Make your next Irish vacation a real education in Ireland's culture and fun!
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With thousands of years of history, the Irish have a lot to share and a lot to teach. Travel over and find a piece of your own history and heritage in Ireland. Here are some ideas to help you learn as you travel.
The Irish believe you are never too old to learn, so it is not surprising that there are hundreds of summer schools for adults each year. Most of the courses have a literary or historical slant, such as the annual Yeats Summer School, which has been running at Sligo for over 50 years, or the Merriman Summer School, a mainstay of Ennis, Co. Clare.
Music is also on the agenda of many summer schools such as the Willie Clancy Summer School for traditional music, song and dance at Miltown Malbay in Co. Clare, the Blas International Summer School of Irish Traditional Music & Dance at Limerick City, or the O’Carolan Summer School of Traditional Irish Music at Keadue, Co. Roscommon.
There are also courses to learn more about Irish culture and crafts. Oideas Gael at Glencolumbkille, in Donegal offers beginner and advanced courses in the Irish language as well set dancing and playing traditional Irish music instruments such as the bodhran (goat-skinned drum), harp, flute and tin whistle. Courses run from April-October and usually last one week, although some three-day courses are also available.
One of the big surprises in visiting Ireland is how delicious the food is – from the hot baked scones and crusty brown bread to oak-smoked salmon or tender spring lamb. In the past 40 years, Irish chefs have developed a “new Irish cuisine” which melds creative international ideas with traditional Irish specialties, using local produce, free-range meats, fresh-caught seafood and farmhouse cheeses. Ireland has emerged as a culinary beacon and Irish chefs are now teaching the natives and visitors alike. Forget the corned beef and cabbage or Irish stew of the old days.
Ballymaloe Cookery School offers classes in the “irresistible breakfast,” sustainable seafood, canapés, sushi, tapas, pizza, filo pastry, edible Irish seaweeds, homemade butter, vegetarian cooking, and gluten-free meals, as well as instruction for a proper afternoon tea or elegant five course dinner. The schedule ranges from half-day demonstrations to 12-week certificate courses.
