Newpark Academy of Music will continue in existence after the Department of Education licensed the school for another year following a months-long campaign to prevent its closure.
The department on Tuesday approved a licence agreement with the music school to allow it to continue operations at Melfield House in Blackrock, Co Dublin from September. Re-enrolment can now formally commence while it seeks alternative accommodation for the 2025-26 academic year.
An intense campaign to save the school began following the sudden announcement by the academy’s board on May 22nd that the 45-year-old institution, located on the campus of Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock, Co Dublin was to cease operations 10 days later, on June 1st. The news came as a shock to the academy’s 600-plus music students, their families and the 42 mainly part-time staff.
The board cited operating losses and “significant financial issues”, saying “in the long-term the business is not sustainable”. The audited accounts for 2023 however showed a modest deficit of €18,413 for 2023 (deficit in 2022 was €31,972), which was transferred to reserves.
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The Newpark campus, including Melfield House, is owned by the department and the music academy, a private school, occupies the building under a licence granted by Newpark Comprehensive. But it emerged that the Department of Education must approve school licences and only the department can withdraw them.
Executive director of the academy Hilda Chan said of the licence that “it’s brilliant news and we’re really conscious of the time because we normally start re-enrolment at the school in March”.
She said the school expects to restart in the second or third week of September. Ms Chan praised and thanked all those involved in the campaign which ran under the banner Save Newpark Music Working Group, and included prominent musicians, academics and legal firm Arthur Cox who assisted the academy pro bono.
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Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward who raised the issue in the Seanad said he was “delighted that the department is licensing the school” which he said has been so important for the area.
“The lack of an obvious rationale for the closure remains disturbing” but he said the licence would give the academy time to look for another premises. Among those being considered is one in Booterstown close to St Andrew’s College, a private school.
The school’s alumni include big names in music such as Hozier, Rory Doyle, drummer and backing vocalist with Hozier’s band for a number of years and established session drummer who also plays with The Walls. Other famous graduates include Sean Carpio a drummer and composer with Bog Bodies, jazz musician and singer Lauren Kinsella and Aoife Doyle a singer-songwriter.
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