Whatever you're interested in, there's probably a summer school to suit you. BRIAN O'CONNELLhas some highlights
DANIEL CORKERY SUMMER SCHOOL
Inchigeelagh, Co Cork
Until Friday
This summer school was inspired by the fact that the writer it is named after ran summer schools in the Inchigeelagh region in the 1920s and 1930s. Aiming to promote Corkery’s ideals, it combines music, art, poetry, text and translation. The theme this year is the reinvention of Ireland in the 1940s and 1950s. Speakers include Fiona Doyle O’Neill and John Cooney. Most events are free.
026-49012, inchigeelagh.net
MacGILL SUMMER SCHOOL
Glenties, Co Donegal
Until Saturday
The title of this year’s school is Reforming the Republic: Issues
of Politics, Economics and Accountability. Speakers include Fr Peter McVerry, Prof Joe Lee, Michael McDowell, Enda Kenny, Emily O’Reilly and Norah Gibbons. Admission to individual sessions costs €5. A day costs
€15.
074-9551103, macgillsummer school.com
JOHN McGAHERN INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR SUMMER SCHOOL
Co Leitrim
From Thursday until July 31st
The ethos of the school, which evolved from a seminar held a year after the writer’s death, is to facilitate both an academic and a popular audience for McGahern’s work. This year’s theme is literature and education. Fintan O’Toole will give the keynote talk at 7pm on Thursday, at the Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon. Other speakers include David Means and Prof Pat Dolan, with tours to Aughawillan and film screenings. It costs €40 for three days.
091-495442, nuigalway.ie
YEATS INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL
Hawks Well Theatre, Sligo
From Saturday until August 6th
The first Yeats summer school was held in 1960, so this is the 51st school. It will be opened by Denis Donoghue, the founding director. Two lectures each morning are followed by lunch and a range of light activities, from poetry readings to drama, in the afternoons. Weekend trips are organised to places such as to Thoor Ballylee or Lady Gregory’s estate. This year Mike Scott of The Waterboys is performing at Hawk’s Well Theatre. Other participants include Colm Tóibín and Nick Laird. One week costs €400; two cost €650; both exclude accommodation.
071-9142693, yeats-sligo.com
O’CAROLAN SUMMER SCHOOL
Keadue, Co Roscommon
July 25th to 31st
Students can take workshops in several instruments, from harp to banjo, with the focus on O’Carolan and his music. Up to 70 harpers take part in the summer school, where teachers include Dearbhail Finnegan, Seána Davey and Michael Hurley. Performers such as Frankie Gavin De Dannan play one-off concerts. The school costs €50 for juniors, or €60 for adults, for five days’ tuition.
Apply at 071-9647247
JOHN HEWITT INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL
Market Place Theatre, Armagh
July 26th to 30th
This is the 23rd year of the school, which was set up to celebrate John Hewitt’s life and poetry, as well as examining wider issues of place and community. The year’s school has the subtitle Back to Uncertainty: Considering Other Possibilities. A typical day begins with a lecture, at 9.45am; this is followed by a poetry reading at 11.15am and a talk or writing workshop in the afternoon. Evening events can include poetry, theatre and music. The full week costs £160; a day costs £35; and individual events are £6.
048-37521821, johnhewittsociety.org
CARLETON SUMMER SCHOOL
Corick House Hotel, Clogher,
Co Tyrone
August 2nd to 5th
Since this school’s revival, in 1992, it has done much to foster appreciation of lesser-known Irish writers. Participants are invited to question leading academics in 18th- to 20th-century Irish history and literature. Participating writers this year include David Park, Owen Dudley Edwards and Mark Bailey. The theme is whether historians should still read Carleton. An addition this year for the festival’s evening events is the Bob Quick Jazz Quartet. The school costs £200 (discounts available; students free), including meals. williamcarletonsummer school.org
PARNELL SUMMER SCHOOL
Avondale House, Co Wicklow
August 8th to 13th
Set up in 1991 for the 100th anniversary of Parnell’s death, this school examines his legacy in present-day Ireland. Lectures and panel discussions take place during the day and evening, and a tour of the county is also included. The school will be opened by Tim Pat Coogan; the keynote address is by the political blogger Slugger O’Toole. The fee is €250 if paid before August 1st (€275 after); it includes all events, as well as tea and coffee in the mornings, lunch and, on the Thursday night, a summer-school dinner. You can also pay €60 per day.
01-2852113, parnellsociety.com
MERRIMAN SUMMER SCHOOL
Ennis, Co Clare
August 18th to 22nd
One of the main objectives of this school, started in 1968, was to celebrate the Clare poet Brian Merriman, author of The Midnight Court. This year its title is Faith: Beyond Belief? Speakers include Prof Diarmaid Ferriter and Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness. At night, Club Merriman – a mixture of singing and dancing – runs from 11pm until 1am. Admission for the full school, which includes walking tours, costs €100. Day tickets cost €30.
086-3820671, merriman.ie
HUMBERT SUMMER SCHOOL
Castlebar and Killala, Co Mayo
August 19th to 22nd
The first Humbert school was held in July 1987, inspired by Thomas Flanagan’s novel The Year of the French and Gen Humbert’s landing in Mayo in 1798. This was the historical focus for John Cooney, the journalist who founded the school – which also looks at Irish issues in a European context. This year’s themes range from Catholic Church reform to the euro currency crisis. Participants include Marie Collins, Andrew Madden, Joe Little and Patsy McGarry. Four days costs €200.
humbertschool@gmail.com, humbertschool.ie
