This soundmap has been the plan and design of an ambitious group of teenagers, the Keep ‘Er Lit ASD group. The idea came about during group sessions when some of the members expressed sensitivity to sound. The project is an attempt to boost inclusion and raise awareness of background sounds – sounds that we don’t hear unless we really listen to our environment. One of the members had previous experience of sound mapping and suggested that this could be a way an alternative way of processing sensory information. After some mindful listening training sessions with Tracy Dempsey, they created this project to illustrate daily life through interested listening and attentive mindfulness, carrying out recordings in their local area in May and June 2018 . Welcome to life in – and around – Laurencetown!
Click a red marker on the map above to play the sound recording for that location. To return to the map, click the back arrow (←) from the video page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile phone or tablet, hold your device in landscape mode for best viewing.)
You can click on the square brackets icon in the top-right corner of the map to view it in full screen. There, you can switch the background map between different views.
You can also play the recordings from the video list below.
How the sounds were captured
Conor and Matilde spent two months working with the young people from Keep ‘Er Lit. The project was divided into three stages. First, Conor and Matilde introduced their research about sound and field recording to show the group creative ways of understanding sound in everyday life. Then they recorded at each of the chosen locations with the young people, who were divided into smaller groups. After this, they encouraged the young people to reflect on the experience of listening and recording. Finally, Conor and Matilde went out to make the final recordings of each location using video and sound, based on the young people’s reflections. The videos show the empty locations, which are then brought to life by the young people’s experience and the sound recordings.
O’Hagan’s Tyre Garage
Sounds of a workday in the local garage. Recorded by: Adrienne, Anne and John
Eamon Mccartan’s Farm
Sounds of the cows being milked and fed. Recorded by: Sarah, Mollie and Lauren
Scarva Fair
Sounds of the lively Scarva Fair. Recorded by: Andrew and John
River Bann
Sounds recorded on the river banks close to Ss. Patrick & Colman Church. Recorded by: Gawey, Alex, Kevin, Phoebe, John, and Anne.
Banbridge Recycling Centre
Sounds of machines encountered at the local recycling centre. Recorded by: Jonathan and Yasmin
Tullylish GAC
Sounds of a senior Gaelic Football match at the Tullylish Gaelic grounds. Recorded by: Caiden, Phoebe and Alex
Ss. Patrick & Colman Church
Sounds of the Church grounds and interior. Recorded by: Rachel, Holly and Jack
Banbridge ABC
Sounds of a youth Boxfit class. Recorded by: James and Zack
Blend & Batch
Sounds of a busy café in Banbridge. Recorded by: Logan and John
Get Involved
Would you like to be part of this project? You can create your own sound recordings from in and around Laurencetown and send them to us for inclusion on the soundmap. Many smart phones have built-in sound recording apps you can use. Do a test recording first to check that the sound’s not too quiet or too loud, and then record a few minutes of sound in your chosen location. You may like to add an introduction about why you’ve chosen that place and find it interesting, as our young people did. You might also like to take a photo or short video of the location to go with the recording. Recordings should be clear and underneath 5 minutes in length.
When you’ve finished, send your work through to enquiries@lltca.com. We look forward to hearing your recordings!
About the Keep ‘Er Lit Project
Keep ‘Er Lit is now being funded by Children In Need. The Laurencetown, Lenaderg and Tullylish Community Association secured this grant in 2019 and are determined to establish a legacy that will ensure that young people with autism can continue to feel empowered, independent and confident, and that their established youth group will grow and develop and continue to provide a valuable service to our young people and their families. To find out more, see the Keep ‘Er Lit page.
