Today, Wednesday 12 May, International Nurses Day – as part of #Bealtaineathome2021 – we will be releasing a new song, ‘We’ll be Back’ ‘The song is truly beautiful. It is really uplifting’ remarked one of the Day Care Coordinator who was part of creating the song, ‘A wonderful tribute to our clients and indeed to all older people … It’s just beautiful and very moving….very emotional, pulls ones heartstrings.’
This moving tribute with lyrics written by the Day Care Centre staff from across West Cork and melody written and performed by musician, Liz Clark and Staff Nurse Paula K O’Brien – sends a message of hope to all the older people staying safe at home. The staff who had been re-deployed to swabbing and vaccine Centres were invited to join in this creative project to share their thoughts and experiences of working on the frontline of the pandemic. However, their thoughts turned to the people they used to work with at the daycare and their current situations after isolating for so long.
We were thrilled last Sunday when the song was played as a pre-release by John Green on C103 ‘It definitely was a bit of sunshine on rainy day’ remarked Bernadette Edmead, of Clonakilty Day Care Centre. ‘A huge congratulations to everybody, fabulous launch on the radio, tears in my eyes thinking of you all. A real boost this morning for all staff and clients in our day care’ expressed another staff member.
Liz describes her experience in making the song, ‘At the end of last year we were looking for a way to connect with the Day Care clients again through the Arts For Health Programme, when Justine Foster rang me with an idea to focus instead on the Day Care Coordinators, knowing they were all dispersed and a project like this might just be a bit of a morale booster. I immediately knew the right person to help me with this project would be my wonderful friend Paula K O’Brien. She is not only a well-established musician, but a staff nurse at Clonakilty Community Hospital. She has worked alongside quite a few of these coordinators and shares the hopes and dreams for the clients of the day care as well. This project was just so hopeful in a time when we needed it most. I got a chance to ring each Day Care Coordinator and just chat, laugh about our memories, cry. Each person had their own input and unique view of the situation. But one thing that really prevailed was the sentiment that their clients in the Day Cares are a strong generation and they think of them like their family, their friends, and their teachers. They are missed desperately, but all feel hopeful and inspired to continue on this course, knowing they’ll be back.’
Lyrics by West Cork Day Care Coordinators
Guitar and Vocals- Liz Clark
Bass and Vocals- Paula K O’Brien
Sing-along with the lyrics