University of Limerick Summer School
Karen has had a very busy summer, beginning with a 2-week trip to Limerick, Ireland at the end of June, where she attended the University of Limerick’s Blas International Summer School for Irish music and dance. Karen was fortunate to have the fantastic Martin Hayes and Colin Dunne as tutors, plus a whole host of local musicians passing on their own regional styles.
In addition to the music and dance tuition, there were lectures on Irish music and dance given by many experts, including Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Niall Keegan and Catherine Foley. There was a lunchtime concert series given by the course tutors, which gave everyone an opportunity to hear all of the tutors. The evening and weekend events laid on by the course organisers were fantastic, with Martin Hayes, Denis Cahill and Flook to name a few.
The course is recommended to anyone with an interest in Irish music and dance. Classes run from 9am to 5.30pm, so it’s not a holiday, but a fantastic time is guaranteed. Special thanks to the Scottish Arts Council for the financial assistance that made this trip possible. For more information on the Blas Summer School, go to the Blas website.
