In mid-February 2008, letters were sent to thirty schools in the area, twentysix primary and four second level, advising them that it was the intention of Féile Dúthalla 2008 to involve as many young people as possible in the Féile and that a number of musicians had offered their services to provide music workshops in the various schools. Each school was requested to confirm if they were interested in the scheme and reply soonest in the envlope provided. Seven schools responded initially and five schools out of that seven followed up. The participating schools were, St. Coleman's Boys National School, Kanturk, Newmarket Boys National School, Lismire National School, Tullylease National School & Coláiste Treasa, Kanturk. Newmarket-based, uileann piper, Denis Brooks conducted two of the workshops, one in Newmarket Boys National School where he was assisted by fiddle player Muirí Cotter, a teacher at the school, and the other in Tullylease National School where a very enthusiastic class of pupils played with him and also requested and danced a polka set. Lismire National School and St. Colemans Boys National School Kanturk were hosts to two other workshops. These were conducted by uileann piper and multi instrumentalist John Byrne who was ably acompanied by his guitar playing brother, Kevin. Again in these schools the pupils were very eager to play along with the musicians. The final workshop was conducted in Coláiste Treasa, Kanturk in late September where John Byrne and Tim Browne conducted two seperate classes with very enthusiatic students. The workshops proved to be very popular with considerable interest in the local music rhythms evident throughout. Some schools expressed a willingness to run more of these types of workshops in the future. (There will be workshops in fiddle, tin whistle & accordion conducted on Saturday, November 22nd providing sufficient numbers enroll for them and advance booking is required).
