CEOL na Coille Summer School of Irish Traditional Music will be held at Glenswilly National School from July 15 to 19 and again is attracting participants from all over including all around Ireland, Scotland, Sweden and Argentina.
The summer school, now in its second year, is the brain child of well-known New Mills based musician and music teacher Paul Harrigan.
He said: “There is such a wealth of top quality musicians and tutors in Donegal that students don’t need to travel far afield to learn new techniques and styles.
“The idea behind the summer school is to give kids an opportunity to enhance their ongoing lessons by learning from other tutors, but more importantly to give them a chance to meet others playing the same instruments.”
Tutors confirmed so far we have Roisin McGrory (fiddle), Melanie Houton (fiddle), Marie Clarke (piano accordion), Shane Bracken (concertina), Donna Harkin (button accordion) and Ciaran Carlin (flute) and as a first harp lessons with Joleen McLaughlin.
The Burnfoot native said there is a big emphasis on fun and enjoyment of music with Ceol na Coille. “We want to show them that there’s more to their weekly classes,” he said.
The inspiration behind the school comes from Paul’s own personal experience attending school as a youngster and learning from his very well-known tutors.
“I attended my first school at the age of 9 when I went to the first ever fiddle summer school in Glencolmcille and was taught by Dermot McLaughlin and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh.
“At that age to see and learn from such a high calibre of musicians, gave you a real buzz and new sense of vibrancy and inspiration, I went home and practised for weeks.”
Members of the Letterkenny-based school are also delighted to be hosting the Cairngorms Ceilidh Trial group from the Scottish Highlands during the summer school.
Paul said: “This is the first year of this exchange programme, we have a group of eight musicians that will be coming over and they will be taking part in a concert at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, with musicians from Ceol na Coille and The Inishowen Traditional Music Project on Tuesday, July 30 and McGrory’s, Culdaff on August 1.”
Bookings for Ceol na Coille are still being taken. If you would like to find out more information log on to www.ceolnacoille.ie or calling Paul directly on Tel 087 677 46 01.
