Funds raised locally by The Rotary Club of Comber at the annual Young Musician of the Year event were distributed at a special dinner held in Balloo Restaurant this week.
Making the presentation was the 2007 Northern Ireland Young Musician of the Year Sean Rooney from Mayobridge. The 13 year old pianist a pupil at Abbey Grammar School, Newry, is an exceptional musician as he not only holds this title but has won many prizes at recent festivals.
He performed as a violinist and singer at Warrenpoint Feis, winning six prizes. At Newry Feis last week he performed as a violinist, pianist and singer and again won six prizes. He hopes to become a concert pianist and is in his second year studying the piano with the renowned teacher Dr. John O’Connor at the Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.
The Charities benefiting this year, as they have done for the past seven years, are the NI Cancer Fund for Children and the NI Music Therapy Trust.
This is the 15th year in which funds, over £70,000 to date, have been distributed to chosen local charities. Receiving the presentation, on behalf of the NI Cancer Fund for Children, Gillian Creevy, General Manager, said that she was pleased to once more receive these funds, which will be used to help children enjoy their life even though they have cancer. She explained that facilities at Shimna Valley, Newcastle had already been helped by Rotary funds. The large log cabin there known as Narnia, is now complete and is occupied, weekly, by children with cancer and their families as a respite centre.
Fiona Davidson, Executive Director of the NI Music Therapy Trust, explained how funds will to be used by the Trust. New therapists were being recruited and a bursary had been obtained from the Department of Health to send the students to England for training. She thanked the Rotary Club of Comber for this aid and said that it had been so important to the Trust over the years.
Past District Governor Gussie Hynes a visitor from the Rotary Club of Omagh congratulated everyone involved in the Northern Ireland Young Musician of the Year competition saying how highly regarded the event is in the family of Rotary
If you would like to become involved in the activities of Comber Rotary Club you can find out more “About us” by visiting http://www.comberrotary.org/
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Submitted by phillip on Sun, 2007-05-06 15:44.
