Inis Oirr / Inisheer is a very popular destination for Traditional Irish Workshops, Irish language Courses and Craft Classes. Workshops are an ever popular part of summer life on the island, with participants growing year on year.
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Traditional Wall Building – Feile na gCloch (Festival of Stones)
The ubiquitous Inis Oirr / Inisheer stone wall is a lowly and wonderfully distinctive feature of the island landscape.
An island landscape built from grainy limestone, it is a unique gift and imprint of natural phenomena and a unique karst geology.
When bordering boreens (roads) these stone walls lead a visitor through a magical network of ever-receding roads and pathways, but when bordering pastural land, it transform a landscape into an intricate patchwork of irregular, modest but bountiful fields – ‘feidin’.
Our wall landscape is also a gift of human toil, and a traditional skill colloquially known as dry stone walling. Today the skills of the stonemason come together with the skills of cooperation and communal work through the medium of popular workshops in traditional wall building.
The annual Féile na gCloch celebrates all that is glorious about dry stone wall building, stone carving, lettering and sculpting with expert tuition and seminars. The workshops run throughout the year and afford participants a unique opportunity to work alongside consummate stonemasons, and learn new and transferable skills. No prior experience is required – just enthusiasm and a desire to learn within a collective endeavor.
More information on Féile na gCloch 2017 can be found here.
Contact:
Comhar Chaomhán, Inis Oirr, Aran Islands, Co. Galway
Phone: +353 (0)99 75008 Email: ccteo@eircom.net
or
Ms. Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer, Galway County Council, Prospect Hill, Galway
Phone: +353 (0)91 509198 Email: mmannion@galwaycoco.ie
Irish Language Courses
Coláiste Laichtín run three Irish language courses for students during the summer months. Courses are three weeks long, allowing students to fully immerse themselves in the Gaeltacht community.
Irish language courses are also available for adults throughout the year, with 1-2 week courses for both beginners and those wishing to improve their Irish language skills.
Children’s Irish Language Courses – Click through for course details
FEICIM Irish Language Courses for Adults
If you would like to learn or improve your Irish come to the Inis Oirr Gaeltacht for a fun based learning programme where you will re-discover this beautiful living language. Feicim host short 7-day course and more intensive 14-day courses are held each summer. The aim of the course is for you to have fun with the language – as one course participant put it “I learnt without realising I was learning”
Phone Bríd Uí Chualáin: +353 (0) 87 6774751 Email: cualain@eircom.net
Click here for complete course details.
Bodhrán Summer School
Craiceann famous annual Bodhrán Summer School hosts daily masterclasses given by some of the world’s best bodhran players and teachers. Classes include special workshops relating to the instrument itself, and traditional Irish music in general.
The Craiceann Summer School 2015 will take place from Monday 22th through Friday 26th of June
>> Click through for complete details
Craiceann, the annual bodhrán summer-school, takes place each June. The unique summer-school runs over five days.
Sciuird Gaeltachta le Cleas:
Gaeilge is the first language of all our Cleas team. We enjoy interacting in Irish with the participants of our guided walks, basketmaking and crios weaving workshops when this suits. We also encourage willing Cleas Crafts customers to converse in the local language of this special Gaeltacht island and try out some local phrases.www.cleas-teoranta.com+353 (0)99 75979
Email: cleasteo@gmail.com
Explore Island Crafts and Traditional Skills with the Residents of Inis Oírr
The Aran Sweater Experience
Learn about the history, culture and daily life of the Aran Islands, the home of the world famous Aran sweater around our open turf fire in our traditional Irish cottage.
You could make your visit to the Aran Islands a memorable one with The Aran Sweater Experience hosted by Úna McDonagh and Mairéad Sharry.
Interactive talks for groups, workshops, classes and Aran Knitting retreats are just some of the amazing experiences available as well as learning about the history, culture and daily life on the islands.
To find out more contact Úna on +363 (0)68 3813300 or email fromsheeptoshawl@gmail.com
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The Aran Basketmaker & Art and Craft Classes
Mairéad Sharry also teaches other traditional skills such as Spinning and Dyeing Island wool, Weaving, Crochet, Felting and Basket making!!
Take a class in Rushwork by a qualified teacher using locally grown rushes. The 2 hour class is created specifically for summer visitors to the island. Classes are at 11am and 2pm during the summer. The cost includes free guide to the island, tuition, materials, as well as tea or coffee and homemade scone.
For details on any of these classes please call Mairéad on +353 (0)87 9229778/099 75101
or email fromsheeptoshawl@gmail.com
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Helpful information for all Inis Oirr workshops above
>> How to get to Inis Oirr – ferry details and air service
