Local Filipino community write mini-musical for President Higgins

By Maurice Garvey

CHILDREN from the Filipino community in Bluebell have written a mini-musical about President Michael D Higgins – fusing South East Asia with Ireland and a tasty fruit.

The kids are aged between nine and 14 years-of-age, and members of St John Bosco Youth Centre.

The youngsters got involved in one of the Dublin’s Culture Connects initiatives, and over the last five months they have talked about their school life, hobbies, places they love, challenges they face and their hopes for the future.

Together they have worked on a film project and a mini musical with Dave Kelly and Sam Kavanagh to collectively create the lyrics, harmonies, and compose the mini-musical ‘Michael and the Mango.’

It tells the story of Maine Lopez, a young girl from the Philippines who travelled to Ireland in a quest to bring President Higgins the best fruit in the world – the mango.

The story follows Maine’s story from working in a market in Manila to her trip to Dublin and presenting the mango to the President.