As early as 1909, the Leinster School of Music was drawing pupils even from Galway and Enniskillen to its Harcourt Street building in Dublin. The school has not been in Harcourt Street for nearly 20 years now but some of the best of young Irish musical talent still journey to its practice rooms every week from places as far apart as Letterkenny and Cork.

The school was founded in 1904 and was independent until last November when it amalgamated with Griffith College Dublin and moved to its South Circular Road campus.

The move was timely as a fire had destroyed the school's home on Stephen Street. The school spent six months in Fitzwilliam Street, but Sheila Murphy, the school's secretary, says they were unpopular with the street's mainly legal inhabitants. "They didn't like us there," she says. "We made too much noise, especially the sopranos."

Even in these new circumstances the school intends to hold onto its past. Murphy is still looking for an appropriate location for the sign which adorned their door in Harcourt Street. The school's diplomas still bear the name of Grace Plunkett, the wife of Joseph Mary Plunkett, who designed them.

Surprisingly for such a venerable institution, the school has always been resolutely private and neither sought nor received grants or donations from anyone. This tradition went back to one of its founders, a Miss Cosgrave, the sister of WT Cosgrave.

"She didn't believe in asking for money from family, and he didn't believe in giving," says Murphy.

The school clearly means the world to Murphy. She speaks fondly and reverentially of Miss Cosgrave and her sister, Miss Burke, who had taught at the school from its inception and who developed it over many years.

Murphy admits that fees are quite high. "That would be something that would want to be sorted out," she says. She is hopeful that association with Griffith College and other sponsors might help in this regard.

There is no shortage of people to willing to attend classes at the school. About 400 come every week and 13,000 around the country study for the diplomas it awards.

The school's 29 teachers offer tuition at all levels in mainstream instruments. It has an orchestra open to all pupils and, Murphy says, "it's lovely to see little ones of eight mixing with adults, retired people."

Singing instructor Veronica Dunne, the famous soprano, has pupils of all ages but, she says, will only take them if they are going to go professional or teach. "For me there must be an end product," she says. So busy is she teaching that she points to her sandwiches saying "I don't even have time for lunch."

Dunne stresses the importance of getting to grips with talent when young. "I like to get people around 14 or 15 and imbue a good technique," she says. This is important later on in a singer's career because "it's very hard to change them if they are on the wrong road."

Ciaran Judge, one of Dunne's pupils, is very happy with the move to the South Circular. "I feel as if something is about to happen," he says. He likes the informal atmosphere in the school.

This atmosphere becomes clearly visible when he is asked if he thinks the tuition is worth the money. "Actually, I meant to mention that", he says sheepishly to Murphy. "I haven't actually paid for any of this yet . . ."

Two pupils of Mabel Swainson, who has taught many leading pianists, such as Philip Martin and Hugh Tinney, in her time, illustrate the commitment many pupils of the school give to it and their music.

David Howard is an 11-year-old from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, who travels to his grandmother's house in Sligo every Friday night and from there to Dublin and back every Saturday, all for a two-hour lesson. He would like to be a concert pianist and says he likes all composers.

Howard comes to Dublin because Swainson "is a very good teacher - that's why." His grandmother says that the journey is worth it because "he loves it so much, especially the battered sausage supper in Beshoff's."

John Wilson, 15, from Lambeg, near Lisburn, Co Down, says he also comes to Swainson "to be with the best." He comes down on the back of his father's motorbike almost every weekend. He is expected to practice for two hours a day and, although on this occasion the day was bright and clear, his father says they have experienced more than one wet journey - "we've had a few days sitting shivering over the radiator."

Wilson believes he is doing only what any parent would do for his children. "You have to give them every opportunity," he says. Although he knows it will be very hard work, his son wants to be a professional musician.

Murphy is keen to stress that the school will be expanding from its present, slightly cramped quarters to other parts of the South Circular Road college. "I suppose we are just getting going here," she says.

Even though she will be staying with the school for only two more years, she believes it has a bright future.

"We had a concert recently and it certainly made me realise that we have a very good group of teachers here. It should continue, there is a need for a place like this. It's very informal and it does really work."