Willie Clancy Summer School
Encyclopedia
The Willie Clancy Summer School (Irish
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy) is Ireland
's largest traditional music summer school
held annually since 1973 in memory of the uilleann piper
Willie Clancy
. During the week, nearly a thousand students from every part of the world attend daily classes taught by experts in Irish music and dance
. In addition, a full program of lectures, recitals, dances (céilithe
) and exhibitions are run by the summer school.
All events happen in the town Miltown Malbay
(Sraid na Cathrach) in Irish, in County Clare
, on the west coast of Ireland, during the week beginning with the first Saturday of July. The weekly registration includes six classes, all lectures and recitals (except the Saturday concert) and reduced price admission to céilithe. Lectures, recitals, concert and céilithe are open to the public.
and Harry Hughes the school has a fine reputation as an event where Irish traditional music can be learned and practised by all. People from as far as Japan
and Argentina
come every year. Students are children or teenagers as well as adults. All are mixed within classes according to level of prowess on a particular instrument. It is possible during the week to attend activities as different as reed making workshops for pipes
, as well as concertina
classes, for example.
Classes are held in different venues: schools, hotels, and private houses. Depending on the student's wishes, it is possible to change teachers during the week. Teachers are chosen for their expertise and many are renowned exponents of Irish music and song.
. Some venues may simultaneously host up to five sessions.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy) is Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
's largest traditional music summer school
Summer school
Summer school is a school, or a program generally sponsored by a school or a school district, that teaches students during the summer vacation....
held annually since 1973 in memory of the uilleann piper
Uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
Willie Clancy
Willie Clancy
Willie Clancy was an Irish uilleann piper.Clancy was born into a musical family at Islandbawn near Miltown Malbay, County Clare. His parents both sang and played concertina, and his father also played the flute...
. During the week, nearly a thousand students from every part of the world attend daily classes taught by experts in Irish music and dance
Irish dance
Irish dancing or Irish dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Ireland which can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dances can be divided further into céilí and set dancing...
. In addition, a full program of lectures, recitals, dances (céilithe
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
) and exhibitions are run by the summer school.
All events happen in the town Miltown Malbay
Miltown Malbay
Spanish Point Airfield is an privately owned airfield between Milltown Malbay and Spanish Point. The airfield, located on Sandhill Road in the townland Leagard South, was established by three local pilots in 1991, and the original clubhouse was opened by then Irish Minister for Defense Mr...
(Sraid na Cathrach) in Irish, in County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, on the west coast of Ireland, during the week beginning with the first Saturday of July. The weekly registration includes six classes, all lectures and recitals (except the Saturday concert) and reduced price admission to céilithe. Lectures, recitals, concert and céilithe are open to the public.
The school
Founded by Martin Talty, Muiris Ó RócháinMuiris Ó Rócháin
Muiris O'Rócháin was a teacher, director of the Willie Clancy Summer School, president of Oireachtas na Gaeilge and folk collector....
and Harry Hughes the school has a fine reputation as an event where Irish traditional music can be learned and practised by all. People from as far as Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
come every year. Students are children or teenagers as well as adults. All are mixed within classes according to level of prowess on a particular instrument. It is possible during the week to attend activities as different as reed making workshops for pipes
Uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
, as well as concertina
Concertina
A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It has a bellows and buttons typically on both ends of it. When pressed, the buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows, unlike accordion buttons which travel perpendicularly to it...
classes, for example.
Classes are held in different venues: schools, hotels, and private houses. Depending on the student's wishes, it is possible to change teachers during the week. Teachers are chosen for their expertise and many are renowned exponents of Irish music and song.
The craic
Craic agus ceol: "fun and music" in Irish, is a frequent description for the atmosphere. During the week, crowds come to Miltown solely for informal playing, or to listen to traditional Irish music in all kinds of venues - pubs, kitchens, and streets. This audience does not necessarily attend classes. The density of musicians leads to pubs being jammed with sessionsIrish traditional music session
Irish traditional music sessions are mostly informal gatherings at which people play Irish traditional music. The Irish language word for "session" is seisiún...
. Some venues may simultaneously host up to five sessions.