Celtic lecturesA series of six lectures on Celtic Christianity starts next Monday, St Brigid's Day, at the Mater Dei Institute, Drumcondra, Dubin, from 7.30 to 9 p.m. each evening. The first features music and lore associated with St Brigid, with special guest Noirin Ni Riain who has produced several collections of Irish music with the monks of Glenstal Abbey and who, in 1995, carried the living flame of Brigid from Kildare to Beijing for a ceremony sponsored by the UN. Dr Michael Maher, who directs the course, will talk about folklore associated with the saint.
The course fee is £30; applications (with a non-refundable deposit of £10) should be made to Michael Maher at Mater Dei - phone (01) 837 6027Fine art
Places are still available on the advanced Fine Art course run by the Irish Auctioneers & Valuers Institute (IAVI). The course begins on February 10th and comprises nine twohour evening lectures. The lectures will cover topics such as period silver, Queen Anne and Georgian furniture from 1700-1830, Victorian furniture and the history of Irish art from the mid-18th century up to the present day.
The course is aimed at enthusiasts who have a general appreciation of fine arts but want to increase their knowledge in a more formal way. The fee for the course is £165. Booking forms are available from Vivienne McSherry - phone (01) 661 1794.
French guide
The Alliance Francaise was established in 1883 to promote French language and culture abroad. It is now a large international organisation with over 1,000 branches in 137 countries and 350,000 students on its books.
The Alliance in Ireland has just published a guide to its activities here which gives information about language courses and cultural events run by its network of 11 branches throughout the country. The new guide is available from Alliance centres or from the head office in Dublin - phone (01) 676 1732.
