Small Town Big Heart A New Song for Claregalway
Small Town Big Heart a new song for Claregalway Public Art Project 2026
I am really delighted to complete phase 1 of Claregalway Public Art Project “Stone Walls and The Grass is Green” This has been an amazing process to write a new song for Claregalway. It was written by a group of 50 students working with Songwriters Padraig Stevens and Leo Moran from The Sawdoctors. Leo co wrote the N17 with Davy Carton which the Public Art Projects title refers to. The outcome of these songwriting workshops has been a revelation. The group of students who came forward to create the song with support from Art Teacher Karina French and Music Teacher Lorraine Kelly were a truly fantastic group of highly creative and enthusiastic young people who were full of ideas and gave themselves to the project with huge enthusiasm from day 1. The workshops we carried out with Songwriter Padraig Stevens were a spring board for creative action. Padraig has written a number of songs for many well known singers in Ireland and has toured widely. He was also a founding member of Macnas Theatre Company in Galway Ireland. Leo Moran came onboard for a series of workshops to explore some lyrics and communal collaborative songwriting. Everyone got to respond to the theme in which the song The N17 was used as a basis for exploration. We edited, rehearsed, and explored new ideas, making several versions of the song with over a number of months.
The group of students were very enthusiastic at every stage bringing in their own media crew to film the whole process. For myself as the main protagonist in all of this I have to say it was a hugely meaningful experience. Having a group of interested and motivated young people to work with was a joy. Put all of this together with two superb songwriters with years of experience to impart made it a revelatory experience.
It was recorded from a series of live takes in Coláiste Bhaile Chláir during May 2026. The music room was set up as a recording studio by sound engineer Eoin Melia (Recently returned from Germany with Sawdoctors Tour) After several takes motivated by Leo Morans ample recording experience we managed to capture the song with a group of students, singing and playing various instruments llve. It was an occasion of creative fusion, we surfed a big wave of creative energy creating a new anthem for Claregalway. To be able to do this as part of the arts participation element of “Stone Walls and The Grass is Green” Public Art Project was nothing short of incredible. I hope you will enjoy the music. I salute this group of young people for their enthusiasm, creativity and willingness to take on this ambitious project.
Special Thanks To Padraig Stevens -Songwriter, Leo Moran Songwriter, Karina French Art Teacher, Lorraine Kelly Music Teacher, Eoin Melia Sound Engineer. Major Thanks to all the students who took part in this unique project.
Excellent support was provided by Sharon O Grady County Galway Arts Officer, Ramona Burke Arts Office Administration and Rina Whyte Public Art Curator.
“Stone Walls and The Grass is Green “ Public Art Commission is funded by Galway Co Council and The OPW. and curated by Public Art Curator Rina Whyte.
Recording Small Town Big Heart which was created by 50 Students from Coláiste Bhaile Chláir with support from Leo Moran Songwriter and member of The Sawdoctors and Padraig Stevens Songwriter.
Leo Moran Songwriter and co-writer of the song The N17 working with the group recording Small Town Big Heart in Claregalway.
Artist Cathal Mc Carthy and Leo Moran Songwriter during songwriting workshop for Claregalway Students