I can’t remember if I’ve already asked about this or not, but here goes…
I’m going to be travelling to Ireland this summer and am looking to take some classes in Gaelic, Irish literature, traditional music, tinwhistle, history, archeology… just about anything Irish actually. 
The problem is, I’m not going to be in any one place for more than 3 days at a time. That crosses off long courses like Oideas Gael and Willie Week. Does anyone know of any weekend, single-day or a-couple-hours classes offered? I’m going in the month of July, if that helps. Thanks a bunch!
Hi Sara, If you plan to be in the Sligo area,you might want to check out Carmel Gunning, who runs the Queen Maeve school of music. Check out her website at www.cisl.ie/tradmusic. I see that as well as the summer school,Carmel has monthly workshops,but I think that she may do one to one teaching as well on an ad hoc basis.It may be worth sending her an e-mail.I have Carmel’s first album ‘The Lakes of Sligo’ which I enjoy.She has more recently brought out a second album ‘Around St. James’ well’,and seems to be building a reputation as a player and teacher,from what I’ve read. Hope this helps.
Most of the summerschools like the Willie Clancy one run a series of concerts and lectures which can be attended individually even if you don’t stick around for the entire week. It may be worth checking the details on that, even if you don’t attend the classes.
You may be able to arrange a few private lessons with individual musicians. I know the local whistle/flute teacher takes on one off students , Christy Barry runs music classses in the Doolin/Ennistymon area and he’s always advertiseing that special programmes can be arranged for the ‘visitors’.
Then there’s the Galway school of trad mus which is run by whistleplayer Mick Crehan, they do bits and pieces and may have a programme for those passing through. The Boghill centre in Kilfenora run short courses. Carmel Gunning mentioned above is tapping the saem sort of market.
I am sure there are opportunities like that around the country. By the end of the day there are heaps of people scraping a living, trying to get by . Equally there are archaeologists, botanists, marine biologists, historians and the like doing guided tours, talks etc all over the place. It may be worth scouring the local [tourist] websites for information like that.
Good info, and useful to me, also. Thirty-three days and counting now, war or no. I don’t know if I can convince Tyghre that he should go galavanting while I’m whistling, but it may be worth the shot.
Hope that the anti-American sentiment isn’t running too high. . .
As I said Tyg people here are mostly and definitely anti war but pro America in a broader sense. Don’t worry.
Give us a shout before you come down, I’ll have the latest.