Jim O’Rourke may be registered as partially sighted but he has a very clear view of his home town.
His five minute video showing the delights of Barmouth have so impressed his college tutor at Coleg Harlech, he believes the local tourist board should take a look.
Jim, 32, has taken advantage of a second chance educational course in music technology at Coleg Harlech. The Workers’ Educational Association college, which offers adults the chance to study without the need for formal qualifications, provided the confidence for Jim to continue his passion for music.
Born in Barmouth, Jim went to secondary school in Harlech and left with five GCSE’s. At 19 he left home and headed with a friend to Cambridge where he did anything from door-to-door canvassing, running a bouncy castle business, to factory work – but all the time playing his music in pubs and clubs and village fetes.
“I play bass and electric guitar and just about any stringed instrument. I had my own band in Cambridge. We never played any major venues but we were performing at local garden fetes and village festivals, blues mainly and 60s and 70s pop and rock.
“About four years ago I decided I would come back home. I was homesick I suppose, I missed the mountains and the sea so I decided I wanted to come back and work,” said Jim, who now lives at his parents’ home in Cumberland Place, Barmouth.
“I was quite lucky, I knew people here so I knew there would be work. I do landscaping and dry-stone walling and labouring on barn conversions.
“I heard about the courses at Coleg Harlech through a friend who said I should get back into the music. I thought it would be a good opportunity to take the music forward and I was at the end of the job I was doing.
“You didn’t need formal qualifications and I had none in music but I was enthusiastic because I have always loved music. It was never about money I just loved being on stage and playing.”
For the course, Jim studied music theory, working in groups to produce original tracks, produce a video to go with the music and produce music through computers.
“I am registered as partially sighted and have been since birth. It’s never been a problem, I have always managed to adapt and it’s never held me back. Working with computers I just enlarge the screen content.
“I cannot drive and I have never been able to drive. It would be nice to jump into a car and drive off, but I have never known any difference and I have a good bunch of mates.
“The course has given me a lot more confidence, particularly my song writing and producing music. It’s just been a very, very large learning curve. Basically I can now see exactly where I am with the music.
“It’s been a really, really good year and great working with other members of the group. All the people come from such diverse backgrounds and different cultures, quite a melting pot.
“You meet people who really love the music and they have gone through their teens and early 20s and are now looking to do something a bit different.”
His video of Barmouth took him about a month to shoot, using video equipment from the college.
“I enjoy taking photographs and when I returned I bought myself an SLR camera and all the kit. I enjoyed photography even before I started the course. It was the first video I have done and I enjoyed putting it together and adding four songs to shots of the town, the harbour and the pleasure boats.
“It’s a tourism video and I hope that the local tourist information office might take it on as an advert for the town.”
Jim is planning to return to his building work this year to earn some money with a view to going to university in a year’s time where he will further his music studies.
Music technology course lecturer at Coleg Harlech, Trevor Andrews said: “We take people who have enthusiasm rather than formal qualifications, either as musicians or on the technical side recording music. We teach them both sides.
“We teach them the craft of recording people in the studio, we teach them about musical theory and composition and creating music through computers.
“There are also other elements to the course involving various aspects of creating video productions and the college has its own radio station where we can teach them to create radio programmes.
“We also teach them how to promote themselves and produce business materials and that all happens over nine months. At the end they get a qualification which is recognised by universities around the world.
“We set up the music technology course in 2003 and we had loads of applicants, which is still the case.
“I have worked here for 20 years and see people coming out of here having changed their lives. Students come from really diverse backgrounds and this has been a fresh start. It’s often the case that more mature students will be really keen to embrace a second chance.
“Jim is a local lad, originally from Barmouth, and he is extremely good at what he does.
“He has a problem with his sight and has to work on machines with enlarged screen material but he produces work of distinction level. He puts 100 per cent plus into every bit of work he does. He plays musical instruments and he has overcome his handicap.
“He has produced a video about Barmouth which I feel he should give to the tourist board, it’s that good. He wants to go on into university and increase his knowledge and career prospects in the music industry.”
Coleg Harlech Principal Trefor Owen said: “Coleg Harlech really is a college of second chances, it’s never too late to come here and to get back on the learning trail.
“We provide a wide range of courses and educational opportunities, both here at Harlech and at venues and workplaces across North Wales and North Powys.
“Many of our students intend to go on, like Jim, to university and there their life experiences make them a valuable part of the student intake and we’re just glad to have been able to help them fulfil themselves.”
