`Nine Fridays", he calls it, and the energetic Connemara schoolteacher, Leo Hallissey, hosts the first of them this week. Sean Tyrrell, Sharon Shannon, Josephine Marsh and Jim Rooney are among the traditional musicians and singers he has enlisted to spend time with his pupils at Letterfrack National School in coming months.
There will be evening sessions where possible, according to Hallissey, who hopes to repeat the experience in the next school year.
His Conamara Environmental Education Centre (CEEC) at Letterfrack is hosting the latest in its annual programme of events next week, when Tareis na Feile Bride opens on February 2nd.
This year's theme is "Touching the earth", and among the contributors to the weekend of talks and walks will be a botanist and naturalist, Micheline Sheey-Skeffington, birdman and author Gordon d'Arcy, environmentalist Dave McGrath, poet Mary O'Malley, musicians Mary Staunton and others. For more information, contact the CEEC at 095-41034 or 43443.
The CEEC's compact disc of musicians, Behind the Mist, is being launched in Galway's Roisin Dubh on January 30th, and is already selling well since it was produced late last year. Music is also the theme of a new eight-part series, Flosc, which began last night on TG4.
The series includes specially commissioned videos on eight Irish traditional bands, live music and three-minute profiles. The "live" element involved 16 young traditional bands, recorded in "factory performance space" in Sligo, while the profiles focus on those who have given inspiration by their dedication and achievement.
Galway musician Mary McPartlan is also behind a dramatic venture which takes to the roads of the north-west this week. The Gallant John Joe, written by Tom MacIntyre, is performed by Tom Hickey for Skehana Productions, a company set up 10 years ago to produce Michael Harding's play, Misogynist.
Skehana performed in Ireland and the Bush Theatre in London and at the Fringe Theatre Festival in Edinburgh, before going into hibernation. Harding, Tom Hickey and Mary McPartlan are the members of Skehana 2001, the mission statement being to offer writers, directors and designers an opportunity to experiment with theatre that is "simple, raw, accessible and available".
The Gallant John Joe, a play about a troubled, fearful and ageing male, opened in Galway's Town Hall Theatre for two nights at the weekend. It moves to McGrory's of Culdaff in Co Donegal tomorrow at 8.30 p.m., the Balor Theatre in Ballybofey, Co Donegal, on Wednesday, Ionad Teampall Chroine in Dungloe on Thursday, and Castlerea Prison, Co Roscommon on Friday. It will play at 26 venues, ending with a Dublin run in March.