19 Years Loud: Rockschool Manorhamilton returns for 19th year of music education in Leitrim

Manorhamilton RockSchool returns late this month between the 29th of June and the 3rd of July for their 19th annual summer camp in North Leitrim

Rockschool was founded in 2007 by musician and Kíla member Dee Armstrong and virtuoso guitarist Bobby Lee (winner of the Rory Gallagher Award).

“It's been a great 18 years,” says Armstrong, who remembers starting the school with just 11 kids playing instruments in one room above Gilbert's pharmacy, donated by Finbarr and Deirdre Ryan. “There is a massive difference between then and now,” she adds.

Before long, more and more kids started attending the summer camp. “We realised that there was a real need for it,” she says.

Armstrong is proud of what the kids themselves are able to produce during the week-long camp, as they are given a space to learn their instruments, write their songs, and express themselves.

“Creativity and expression is what we're trying to encourage and inspire,” she says, feeling that creating a space for free expression and allowing the kids to be creative helps them move forward.

“You don't have to ram teaching down their throats. You allow them to develop. Because once there's inspiration there, once someone is inspired to do something, they'll work at it,” she says.

“I think (the camp) helps them to focus in on just learning their instruments and learning new songs and getting better and quicker … I think that the culture of rock school in the area, like in a nutshell, is encouraging them because they know that there's an outlet there to express themselves.”

Each camp builds students up to take part in a concert at the Glens Centre to showcase what they have learned. Last August, Manorhamilton’s Glens Centre came alive with the sound of youth-driven music, as Rockschool Manorhamilton hosted its summer concert, marking 18 years of creativity, community, and musical passion.

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This year, the school had about a dozen young acts taking to the stage at Josie’s Bar in Ballyshannon during the Rory Gallagher International Music Festival, while two more were on bigger stages at the Rory Gallagher Statue and other venues over the weekend.

The camp hosts kids from all backgrounds and abilities and allows them to explore whatever topics they wish to in their music, with some taking on difficult things that they might not have any other way to explore. “They deal with them very directly and beautifully often,” says Dee.

Not only did the kids get to perform their songs live, but the day after the camp, organisers recorded and produced their music too, so they have an archive of their work that they can use if they wish to get gigs.

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This is a service that Dee would like to run more often, along with workshops and more camp weeks per year, but they are currently operating without funding. “We've no money, and we need to be funded,” says Dee.

“The Rockschool has been a transformative force in North Leitrim,” said Leitrim councillor James Gilmartin. “It has empowered young people to explore their creativity, build confidence, and develop essential life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience.”