The SHU Band, complete with a 68-piece orchestra, arrived to Dingle on the 3rd of January 2024, where they performed two concerts open to the public.
On the 4th of January, the band performed ‘A Winter’s Concert’ at St Mary’s Church; proceeds at the door supported a new sensory hub space for neurodiverse students at Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne, the nearby high school. Opening for the SHU Band were internationally acclaimed local musicians Méabh Ní Bheaglaoich and Niamh Varian-Barry, the latter of whom is also an instructor in Traditional Irish Music at SHU in Dingle.
On the 5th of January, the band performed an intimate set in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, which is housed within the Díseart building – currently, the home of SHU in Dingle while its new campus is under construction. Proceeds went to the upkeep of this historic building, which houses the famous Harry Clarke stained glass windows.
Over the course of their three days in Dingle, student members of the SHU Band enjoyed a range of activities that are open to students who attend semester sessions or intercession programs abroad in Dingle: hiking, touring the scenic Slea Head drive, going on exhilarating Sea Safaris, and enjoying the local culture.
SHU in Dingle was incredibly proud to host Sacred Heart’s Band and share their talents and artistry with the local people of Dingle. We look forward to welcoming them again in the future.
