of Education and Skills offices in Athlone, Dublin and Tullamore.

On Monday afternoon, a school choir of students from Scoil Eoin Phóil treated Department staff to a performance in its Tullamore office. They were joined by their school Principal Simon Byrne and their vocal tutor from Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath, Ger Relph.

Members of the Sandyford Youth Band with Director Martin Meegan pictured at the Department of Education and Skills building in Dublin.

On Thursday there were two Music Generation performances. A guitar ensemble from Mullingar Music Jam – a partnership initiative between Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath and Mullingar EYE (Youth Work Ireland Midlands) – performed in Athlone. On the same afternoon, Music Generation dlr brought 10 members of the Sandyford Youth Band to the Department’s Dublin office on Marlborough Street to perform a selection of festive favourites under the baton of musical director, Martin Meegan. Among the guests, the group were delighted to be joined for the performance by Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh T.D. and Secretary General of the Department, Seán O'Foghlú.

Music Generation’s Young Ambassadors programme provides opportunities for young musicians throughout Ireland to perform at national and international events.