What started as a small tin whistle group in a local GAA club has transformed into one of the most influential traditional music schools in Northern Ireland over the last two decades.
The Glengormley School of Traditional Music was founded by Ray Morgan as a cross-community space for those interested in learning traditional Irish music and instruments.
As they mark their 20th birthday this week, Ray told Belfast Live about the impact the school has had on the music scene both locally and across the country.
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He said: "I was the culture officer in St Enda's GAA club and we had a wee tin whistle class in the corner and basically, that is where it all developed from as we realised there was a demand for people to learn traditional music.
"It's been all go since then - over the last 20 years we've taught thousands of pupils and we would be viewed in the wider community of Glengormley and West Belfast as being very successful since starting."
Funded by the Arts Council, the school operates out of Edmund Rice College in Newtownabbey and recently won TG4's Gradam Comaoine, an award for Outstanding Contribution to traditional music reflecting the hard work they have put in over the past 20 years.
"We are very much a community with a lot of families and volunteers involved in the running. We view ourselves as a family of traditional music families and I would say we are a really important community arts resource for the area," Ray continued.
"Prior to Covid, we would have had monthly visits to the children's hospice to play for staff and patients and we would have also played in care homes as well as social events and the likes of weddings.
"Belfast is a fantastic city for traditional music and you only have to walk into a number of our pubs to see that and I believe we have contributed to that as well - in the bigger scheme of things, we have played our part for the traditional music scene and are always looking for ways to promote it in Newtownabbey and Belfast and across the north."
Ray and his team are enthusiastic about creating the next generation of musicians who can love and appreciate the culture of traditional music and share it with others.
Later this year, GSoTM will be running a school traditional music competition sponsored by Belfast Movie House and Matchetts Music to get more people involved in the love of playing.
Ray continued: "Traditional music is about playing together. It's not about sitting in the house playing on your own, it's about getting together with other people.
"We very much view ourselves as a cross-community body for people of all backgrounds, ages, genders to enjoy traditional music.
"We have produced some fantastic young musicians and we are so thankful for the large number of volunteers who have made us tick and we just couldn't do it without them."
To mark their birthday, they have been holding a Glengormley Trad Fest supported by the Antrim and Newtownabbey Council to celebrate the community they have created in Newtownabbey and their involvement in Northern Ireland's traditional music scene.
"On Sunday we are having a family fun day in Edmund Rice College so that all of our families can come together and celebrate our 20 years - a lot of music, events, arts and crafts," Ray said.
"There will be a session room and a bodhran circle so there will be lots and lots of music because we have lots and lots of pupils."
He added: "The school is a fantastic outlet for young people and anyone else that wants to be involved and I think participation in any arts activity is highly worthwhile - especially so much these days with what everyone has had to suffer through over the last couple of years."
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