LOCAL Booterstown father and daughter, Tommy and Patricia Moylan, met Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, and well-known jazz singer Honor Heffernan at a launch last week for Ireland’s first ever European Youth Exchange summer camp for young people with Williams Syndrome.
Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes multiple development problems. This can include heart problems, narrowed blood vessels, musculoskeletal problems, and learning disabilities.
The syndrome is estimated to occur in about one in 20,000 births, and affects approximately 100 families in Ireland.
The camp is organised by the Williams Syndrome Association of Ireland (WSAI) and Trisha Wilkinson from Léargas, the national agency that coordinates funding from the Erasmus + Youth Exchange Programme.
It takes place in the University of Limerick this week, until July 10 and is targeted at people with Williams Syndrome aged 13 to 30.
With the theme, ‘Our Music, Our Culture’, some 80 people from 11 different European countries will attend.
Activities will include music workshops, theatre workshops, flora and fauna trails, an introduction to Gaelic games, and day-trips to Bunratty Castle and the Cliffs of Moher.
The young people in attendance will also be encouraged to showcase the music and culture from their home countries.
Ann Breen, founder and Honorary President of the WSAI, said: “We chose ‘Music and Cul-ture’ as the theme for the camp because almost all people with Williams Syndrome have hyper-sensitive hearing and some have perfect pitch and extraordinary musical talents.
“Throughout the week of the camp, we will be nurturing participants’ musical talent and their love of different types of music.
“We’ll also be showing our European visitors the best of Irish culture, from Gaelic games to trips to some of our best-loved tourist sites. In turn, we’re hoping to learn about other Euro-pean cultures, including through language exchanges, where all the young people at the camp will teach each other simple phrases from their own languages.”
Ann’s daughter Karen, who is now in her early 30s, has Williams Syndrome.
“When Karen was very young, we noticed how much she loved music and music-related presents,” said Ann.“If she was upset, music would calm her.
“As she got older, we brought her to music camps abroad a number of times, and that’s when we discovered she has perfect pitch.
“She plays the keyboard, composes her own music, and has very definite opinions about the type of music she does and doesn’t like.
“The joy Karen gets from music inspired me to set up music summer camps for other people with Williams Syndrome.”
Acclaimed musician Honor Heffernan expressed her admiration for some of the young mu-sicians in attendance.
“I’ve been involved in some music projects in the past with young people who have Williams Syndrome and their musical ability was amazing,” she said.
“It was really rewarding to work with them and to see both how accomplished they are musically and how much joy they derive from music.
The launch was attended by a number of young people with Williams Syndrome, as well as their family-members.
Alan Keady is excited for what will be his fourth time taking part in the European Youth Ex-change programme.
“I’m really looking forward to the week in Limerick and getting the chance to meet new friends, as well as linking back up with friends and leaders who I’ve met before,” he said.
“Being able to play instruments and learn about new cultures I’ve never heard of before will be great.
“Although my mam will be there as a leader, I’ll still get to enjoy my own independence.”
The summer camp taking place in Limerick next week marks the first time ever that the European Federation of Williams Sydrome Associations will hold its annual gathering in Ireland.
Further information is available at: www.williamssyndrome.ie.