Wexford Festival Opera brings workshop to HSE residential care users

As Wexford Festival Opera drew to a close in October, residents and service users of the HSE were delighted to participate in one of the Festival’s workshops held in St. John’s Community Hospital in Enniscorthy.

In addition to residents of St. John’s, users of the HSE’s Mental Health Services locally and its Wexford Residential Intellectual Disability Services were in attendance at the Oak Ward Day Room for a workshop facilitated by Elizabeth Drwal and featuring singer Timothy Mays.

The staging of this workshop, in addition to a recent concert at St. John’s provided by Wexford Festival Opera, were supported by Wexford County Council through both the Arts Office and the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme.

The session was engaging, interactive and thoroughly enjoyable, with wonderful participation from residents throughout.

Elizabeth Drwal is the Education Outreach Co-ordinator with Wexford Festival Opera. Over the last 11 years as an Engagement Artist, Elizabeth has brought her skill for nurturing talent into many areas, including ‘singing for health’ initiatives and various community programmes run by the Wexford Festival Opera and the National Opera House.

Baritone Timothy Mays was one of this year’s Wexford Festival Opera “Factory” rising star artists, featured in “pop up” opera recitals at venues in the town and was among the cast of “The First Festival” (Libretto by Colm Tóibín, Music by Alberto Caruso and commissioned by Wexford Festival Opera), which premiered in the O'Reilly Theatre, National Opera House in this, the 75th year of the festival.

The Wexford Festival Opera visit to St. John’s for this workshop follows on from an occasion in September, when as part of its ‘Synapses’ element of its Learning and Engagement outreach programme (which presents performances at care homes and day centres), singers Vlad Sima and Charlotte Baker, accompanied on piano by Rebecca Warren, came to entertain at the Creative Activity Garden in Enniscorthy.

Centred on an amphitheatre styled area, the Creative Activity Garden at the HSE’s St. John’s Community Hospital complex in Enniscorthy has been utilised throughout this year as a multi-functional space for gatherings and health and wellbeing activities in the heart of the healthcare campus.

Speaking about the HSE Dublin and South East’s collaboration with Wexford Festival Opera, Advance Nurse Practitioner with Wexford mental health services and Chair of the St. John’s Community Hospital Healthy Campus group Mick Mahon said:

“I think everyone would agree that this project has been a fantastic success. The contribution of Wexford Festival Opera has had a hugely positive impact on the wellbeing of patients, staff, families, and the wider community over the course of these sessions. It is certainly something that we would like to revisit again in 2027.”

“I would like to extend our sincere thanks to my HSE colleague at St. John’s Community Hospital Geena John (Asst. Director Nursing), Mary Fox (Nurse Activities Coordinator) and Jane Heffernan, (Catering Supervisor) and to all of the patients, staff and families whose support and participation helped make these events possible.”

In the contest of the Creative Activity Garden being a resource for the community in Enniscorthy, we also value our close, working relationship with Wexford County Council and are grateful for the various sources of funding support that the local authority has made available – including through the Arts Office and the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme.

“As part of the workshop for residents of St John’s Hospital, Mental Health Services users and those from Wexford Residential Intellectual Disability Services, there was plenty of opportunities for participation, engagement and group sing-alongs, making it an enjoyable and inclusive experience for everyone involved.”