PRESS NOTICE: Conference to Explore Intergenerational Patterns of Drug Use

Posted on 22 March, 2011 by admin

Intergenerational patterns of drug use will be among the themes explored at a major conference tomorrow (23.03.11), taking place at the conference centre in the Upper Courtyard of Dublin Castle from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The conference has been organised by the Ballymun Youth Action Project (BYAP), Ireland’s longest-running community drugs project, as part of a programme of events to mark its 30th anniversary.

According to Dermot King, Director of BYAP, intergenerational drug use is now apparent in many communities in Ireland. “We have witnessed an intergenerational pattern of drug misuse within some families in Ballymun, and similar patterns are being reported in other communities,” he said. “In some cases, we are now treating the grandchildren of people who attended our service when it was first established 30 years ago.”

In addition to intergenerational drug use, the conference will also discuss the need to support community-based responses to drugs; changing trends in substance misuse in the past 30 years; and the role of the media in portraying substance misuse.

As well as Mr. King, other speakers at the event will include: John Lonergan, former Governor of Mountjoy Prison; Professor Joe Barry, Head of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at Trinity College Dublin; and Dr. Mary Ellen McCann, Vice-Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs. A number of journalists from leading national media outlets will also take part in a panel discussion.

The full conference agenda is available here. Spokespersons from BYAP – and a number of the conference speakers – will be available for media interviews at 11.15am. However, media representatives are also welcome to attend the event at any other time during the day (9.30am to 3.30pm).

ENDS

Contact: Dermot Ryan / Noomi Egan DHR Communications Tel: 01 4885808 / 086 6002306 / 087-7449915

Final Programme for our Conference Tomorrow

Posted on 22 March, 2011 by admin

There are over 100 people registered to attend our national conference on substance misuse, which is taking place in Dublin Castle tomorrow, Wednesday, 23rd March, as part of our 30th anniversary programme of events.

The programme for the event has now been finalised and features an impressive line-up of high-profile speakers and interesting panel dicussions. You can download the final programme here.

For enquiries about the conference, please call Noomi on 01-4806261 or email byap30@dhr.ie.

Announcing the line-up for our community festival on 26th March

Posted on 16 March, 2011 by admin

We’re delighted to announce that Chisty Dignam and Joe Jewell from Aslan will headline our FREE community festival on Saturday, 26th March. The festival will take place at the plaza in Ballymun from 12noon until 3pm. Everyone is welcome to attend, and please spread the word! There will be music performances from a range of local acts throughout the day, stand-up comedy and children’s entertainment, with face-painting and clowns. The full details of the Main Stage performers are here, and here’s our promotional poster:

Community Festival to Feature Impressive Array of Local Stars

Posted on 15 March, 2011 by admin

PRESS RELEASE

Community Festival to Feature Impressive Array of Local Stars

– Ballymun Youth Action Project to mark 30th anniversary with free festival –

A free community festival will take place at the plaza in Ballymun on Saturday, 26th March, from 12 noon to 3pm. The festival is being organised by Ballymun Youth Action Project (BYAP) as part of a programme of events to mark its 30th anniversary.

BYAP – which is Ireland’s longest-running community-based response to drugs – was founded by local people in 1981 after three young people from Ballymun had died from drugs-related causes. Over the past three decades, the Project has worked to tackle substance misuse in Ballymun and surrounding areas.

The community festival taking place on 26th March will feature an impressive array of performers with links to the local area. Christy Dignam and Joe Jewell from Aslan will play a special set as headliners of the event. Other performers will include local singer / songwriters Garry O’Brien and Niall O’Shea; samba band Munch; and Irish trad act, the Bold Fenian Men.

Speaking ahead of the event, Dermot King, Director of BYAP, said: “We have a great line-up for the event, featuring both well-established artists and up-and-coming local Ballymun acts. We wanted the programme to showcase the wealth of musical talent in Ballymun and surrounding areas.

“In addition to members of Aslan, the Bold Fenian Men, and established singer-songwriters, we also have a number of acts taking part that are involved in the Ballymun Regional Youth Resource Music Club, including Coldstone, Sappy and That’s What She Said. Some of these will be performing for the first time, so the festival will offer visitors an opportunity to hear new sounds from Ballymun and sample a range of different musical experiences.

“We want the event to be a day of celebration for everyone, and we hope that large numbers of people from the local community will join us for a day of music, stand-up comedy and fun. This is a free event, and there should be something there to appeal to all ages.”

In addition to music performances, the community festival will feature stand-up comedy from local comedians Dean Scurry and Eric Lalor. There will also be children’s entertainment on offer, including free face-painting.

The full line-up for the festival is as follows:

Christy Dignam and Joe Jewell from Aslan.
Singer / songwriters Garry O’Brien, Niall O’Shea and Ciaran Moran.
Street Literature, DeXtra, and Sappy.
Stand-up comedians Dean Scurry and Eric Lalor.
That’s What She Said, Coldstone and Dean Doonan (Must Try DnD).
Samba band Munch.
Johnny Boy & Jambo.
Trad music from the Bold Fenian Men.

Other events organised by BYAP to mark the Project’s 30th anniversary include the ‘BYAP 30 Years’ art exhibition, which is running in the Horizons Centre on Balcurris Road until 26th March. The exhibition was curated by acclaimed artists Guggi and John Duffy, and features work from Ballymun artists and past and present BYAP clients. Opening hours are 2-5pm, Monday to Friday, and admission is free of charge. The exhibition will open late next Thursday, 24th March – from 7 to 9pm. It will be open on Saturday, 26th March, from 3 to 5pm.

A national conference on substance misuse is also taking place next week as part of BYAP’s 30th anniversary events. This will take place on Wednesday, 23rd March, in Dublin Castle.

ENDS

Contact: Noomi Egan, DHR Communications, Tel: 01-4806261 / 087-7449915