SOS “Save Our School”
The Flowing Tide Music School in Doonbeg, West Clare has become a casualty of the economic crisis and now faces threat of closure. I must admit that I don’t know its founder, flute player Bill McNamara but I have admired his initiative in setting up this music school back in 1993 as it’s just the sort of facility many musicians from around the world would welcome. More details on his predicament were published last week in the Clare People and you can see this article at http://www.clarepeople.com/index.php/This-Weeks-News/the-turning-of-the-tide.html. It makes for depressing reading in that a loan of €20,000 or so can, with penalty charges, soon become a debt of €110,000! It’s also very ironic that in these financially troubled times a financial matter of this modest magnitude cannot be mutually resolved to the benefit of both parties when those same banks are being bailed out by the Government to the tune of billions.
Anyhow there’s something many of us can do and that is to support the benefit concert for the School next Saturday night in Cois na hAbhna which should help alleviate part of the debt and equally show solidarity with a fellow musician. A mighty concert is in prospect as shown on the excerpt below lifted from the Clare People:-
“The Flowing Tides trust fund has been set up to raise enough money to prevent the sale of this land. Internationally renowned musician Tommy Peoples will take part in a fundraising concert in Cois Na hAbhna in aid of the trust on Saturday, March 14th.
A committee meeting to organise the works of the trust will take place this week. To get involved contact Denise Dalton at 087 6394185.”