A Creative Ireland & Offaly County Council Creativity in Older Age Scheme 2023.
Supported by Creative Ireland & Offaly County Council’s Creativity in Older Age Scheme, this Live Music in Residential Settings is part of the Anam Beo 2023 programme and is in collaboration with Musician Bernadette Moran.
It aims to support positive ageing, engage with issues surrounding social isolation, develop and establish creative engagements for older people in healthcare facilities.
Facilitated by Anam Beo, these interactive musical conversations and socially inclusive engagements encourages a back door to memories, movement & activities.
Our aim is to encourage and develop opportunities for creative expression, in a safe environment through quality musical practices, for the individual and collective group.
Starting in June 2023 there will be 24 music engagement day sessions in 3 HSE settings, located in Tullamore, Edenderry and Birr, Offaly.
Meet the Musician – Bernadette Moran anamceolmusictherapy.iacat.ie is a performer and teacher of traditional Irish music. She is a dedicated individual and enjoys being part of creative initiatives. These attributes have become stronger throughout her involvement in music. She holds a BA Hons degree in Irish Music and Dance and a MA Music Therapy, both from the University of Limerick and is a full professional member of the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists (IACAT).
As a student she was mentored to facilitate music lessons, also working with children with multiple disabilities, visual impairment and autism spectrum disorder. She is currently finishing her MSc Psychotherapy at Dublin City University. Bernadette works independently and has valuable skills working with clients who are non-verbal. Her professional experience is vast, with placements in both special education, older age settings, adults with moderate to severe/profound intellectual disability and music lessons for individuals with learning difficulties. Past clients of Bernadette’s include Esker Rí Nursing Home, Clara, Co. Offaly, Newbrook Nursing Home, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. In 2017 she established her own music therapy practice business Anam Ceol and advocates music as a socially inclusive and creative process for people living in residential care settings.
She is a vocalist and instrumentalist. Music and musicianship are a large part of her life, where she has competed at various Fleadhanna and succeeded to provincial level on several occasions, has been involved with many bands, choirs and ensembles, including the Brosna Céilí Band 2009, Offaly Mol an Óige, Moate Community School “Splanc” and other informal groups, as well as some international performances. She has completed up to Grade 3 Classical Guitar, and Grade 5 theory under The London College of Music. During her studies she participated in many different ensemble groups and large-scale performances, as well as learning from some of the most renowned musicians in the Irish Traditional Music community.