Rutland Rap gets a remix as pupils keep their love of music going 10 years on

Irish Independent

30-05-2025

Fourth class pupils from Rutland National School have written an updated version of a song titled, What Music Is, which previous students of the school released in 2015.
The 2015 song was written with the help of Irish rap star Garry McCarthy, aka GMC Beats, who spent time with the children, teaching them to write, create and record their rap.
The lyrics included: 'Music is the game and I am the player, and everybody knows I'm a sick rhyme sayer."
Their creative efforts featured in the Herald in October 2015, and the latest song brings the story full circle as it features one student whose brother was part of the original 'Rutland Rap'.
The school is also no stranger to the spotlight, as students from Rutland Street National School created the now infamous Give Up Your Aul Sins recordings over 60 years ago.
But in 2025, the students choose to communicate through the medium of rap.
The new song draws inspiration from the Kabin Crew's summer hit, The Spark, which gained international attention last year and has almost 8 million views on YouTube.
Fourth Class teacher Niamh Bermingham said the idea of rewriting the school's 'Rutland Rap' came about in January when a student teacher who was musically inclined joined the class.
'I had previously taught my class the original Rutland Rap,' Ms Bermingham said.
Darren, one of her students, wanted to make an updated version because his brother had featured in the 2015 song.
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' My brother was in the old one and I wanted to make a new one,' he said.
'You have to take a lot of responsibility to do a rap. If you make one mistake, your whole rap is gone.
'You have to just keep on going until you get the right line.' he added.
Ms Bermingham, along with fellow teacher Liam McDonald, helped the students write the song, which pays homage to local hero Kellie Harrington.
Ms Bermingham said the double Olympic gold medal winner has been a huge role model to the children growing up in the north inner city.
The new lyrics include the line: 'Rutland Street, we're the best, we are here to stay. Good as Kellie Harrington because she is proper slay.'
When asked what the best part of the song writing process was, one pupil, Darcy, said it was 'missing Irish'.
Other students are rethinking their after-school plans, with Darren saying: ' I would like to be a rapper because like you get paid [well].
'Like it's not about the money, it's about the music that you're making and it makes other people enjoy their life.'
Ian Sherry, Vice Principal of the Rutland Street National School, said the students are very excited about the updated rap song.
' You walk past the class and you could hear them singing and making music and just having fun,' he said.
'There's a sense of community and there's a buzz around the school because all the other classes know there's a new rap being written.'
He believes the benefits of making a new school rap extends far beyond just music.
'There's a lot of learning going on in the background, they've also produced a fantastic video to go along with it. So even practicing all those skills like editing is fantastic'.
The school has won the DCU Changemakers award for their song writing efforts and hope to make another song when they are in sixth class.