A Look Back at the Cumann Merriman Summer School 2009

Bob Collins

The Director opens this year’s Summer School.

Bob and Diarmuid

Bob and Diarmuid Ferriter, on the left, who gave the opening lecture.

The first session

Well, the School hasn’t realy started until someone plays a few tunes! Taken in the bar of the Old Ground Hotel after Diarmuid’s lecture.

Aongus and Deirdre

Aongus Ó hAonghasa, who gave the first lecture in the seimináir Ghaeilge series, and Deirdre Nic Mhathúna, the series’ chair.

Maureen and Bob

Bob Collins and Maureen Gaffney after her lecture, ‘Changing Ireland: a Psychological and Social Perspective'.

Bob and Noel

Bob with Noel Dorr, who gave the lecture ‘Global Shifting Sands: Ireland in a Changing World’.

James and Máire

The poet James Harpur, who presented to‑day’s Cúirt an Mheán Lae and Máire Ní Neachtain, Leaschathaoirleach of Cumann Merriman.

Cúirt an Mheán Lae

School participants at the Cúirt an Mheán Lae poetry reading.

Glór Theatre

Attendees in the foyer of the Glór theatre, just before Noe Dorr’s lecture.

The evening lecture

The audience at Maureen Gaffney’s lecture, when we were delighted to find out that the seventies are the new middle‑age!

Pádraig and Deirdre

Pádraig Ó hAoláin, Príomhfheidhmeannach Údarás na Gaeltachta, and Deirdre Nic Mhathúna. Pádraig delivered to‑day’s lecture in the seimineáir Ghaeilge series.

Enda, Liam and Leanbh!

Enda Wyley was the guest at Tuesday’s Cúirt an Mheán Lae in the Clare Museum, and can be seen here with Liam Ó Dochartaigh, Cathaoirleach Chumann Merriman, and a member of the audience.

Cúirt an Mheán Lae 1

Attendees at Cúirt an Mheán Lae.

Cúirt an Mheán Lae 2

This picture was taken at the same time, and is of the rest of the room.

Foireann Mherriman

Máire Ní Neachtain, Brian Ó Dálaigh, Ciara Considine, Deirdre Nic Mhathúna and Liam Ó Dochartaigh at the start of the Wednesday tour of West Clare.

Wednesday night 1

The audience gathers in the Old Ground Hotel for the Wednesday night dramatic performence.

Wednesday night 2

Another shot of the audience.

Bob Collins

Bob Collins introduces the night’s show.

Anne‑Marie and Nuala

The Wilder Wisdom of Auld Ones, presented by Nuala Hayes and Anne‑Marie O’Farrell.

Tadhg and Deirdre

To‑day’s lecture in the seimineár Gaeilge series was given by Dr. Tadhg Ó hIfearnáin, seen here with Deirdre Nic Mhathúna.

Seimineár Gaeilge

School participants at Tadhg’s lecture.

Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh

Ailbhe was the guest poet at Thursday’s Cúirt an Mheán Lae reading. She is from Tralee, in County Kerry.

Póilín and Deirdre

The journalist Póilín Ní Chiaráin, on the right, delivers her seimineár Gaeilge lecture. Deirdre Nic Mhathúna is in the chair.

Cur is cúiteamh

Liam Mag Fhloinn makes a point from the floor at the seimineár Gaeilge.

Máire and John

To‑day’s poet at Cúirt an Mheán Lae, John F. Dean, pictured with Máire Ní Neachtain.

Bob and Emily

Bob Collins with Emily Logan, who delivered the evening lecture, ‘Children as Citizens: a Challenge for Public Policy'.

Máire and Nao

Máire Ní Neachtain and Professor Nao Nashimoto of Hosei University. Nao has contributed to a learning Irish textbook in Japanese.

Máire and Irial

Máire Ní Neachtain and Irial Ó Ceallaigh, from Rinn Ua gCuanach, discuss the blurb on the back of Nao Nashimoto’s book.

Clare and polka sets 1

School participants at Johnny Morrissey’s and Betty Mc Coy’s set‑dancing workshop.

Clare and polka sets 2

More set‑dancing.

Clare and polka sets 3

Still more set‑dancing…

Clare and polka sets 4

...and rest!

Merriman Céilí Band 1

The band gets ready for work at this year’s final Club Merriman.

Merriman Céilí Band 2

The band at work

Merriman Céilí Band 3

The band again.

Merriman Céilí Band 4

The band in oil…

Merriman Céilí Band 5

...and in black and white.

Club Merriman 1

Everyone on the floor for the last Club Merriman of the School!

Club Merriman 2

Betty Mc Coy, on the right, enjoying the craic.

Club Merriman 3

Warming‑up for another set.

Club Merriman 4

The beautiful hall in the Temple Gate Hotel.

Another year over

John Mc Hale, Michael Smyth, Frances Ruane and Bob Collins after the Saturday morning symposium, ’The Economy: Prospects and Possibilities’, the final event of the 2009 Cumann Merriman Summer School.

Opening the School

4.6MB / 16:08s

The School was formally opened by Liam Ó Dochartaigh, the Cathaoirleach of Cumann Merriman. The Programme for the week was then presented by the School’s Director, Bob Collins.

Aonghus Ó hAonghasa

872KB / 2:58s

Aonghus explores the role of the traditional library in the digital age and discusses the challenges and imperatives of digitising existing material. (In Irish.)

James Harpur

392KB / 1:20s

The poem ‘Gobnait’s End’. A native of the County Clare, Saint Gobnait was forced to flee her home, going first to Inis Oirr, where an angel told her that she would find the place of her ressurection where nine white deer were gathered. She set forth on a long journey and finally found them in Gort na Tiobratan, in the Mid‑Cork village of Baile Mhúirne.

Pádraig Ó hAoláin

2.3MB / 8:07s

The Príomhfheidhmeannach of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Pádraig discusses the furure development of the Gaeltacht in the context of the current economic climate. (In Irish.)

Enda Wyley

168KB / 0:34s

Enda reads her poem ‘Little Heart’, the tender reflection of a mother on her sleeping child.

Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh

136KB / 0:27s

In this poem ’Tionlacan’, the author finds music in the silence of the morning. (In Irish.)

John F. Deane

264KB / 0:53s

The theme of music, this time in the sounds of nature, also runs through John’s poem, ‘Canticle'.

Scur na Scoile

3.9MB / 13:44s

All good things... Bob Collins and Máire Ní Neachtain, Leas‑chathaoirleach Chumann Merriman, bring the 2009 Summer School to a close. (Bob’s comments at the beginning of this recording reference the concluding symposium ’The Economy: Prospects and Possibilities’, which had just taken place.)