Cumann Merriman Summer School 2010

What to Expect

The Merriman Summer School, a constant fixture in Clare’s calendar of events for the past 43 years, will return to Ennis on the 18th of August and will run until the to 22nd. Cumann Merriman, following a long tradition of exploring topical and pertinent societal issues, has chosen Faith: Beyond Belief? as this year’s theme and the School’s lectures and symposia will address the question of faith, belief and religion in Irish culture and society.

The debates will reflect on where we've come from as well as looking critically at the current and possible future role of religion in Irish society and in the personal lives of Irish people. Topics for analysis will include sensitive and controversial subjects pertaining to education from the point of view of ethos; ownership and diversity of schools; the role of women in faith and Church; clericalism and the people of God; the secularisation of Irish society; and faith and the Law.

Although the length of this year’s School has been reduced, the depth and scope of the programme are undiminished. In addition to lectures and panel discussions, there will be the usual morning symposia in English and in Irish on historical aspects of the theme, poetry readings from contemporary poets during Cúirt an Mheán Lae, walking tours of Ennis and, of course, the perennially popular Club Merriman. The Merriman Schools are renowned for informal contacts, the convivial atmosphere and research visits to local taverns for lively debate and impromptu singing, and this year will be no exception.

Old Favourites

The School will see the return of regular features including:

• Seminars, in Irish and English covering topics such as the relationship between Ministers and senior civil servants, Irish in the education system, language planning, the library in the digital age, the media etc.
• Cúirt an Mheán Lae, the mid‑day poetry reading begun at the 2005 bicentennial School.
• Club Merriman, with dancing and singing ’til late.

Well, Actually…

Feature Performance with David and Mick Hanly.

All of Mick Hanly’s songs tell a story, mostly from his own experience; intimate and revealing. He is best known for his song Past the Point of Rescue which went to the top of the charts in the United States but he has written several hundred songs and a book called Wish Me Well. At fourteen he picked up a guitar which had been discarded by his brother and wrote his first song, All I Remember, from which flowed hundreds of others. Many of his songs are based on his Limerick upbringing and his memories of growing up there.

Most people probably associate David Hanly with Morning Ireland, the radio programme which he co‑presented for twenty years from its debut in 1984; or maybe with the television series, Hanly’s People and The Writer in Profile, or the poetry series, The Enchanted Way. But there was life before Morning Ireland. There were the differing — not to say traumatising — experiences of inventing The Glen Abbey Show, of starting The Kennedys of Castleross as a daily serial and of writing the immensely popular weekly TV series The Riordans. There was the magical meeting with Ella Fitzgerald, a great lady, the night he brought Joan Fontaine to the Abbey Theatre and more... much more.

Now these two brothers combine their storytelling talents for the first time here at the Cumann Merriman Summer School.

...and of Course

We look forward to the informal contacts, the easy context, the research visits to local taverns and, with any luck, good Clare weather to round off the programme.

Bíg línn!