Wires, Strings & Other Things
- 9 Eanáir — 31 Nollaig 2026
Music Network presents a two-day training course for professional performing musicians working in all genres. This course will help you to develop the confidence, knowledge and practical skills needed to work effectively with venues.
Delivered in partnership with the new Irish performance venue at Swords Cultural Quarter, Fingal County Council Arts Office and industry professionals, the course will offer resources, practical tips and professional support on a range of topics including effective sound checking, preparing stage plans and technical specs, pitching your idea, navigating contracts and insurance, preparing your press kit, marketing and creating digital content for promotion.
The course also includes a short photo session with a professional photographer from which participants will receive digital files of professional photos at no additional cost.
Course details
- Location: The Carnegie Library, North Street, Swords, Dublin
- Dates: 17 November, 9.30am to 5:00pm & 18 November, 9.30am to 5:30pm
- Cost: This two-day package is offered at a cost of €80 including booking fee. Course participants will receive a €55 refund of course fees on completion of the course.
- Please note* places are limited. Priority for places will be given to musicians from the Fingal area until 20 October. After this date, any remaining places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
- How to book: Complete the registration form at the link below, you will receive an email from us confirming whether you have been allocated a place, along with a booking code to complete your registration.
Information and enquiries
- For more information and enquiries please contact Claire Austen at programmesadmin@musicnetwork.ie or on 083 095 5956 / 01 475 0224.
Mairéad O’Reilly
Mairéad O’Reilly is primarily a Live Sound Engineer. She formed her own sound reinforcement company and worked freelance for 30 years. Her specialization has been engineering high quality sound for acoustic music. She has provided sound reinforcement for National and International concerts, festivals & tours. She has also engineered live events for major recording artistes such as Altan, John Martyn, Rhiannon Giddens and Townes Van Zandt among others.
Mairéad holds a Masters Degree in Digital Media Technologies from TU Dublin where she majored in Audio. She is also an AVID Certified Pro Tools Trainer and a member of the Audio Engineering Society.
In 2008 Mairéad moved to Wales for five years to lecture full-time on the B.Sc. in Sound Technology at the University of South Wales.
While Lecturing in Sound Technology, Mairéad continued to mix occasional concerts and more recently decided to merge her wide experience in audio and education to launch 'MÓR Sound', a dedicated Voice Recording & Post Production Studio in Dublin.
www.morsound.ie
Orla Flanagan
Orla Flanagan is a freelance arts manager, producer and consultant based in Wicklow, currently providing advisory/assessment services to the Festivals team of The Arts Council on a part-time basis.
Orla was Senior Producer at Once Off Productions in 2023-2024, which provides creative and flexible supports to a range of independent performing artists. She was previously Director at glór, a thriving arts centre with a 500-seat theatre in Ennis, where she led a wide range of creative and artistic initiatives and a dynamic year-round multi-genre programme from 2016-2023.
Prior to this, Orla worked in the UK as Theatre Producer at Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival from 2012-2016. Here she programmed a large range of theatre and circus for five Brighton Festivals and also led an innovative year-round theatre programme and a range of artist development initiatives at Brighton Dome. Previously she was General Manager at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill (2011) and Producer & General Manager at Fishamble: The New Play Company for five years.
She participated in the 10-month Arts Management Fellowship Programme (2007-08) at the John F. Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C., for which she was awarded a Fulbright. From 2001-2005 Orla was Literary Officer at the Abbey Theatre.
Liz Powell
As a seasoned arts and cultural manager, coach and group leader, Liz works across three distinct but related fields: helping arts and cultural organisations think clearly about strategy and direction, coaching individuals and teams through change and growth, and leading group singing for health, connection and wellbeing.
Liz works freelance and is currently contracted by the Arts Officer at Tipperary County Council to support festivals and other arts activity across the county. She has worked with the Council to develop Tipperary's Arts and Festivals Strategies, and with MusicConnects and Music Generation Tipperary, among others, on strategic and operational plans and reviews. Earlier positions include roles at the Arts Council and Music Generation, as Manager of Christ Church Baroque (now Irish Baroque Orchestra), and CEO of the Association of Irish Choirs (now Sing Ireland).
A regular member of arts funding assessment panels, Liz has also advised on the development of new funding initiatives and the evaluation and review of existing schemes and programmes. She has wide experience of managing change in organisations and creating more effective, efficient working environments. Alongside this leadership practice, her coaching bridges personal and professional development, helping teams and individuals articulate their goals, move past barriers and perform with greater confidence.
Jess Harkin
Jess Harkin is an arts marketer, producer and theatre maker with over eight years' experience creating digital content for the arts. From humble beginnings working on PR in the drama society at the University of Galway, she went on to run Sóisialta, a social media and marketing agency working with organisations including Baboro International Arts Festival for Children, Galway International Arts Festival, Galway Arts Centre and many more.
She has since gone on to become Festival Director of Galway Theatre Festival and Co-Director of WTAF!? (Westend Theatre and Arts Festival), where she leads the brand voice for both. Having worked both as the marketer and as the artist trying to sell tickets, Jess brings a practical, audience-focused approach to connecting artists and their work with audiences who become invested in their journey.
