Mayo school students’ rap video shows education happens beyond books

Mayo students from Ballina school Culleens NS with the help of their teacher Mick Duffy have dropped a music video.

'The West Coast is back, baby' - the first line certainly grabs the attention, helped by a pile of burning school utensils.

"Teacher, teacher nice to know ya" sings a children's voice. The beat is gloomy, and the bass is booming. 

"The theme of the song is to be set free as a child. Children want to be set free out of the classroom", says Mick Duffy, the teacher and occasional music writer and producer.

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"The song is about the fact, that kids have a million other problems on their mind. Not wanting to be stuck in the back of a class. It's kind of an anthem for the kids."

Duffy explains, he provides the beat and lyrics and then they bring children into the studio. They've never been to a studio before.

"There is more to education than the book. That's why we see the book burning in the bonfire in the video. There are so many avenues for education. Writing music and digital literacy is one of them."

Duffy says with projects like these, they're giving these kids a chance and an opportunity.

"There's a good few kids there academically that maybe find it difficult. They're in the video as well. It's about opening their horizons to something else that they might have a future in. Sometimes school through books is not everything."

The rappers in the video are Rylee Abbequerk, Alfie Flynn, supported by singers Abbie O'Hora, Sophie Ruddy, Lucy Walshe and Lucy O'Brien. Local actor Paul Brennan took over the part as teacher. 

And Lavinia Slater, renowned music director in Ballina was involved, as well Ryan Cawley as audio producer and help from Cathal Faughnan as sound engineer. The song was produced in Organic Flow music studio.

Culleens NS Teacher Mick Duffy put a lot of work into it but at the end of the day: "It's all about the kids."

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