In Naas, Co Kildare, Sadhbh O’Sullivan and Sharon Murphy of Embrace Music led a group in the beautiful chapel at the Arts & Culture Centre in McAuley Place. Together they gently explored loss through creative journaling, music, movement, and conversation. Different themes were chosen each week, such as comforts, resilience, support, and memory, prompting movement, songs, creations, conversations, reminiscences, laughter, and tears.
The effect was transformative. As one participant told us:
“I feel more comfortable in expressing how I feel now. It was really coming here, to this place, and being put – not publicly – not forced to do it – but just being here put ideas and a new way of living into my head.”
The group also produced a gorgeous audio piece entitled Alas, Grief Waits, and a booklet called The Light is Always There, featuring a selection of their words and images.
Initially funded for twelve weeks, it was extended a further four weeks to the delight of participants and facilitators alike. As another participant told us:
“Part of me came just to get me focused on something because I was quite down. Part of me came to see what might come out of it, what might help me to express some of the grief, sadness, frustration, bitterness, resentment, anger, all of the different things that I have felt. But I think really why I came was to connect with people again. Sadhbh and Sharon were absolutely marvellous. They got me thinking a bit differently and anything that does that is wonderful.”
Once again, the group moved, sang, created, talked, reminisced, laughed, and cried together. A second booklet featuring a selection of their words and images was produced entitled An Invitation to Celebrate.
About Embrace Music
Embrace Music is a socially driven entity led by musicians and arts / health specialists Sadhbh O’Sullivan and Sharon Murphy. With over 10 years combined experience of running arts for wellbeing projects, Embrace Music was founded in March 2020, with the aim of providing far-reach opportunities for engaging with music.
