Cumann Merriman Summer School 2007

What to Expect

Among the topics for debate are wealth and its consequences, how we inhabit the land, changes in educational policy and practice, emigration and immigration, changes in the lives and roles of women, governing the north and the south, exporting our culture, and how the lessons of the past can inform how we plan for the future.

As usual, this is a bilingual School. Whilst most of the proceedings are in English, there is a vibrant Irish‑language strand. Sessions include seminars on developments in traditional music (to be given by well known singer, Áine Uí Cheallaigh), the current position of Irish as a subject of academic study (Dr. Máirin Nic Eoin), journalism in the Irish language (Dr. Regina Uí Chollatáin) and the connections between the Aran Islands and County Clare (Dr. Brian Ó Catháin), not to mention the ever‑popular daily set dancing, with Betty Mc Coy and Johhny Morrisey, and Renew your Irish classes with Eoghan Ó hAnluain.

A recent and popular innovation at the school has been the daily mid‑day poetry reading, Cúirt an Mheán Lae. Guest poets this year are Mary O’Malley, Paddy Bushe, Liam O Muirthile and Leanne O’Sullivan.

There is also a strand of daily local history seminars on a variety of topics of local and national interest. These include ‘George Unthank Mc Namara — Clare’s Medical Antiquarian’ by Dr. Peter Harbison, ’Thomas Johnson Westrop, an Irish Antiquary’ by Máiréad Ashe FitzGerald, ‘One man in his time — Brendan O’Regan’ by Bernard Share and ‘Curious examples of Gaelic signage and placenames in Co. Clare’ by Connor Keane.

Among this year’s special highlights are a concert by the renowned Lismorahaun Singers from County Clare on the Wednesday evening, with soloist, Naomi O’Connell, and a tribute to Sean Mac Réamoinn, one of the co‑founders of Cumann Merriman and stalwart attender of the Summer and Winter Schools until his death earlier this year. This event will take place on the final morning of the School.

Beidh fáilte romhat!