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There's a new piano in Pearse Station and people are being encouraged to play it

Irish Rail has installed the decorated piano on the southbound platform of the station.

[image alt="Piano 2" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/piano-2-2-296x189.jpg" width="296" height="189" credit-source="TheJournal.ie" caption="The%20new%20Pearse%20Station%20piano" class="alignnone" /end]

A PIANO HAS been permanently installed at Pearse Station in Dublin and members of the public are being encouraged to sit down and play it.

In conjunction with piano tuner John Murphy, Irish Rail has installed the decorated piano on the southbound platform of the station.

The piano was first unveiled at the station this morning. Three children from the Royal Academy of Music, Aela, Siún and Eavan O’Sullivan, were among the first to try out the new installation.

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Murphy, who has worked in the music industry for nine years, first approached Irish Rail with a proposal of installing a piano and he says the transport company was on board with the idea within 24 hours.

“I studied and lived in London for three years and witnessed public pianos in St Pancras Station and Harold Wood Station. I wondered why this hadn’t happened in Ireland yet,” Murphy told TheJournal.ie. 

“I wanted to bring the idea to Dublin to promote music and disrupt the traditional view of the piano as an inaccessible instrument. You don’t need to be Jools Holland or a Mozart.

If you can play at all you have the ability to brighten up someone’s day.

[image alt="piano 1" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/piano-1-296x166.jpg" width="296" height="166" credit-source="TheJournal.ie" caption="Aela%2C%20Si%C3%BAn%20and%20Eavan%20O'Sullivan%20try%20out%20the%20new%20piano" class="alignnone" /end]

A spokesperson for Irish Rail explained why they were keen to take part in the initiative.

“We thought it was a great idea. Railway stations are public places, so it’s nice to utilise it for something like this and it lifts people’s spirits,” the spokesperson said.

Even today, looking at people as they go past, they have a smile on their face. Any day that you can make people smile is a good day.

Artwork

Waterford artist Sarah Edmondson designed the illustrations on the piano, which were inspired by the Dart’s coastal journey.

“The idea behind the artwork is that we wanted to remind people of the coastal route of the Dart and encourage people to appreciate the scenic route,” Edmondson told TheJournal.ie. 

“It’s great to have a public art piece, one that’s inclusive, that you can interact with. The artwork is very friendly and in no way pretentious. It’ll definitely encourage people to participate and use the piano.”

Speaking of the safety of the piano at the station, Murphy had few concerns that it would be damaged or vandalised.

“I definitely think it’s going to last. I think people will give it a lot of respect. There’s a lot of good people out there and hopefully it’ll be here into the foreseeable future,” he said.

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robespierre
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:28 PM

    South side platform – because the pigeon fancying northsiders move pianos and the southsiders play them… or so somebody in irish rail thinks

    161
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    Mute Awkward Seal
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:40 PM

    @Robespierre: on the other side it would get vandalised

    114
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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:44 PM

    @Robespierre:
    The northsiders will still have to listen to Mummy and Duddy,s little petal murdering chop sticks from across the platform.

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    Mute Awkward Seal
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:02 PM

    I’m so glad I’m not from Dublin!

    17
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:21 PM

    @Robespierre: They have to come over to that side to vandalise the toilets, so it’s not too far out of their way.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:44 PM

    @Robespierre: Is that the side going TO the south or the side coming FROM the south?

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    Mute Sean @114
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    Sep 7th 2017, 5:39 PM

    @Awkward Seal: that makes two of us ;)

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    Mute Liz Moloney
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    Sep 7th 2017, 9:06 PM

    @Awkward Seal: So is everyone in Dublin.

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    Mute Johnny Gunn
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:23 PM

    OMG they have these in London we are totes cosmopolitan now.

    113
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    Mute Stan
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    Sep 7th 2017, 3:02 PM

    @Johnny Gunn: Other countries have them at major and even smaller train stations etc with “please play me” written on them and people play properly on them.

    33
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Sep 7th 2017, 8:14 PM

    @Johnny Gunn: so it’s just any kind of progress you can’t abide?

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    Mute Paraic McDonagh
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:35 PM

    Call me a sceptic, but the first skanger that needs a stool and something big to burn, will be delighted.

    114
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    Mute Stan
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    Sep 7th 2017, 3:03 PM

    @Paraic McDonagh: Seen them in other countries at major and small stations and people play properly on them.

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    Mute Paraic McDonagh
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    Sep 7th 2017, 3:30 PM

    @Stan: In Singapore you won’t see the slightest trace of chewing gum or litter on the streets. But let’s quit dreaming and come back to Dublin, where skangers steal things and set things on fire.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Sep 7th 2017, 8:17 PM

    @Paraic McDonagh: I’d be afraid they would pee on it!

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    Mute Patrick Aherne
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:45 PM

    I’ll give it three days

    36
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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:37 PM

    There are two pianos at St Pancras International Station – one near the Eurostar arrivals gate, and another in the main shopping arcade. Both played fequently. It is now possible to get a direct train from St Pancras to Marseilles – takes about 7 hours, and magical…

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:44 PM

    @Fank Pulman: Marseille*… £49 one-way!!!

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    Mute Honeybadger197
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:47 PM

    @Fank Pulman: That sounds like a plan.

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    Mute John Belton
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    Sep 7th 2017, 5:47 PM

    This will not end well. This piano is located in a city were fibreglass sculptures of cows, displayed in public were beheaded.

    18
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    Mute Alan O'Rourke
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:21 PM

    Look up Henri Herbert playing public pianos like this. He leaves the things in splinters!!

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    Mute Etherman
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:26 PM

    @Alan O’Rourke: thanks Alan. Just watched Henri – class musician and if the crowd reaction is anything to go by this is a great idea.

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    Mute John Clarke
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    Sep 7th 2017, 4:08 PM

    @Etherman: Just watched this myself. I’m actually amazed at the amount of people that walk by without even looking at him. How could you not be stopped in your tracks by someone hammering it out on the piano like that. Unreal!

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    Mute Alan O'Rourke
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    Sep 7th 2017, 7:13 PM

    @Etherman: i love that boogie woogie sound :)

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    Mute Alan O'Rourke
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    Sep 7th 2017, 7:15 PM

    @John Clarke: any time I watch it I wish the crowd had erupted for him. I would’ve made enough noise for all of them if I’d have witnessed that!

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    Mute Jon Snow
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    Sep 7th 2017, 7:09 PM

    All platforms in Pearce are in the south side

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    Mute Robin Basstard
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    Sep 7th 2017, 1:54 PM

    All they need now are permanent comedians telling jokes and amusing anecdotes…all day long….

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    Mute Ace
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    Sep 7th 2017, 4:08 PM

    @Robin Basstard: I dunno, we have that in our taxis and it does not work.

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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:47 PM
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    Mute Barry O Rourke
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    Sep 7th 2017, 3:39 PM

    Permanent in Pearse st. .. Oxymoron Id say

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    Mute Brian
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:34 PM

    Hope itz got a power socket for the hipsters and their MacBooks

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    Mute Emmet Dillane
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    Sep 7th 2017, 7:41 PM

    Hope no one shoots the piano player.

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    Mute Emmet Dillane
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    Sep 7th 2017, 9:00 PM

    @Peedur Dante:
    ‘”Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best”.
    A common sign in bars in the wild west as gun fights were a frequent occurrence.
    Oscar Wilde first brought it to the attention of the civilised world during his tour of the US IN 1883.

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    Mute Brendan T. M. P. Bur
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    Sep 7th 2017, 7:07 PM

    Can we never come up with something original? The piano concept has been live in public places worldwide for years! Why not a set of uileann pipes????

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    Mute John Belton
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    Sep 8th 2017, 2:08 AM

    @Brendan T. M. P. Bur: Attached to 2 motorcycle locks and bolted to the ground.. Might affect the sound quality.

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    Mute Chief
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    Sep 7th 2017, 2:39 PM

    Hopefully something like this will happen.
    https://youtu.be/4I_NYya-WWg

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    Mute Mistawez
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    Sep 8th 2017, 12:11 AM
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