Ukrainian Children Making Music in an Irish School: A Temporary Place to Be?

Abstract

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion into Ukraine in early 2022, Irish schools have a substantial number of Ukrainian children and young people attending. This article presents insights from a case study in Ireland on Ukrainian refugee children’s experience of music in school. The children in this study are presented as active agents in constructing meaning and knowledge through collective musical engagement. Using creative and ethically sensitive approaches with Ukrainian children in one Irish primary school, this article examines a nine-week music project. The workshops were carried out by a Ukrainian music educator and activities aimed to facilitate a sense of belonging within the group itself, but also within the school more broadly. Data are presented in this article from sound recordings, photographs, focus group interviews, and researcher-facilitator reflective logs. The findings contribute critical insights on three main themes: identity, participation, and future imaginings. Thus, through a focussed examination of one intervention, children’s direct experiences of music in schools addresses macro issues for music education and forced migration.