Traditional music enthusiasts from around the globe will be travelling to Letterkenny from the 9th to 13th of July for the 7th annual Ceol na Coille Traditional Music Summer School.
Now well established as part of the summer scene along the Wild Atlantic Way, this years summer school will welcome visitors from Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Australia and USA.
And it’s not only music lovers that will be jetting in for this July, as this year joining the team of tutors are internationally acclaimed artists Catriona McKay – Harp, Jarlath Henderson – Uilleann Pipes and Hamish Napier – Piano.
Based at Coláiste Ailigh, Letterkenny, Ceol na Coille has quickly become one of the ‘must-visit’ weeks of traditional music in the calendar year and its reputation has continued to grow.
School organiser Paul Harrigan, an All-Ireland winner on pipes and piano accordion, says it’s looking like another record-breaking year.
“This is our seventh year and it’s getting bigger and better every year,” he said. “We’re in the heart of Donegal, which is famous for its traditional music. We have a great team of tutors and we pride ourselves on being friendly and welcoming.”
Catriona McKay
Visitors will learn from the highest calibre of tutors in stunning surroundings.
A harmonious mix of local and visiting tutors offer classes on a wide range of instruments and at several levels.
The long list of tutors also includes many familiar names such as Roisin McGrory & Clodagh Warnock – fiddle, Michael Carey, Kate McKinley Forde – Whistle, Joleen McLaughlin – Harp, Donna Harkin and Edel McLaughlin – Accordion and John Lee – Flute. This year will see visiting tutors – Deirdre Scanlan – Traditional Singing, Padraig McGovern – Uilleann Pipes, Bríd Harper & Paul O’Shaughnessy – fiddle, Tony O’Connell and Niall Hackett – Concertina, Conor Moriarty -Button Accordion, Dale McKay – Bodhrán and Paul Meehan – Guitar.
The Summer School is ever growing with this year seeing the addition of week-long traditional singing workshops as well as “Taithí Gaeltachta”, an initiative squeezing the full Gaeltacht experience into daily classes and workshops with music, sport, drama and art A family-friendly summer school Ceol na Coille also offers: Trad Camp for kids, “An Club Gaelach”, Improver classes and Irish Language classes for adults.
For teachers, there’s a weeklong CPD course approved by the Department of Education and Skills, delivered by Dr Orfhlaith Ní Bhriain of the University of Limerick. In addition, there are daily recitals, a series of inspiring concerts and thrilling nightly sessions & Festival Club making Ceol na Coille an outstanding week of traditional music, song and Gaeilge.
Ceol na Coille runs from Monday 9th to Friday 13th July 2017. It’s followed immediately this year by the big Folk and Roots weekend of the Earagail Arts Festival in Letterkenny and elsewhere in Donegal.
Bígí ann!
For more information see http://www.ceolnacoille.ie
A Gaeltacht Experience in Letterkenny
This year, further to workshops in Irish Traditional Music, Ceol na Coille Summer School is offering a unique opportunity for 10-13 year olds to experience all the fun of the Gaeltacht on their own doorstep.
“Tá Bliain na Gaeilge á céilúradh i 2018 agus tá sé spesialta dúinn gur féidir linn an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar seo inár gclár i mbliana. The Irish language has always been central to Ceol na coille but even more so this year as we celebrate Bliain na Gaeilge nationally,” explains Úna Ní Bhriain who is coordinating Irish language activities at this year’s summer school.
“The Taithí Gaeltachta or Gaeltacht Experience offers morning classes in the Irish language, coupled with a host of other fun activities through the medium of Irish will ensure that this group of young people will be ‘Gaeltacht Ready’ when their time comes to reside for three weeks with the ‘bean a’ tí’ in their chosen Gaeltacht course.
“It will really boost the participants’ confidence in speaking Irish and is a great opportunity to enjoy the language with young people who are the same age and who share some of the same interests. We are delighted to be able to have it as part of our program this year with support from Foras na Gaeilge and Líonra Leitir Ceanainn.”
Music, sport and art are only a few of the activities that will be included throughout the week. A fun, friendly staff will be supervising and teaching the group.
The group will participate in many team activities so that they can get to know each other and build long-lasting friendships. Of particular interest is a media workshop which will be facilitated by Letterkenny’s Caoimhe Ní Chathail who works in the Irish language media, for Meon Eile, TG4 and Raidió Fáilte.
“Caoimhe is a past pupil of Coláiste Ailigh, where all the week’s activities will take place, so this will be a homecoming of sorts for her. Using i-Pads provided, the workshop will centre around blogging and tweeting as Gaeilge, as well as looking at how to use camera when filming. Caoimhe is a real pro and full of energy and I’m certain this will be a high point of week’s activities.”
Ceol na Coille’s Summer school offers a host of Irish language opportunities, including adult comhrá classes and Club Gaelach for 6-9 year olds. For further information see ceolnacoille.ie.
Bookings now being taken for all courses and classes. For more information visit www.ceolnacoille.ie
Tags: