World Music Day is celebrated each 23rd June and to mark the occasion here are a few extracts from our history and archives. Music formed an important part of the children’s education in the Poor House from an early period. This took the form of both singing and learning musical instruments.
During the 19th century the musical boys of the Poor House were in high demand throughout Belfast and further afield. They were invited to preform as a band at church services and celebrations in Belfast, and a large number of these boys went on to join the Army and militias as drummers and band boys. The three McAuley brothers all joined the South Down Militia from the Poor House within two years of each other in 1862-63.
