Children's Literature Summer School
Irish Writers' Centre, Dublin Writers' Museum - May 18th-20th
01-8725854
E-mail: childrensbooksire@eircom.net
Children's Day on Friday, May 18th, gives children the chance to meet authors Siobhan Parkinson, winner of the Bisto Book of the Year Award; Malorie Blackman, winner of the WH Smith Mind Boggling Award; Margaret Mahy, two times winner of the Carnegie Medal; and Kevin Crossley-Holland, Carnegie Medal winner. Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday is for adults only with lectures on The Power of Story in Family Life, by Margaret Mahy; Lions, Maidens and the Artful Fox, discussed by Elizabeth Laird; and Streams of Tradition: Folk Narrative and its function, by Daithi O hOgain.
Goldsmith Summer School
Ballymahon, Co Longford - June 1st-3rd
0902-32374/087-2286611
E-mail: linesend@iol.ie
The theme of this year's school commemorating the writer Oliver Goldsmith is Oliver Goldsmith in London. Prof Billy McCormack of London University will give the keynote address while poet Paul Durcan will read, along with Vona Groarke.
Achill Archaeological Field School
Dooagh, Achill Island, Co Mayo - June 4th-August 31st
0506-21627
E-mail: achill-fieldschool@iol.ie
Website: www.achill-fieldschool.com
Since 1991, the attendance of students at the Field School has contributed to the understanding of the social and economic factors which led to the desertion in the mid-19th century of the largest settlement on the island, now known as the Deserted Village. This year, the study includes field trips to the village, and the megalithic tombs in Dugort. Dr Elizabeth Fitzpatrick (NUI Galway) will be one of 11 speakers and will discuss Gaelic Assembly Culture in late medieval Ireland.
Dublin Master Classes
Summer School RTE Radio Studio 1, National Concert Hall, Dublin - June 25th-July 7th
01-2827710
E-mail: dublinmasterclasses@ireland.com
Founded in 1980 to achieve higher standards of musical education and performance, the Dublin Master Classes will this year hold an international conducting course with Gerhard Markson and the National Symphony Orchestra. It also offers piano masterclasses with Pascal Roge and violoncello masterclasses with Gavriel Lipkind. Over the first five days of the course, each conducting participant will receive tuition on prepared scores and a selection of participants will be chosen to perform with the NSO over the final three days.
Saor-Ollscoil Na hEireann
55 Prussia Street, Dublin 7 June 25th-30th
01-8683368
Beyond the Screen: A Study of Film through the Genres is the theme of this year's school. Over the week, seminars will be held by Governers of Saor-Ollscoil na hEireann on Hitchcock, given by Bill Rothwell; Andrei Tarkovsky, by Brendan Duddy; and Urban Tragedy Film Noir, by Sean Oliver. Lectures will also discuss Cronenberg: Post Modernism; Film Acting; and Practical Film Making - Costumes. Speakers will include Niall O'Driscoll, Val Sadlier and Shirley Anderson.
Byrne Perry Summer School
Gorey, Co Wexford - June 29th-July 1st
Information: 053-597 69
Bookings 055-21248 E-mail: dairekeogh@spd.ie
Website: www.wexford.ie/library.htm
Irish Identity and Image is the theme of this year's school where Dr Daniel Bradley will lecture on Genetics and Irish identity; Nicholas Robinson will discuss The Irish in Caricature; Dr Martin McLeone will examine images of the Irish in Film; and Dr Matthew and Dr Geraldine Stout will lead a field trip to examine a medieval settlement in Ferns.
Douglas Hyde Summer School
Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon - July 1st-7th
0907-60013
E-mail: ocall@iol.ie
Website: www.Ballaghaderreen.com
Known as the Hyde Summer School of traditional Irish Music and Dance, the course offers set-dancing workshops and classes in tin whistle, fiddle, flute, sean nos singing and banjo. Lectures will be held on 75 Years of Traditional Music on RTE Radio, by Harry Bradshaw, Traditional Flute Players & the Northwest Tradition, by Berni Flaherty and Traditional Dancing in Ireland, by Mick Tubridy.
Synge Summer School
Rathdrum, Co Wicklow - July 1st-7th
0404-46131
E-mail: syngesummerschool@oceanfree.net
Biography and Irish drama is the theme of this year's Synge summer school, which will include an exhibition of Synge's photographs of Co Wicklow and tours of Synge country. Fintan O'Toole will discuss Alternative Lives, Reality and Imagination in Irish Theatre; Prof W.J. McCormack (Goldsmiths College, University of London) will lecture on The Silence of Barbara Synge; and Dr Lionel Pilkington (NUI Galway) will examine Synge and the Politics of Irish Unionism. There will also be a reading by Tom MacIntyre.
Willie Clancy Summer School
Miltown Malbay, Co Clare - July 7th-15th
065-7084281
Thousands of trad visitors flock to this school every year. There will be public lectures on Using Archive on Radio - Completing the Circle, given by Jo MacDonald and A Tribute to Johnny O'Leary and the Music of Sliabh Luachra, with chairperson Peter Browne, RTE producer. Classes and workshops will be held daily in whistle, flute, accordion and fiddle, with a chance to relax, or maybe not, each night with a recital or ceili.
James Joyce Summer School
Newman House, Dublin 2 - July 8th-20th
01-7068323
Seminars will be held on all the major works of Joyce and also on Joyce and contemporary Irish fiction. In the evenings social events include walking tours of Joycean Dublin, theatre visits and concerts. Among the speakers will be Dr Anne Fogarty (UCD), Fritz Senn (James Joyce Foundation, Zurich) and Kevin Barry, (NUI Galway).
Bard Summer School Clare Island
Clew Bay, Co Mayo July 9th-13th
01-4904879
Website: www.bard.ie E-mail: bard@bard.ie
From Clare Island, the stronghold of the pirate queen, Granuaile, Bard explores the theme of "Love and Betrayal through the Ancient Myth of Diarmuid and Grainne" with guest speakers, John O'Donohue, author of Anam Cara, and Daithi O hOgain (associate professor in the department of folklore, University College Dublin).
Bram Stoker International Summer School
Clontarf GAA Clubhouse, Seafield Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3 - July 19th-22nd
01-8511027
E-mail: dmcintyre@ireland.com
Vampires may have to miss out on account of the timing, but everyone else can enjoy this year's theme of Appreciating Dracula's author, Bram Stoker of Dublin. The mainstay of the school is a series of entertaining talks by speakers from the Gothic field, including Dr Albert Power, Nicholas Emmet, and course director Dennis McIntyre. There will also be guided Stoker, Dracula, Gothic tours and walks in the city and Clontarf.
Gerard Manley Hopkins International Summer School
Monasterevin Co Kildare - July 21st-27th
045-525 416
This year marks the 14th Hopkins International Summer School, which will include lectures by Prof Ho Yun Juan (China) and Prof Francesco Marroni (Italy); poetry readings by Tomas Tidholm (Sweden) and Nelson Mandela's Praise Poet, Zolani Mkiva (South Africa). A poetry workshop will be directed by the writer Kunio Shimane (Japan). There will be an Irish music night with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. The school will also celebrate the work of the late James McKenna, with an exhibition and symposium by artists Michael Kane and Desmond Egan.
W.B. Yeats International Summer School
Sligo - July 28th-August 11th 071-42693
E-mail: info@yeats-sligo.com
Website: www.yeats-sligo.com
The 42nd Yeats summer school will be officially opened by the poet's son Michael Yeats and will begin with a tour of Yeats country, concluding with evensong at Drumcliffe Church, where Yeats is buried. This summer's events include readings by Seamus Heaney, Tom Paulin and George O'Brien. A poetry workshop will be held under the direction of Jamie McKendrick and a drama workshop under Carol Moore. Lectures will be given by Declan Kiberd, (University College, Dublin) Mitsuko Ohno, (Aichi Shukutoku University, Japan) and Declan Kiely, (Cornell University).
William Carleton Summer School
Corick House Hotel, Clogher - August 6th-10th
028-87767259
The varied themes this year are Carleton's Literary Language, Present day Irish writing, Carleton and Lough Derg and the Bicentenary of The Act of Union. Speakers include broadcaster Tom Sweeney, and Edith Devlin, author of Speaking Volumes, A Dublin Childhood; with a symposium given by Brian Donnelly (UCD), and lecturer Darragh Gallagher.
Drama League Of Ireland
St Patrick's University, Maynooth, Co Kildare - August 11th-18th
01-8749084
E-mail: dli@eircom.net
Website: www.dli.ie
Now in its 36th year, the theme of this year's school is Our World - The Stage, and offers the opportunity to train with theatre professionals. Irish Times/ESB Theatre award nominee and Fishamble director, Jim Culleton, will explore the nature of acting and working through physical and vocal exercises; Betty Ann Norton will give an insight into the adaptation of classics into contemporary performances; and Eric Weitz will direct a course alluringly entitled, Adventures in Comic Performance.
Patrick MacGill
Summer School Glenties, Co Donegal - August 12th-17th
075-51103
The MacGill summer school will announce its programme shortly.
Merriman Summer School
Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare August 18th-25th
098-27758/01-2864107
www.merriman.ie
E-mail: eolas@merriman.ie
The theme of this year's Merriman is Research and Discovery: of Knowledge and the People in the New Century, referring to the fact that knowledge is becoming a more important and explicit part of our national life from scientific discoveries to tribunals. On a lighter note, there will be a discussion of the weather, with Irish Times writer, Brendan McWilliams, music and the scientific insights of Myles na gCopaleen. Among the speakers will be William Binchy, Ruth Barrington, John O'Donohue and Geraldine Connolly.
International Humbert School
Ballina, Castlebar, Killala and Kilcummin, Co Mayo - August 22nd-26th 096-22034
E-mail: humbertsummerschool@eircom.net
The School theme will be Democracy in Change - Who Counts? and the list of speakers includes the Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Noel Dempsey, Fine Gael leader, Michael Noonan, Labour leader, Ruairi Quinn, Irish Times Assistant Editor, Paul Gillespie, broadcasters, Joe Mulholland and Liam O Murchu. Readings will be given from Democracy in Change: Humbert School Chronicle 1987-2001, edited by Tony McGarry and John Cooney.
Desmond Greaves Summer School
Irish Labour History Museum, Beggars Bush, Dublin 4 - August 24th-26th
01-2985315/01-6081898
The opening lecture will be given by economist and sociologist Dr Denis O'Hearn (Queen's University, Belfast) on Global Power, Local Power: Can Globalisation be Harnessed? This will be followed over the weekend by an evaluation of Modern Republicanism from the Hunger Strike to the Good Friday Agreement, given by Belfast republican Jim Gibney and trade union leader Michael O'Reilly. Dr Douglas Hamilton will speak on the North-South Economy: Paths to economic Unity in Ireland. There will also be a session on the evolution of the EU.
ESB World Music Summer School
Waltons New School of Music - September 1st-22nd
01-4781884
E-mail: jmardirosian@eircom.net
Website: www.new.school.ie/worldmusic
Immerse yourself in Cuban music and dance and folklore where participants can perfect their percussion, piano and instrumental, or dance skills. Special topics will be available in singing, popular music styles, folkloric music and ritual and dance. Travelling workshops, open days, concerts and an evening programme will also be held.
Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering
Gort, Co Galway - September 28th-30th
091-521836
Writer Colm Toibin will formally open the seventh annual gathering to celebrate the life and times of Lady Augusta Gregory. The theme of the weekend will be The European Connection, with lectures given in Coole by Dr Rosangela Barone, Robert O'Byrne and Kevin Myers, followed by an open forum for discussion.
