Miceál Ó Duinn International Irish Set Dancing Summer School & Sliabh Bloom Fraughan Festival

Half-Door Club

"A light heart lives long"

Miceál Ó Duinn International Irish Set Dancing Summer School
&
Sliabh Bloom Fraughan Festival

A Celebration of Irish Music & Dance

in and around the villages of

Castletown & Clogh, Co. Laois, Ireland

in association with

The Half-Door Club

Saturday 27th July to Monday 5th August 2002

Dance tutors to include

Micheál Lalor and John Sinnott and friends from the Half-door Club and guest local teachers.

"Beginner students are catered for and you are sure to mingle and enjoy a friendly Irish welcome!"

  Miceál Ó Duinn
Miceál Ó Duinn was one of a family of seven who was born in Upper Ballyfin, August 1883. He devoted his life to promoting Irish music and dance. In his young days his only mode of transport was a pedal cycle which transported him as far as Spiddal and other parts of the Gaeltacht, where he learned Irish language and music. He also took part in Irish dancing competitions. He led a long and healthy life, until he passed away on 7th July 1977 at the age of 92 years.

  Summer School
The Miceál Ó Duinn Summer School will commence with set dancing teachers giving tuition in the old set dances and steps. Accommodation for the groups will be provided locally and traditional musicians from the locality will provide entertainment.

  Festival Origin
In ancient time the year's turning was celebrated by numerous festivals. One of the most famous was the festival of Lughnasa, celebrated around the end of July. It was the custom for the people to assemble on a particular mountain top in their locality to celebrate the festival. Ard Erin in the Sliabh Blooms was one such location where the festival survived in living memory, known locally as "height or fraughan Sunday". The fraughan or bilberries were traditionally gathered and eaten during the walk to and from Ard Erin. The Half-Door Club, based locally, is seeking to revive this festival in the form of the International Sliabh Bloom Fraughan Festival and Summer School.

  Our Fifth     Annual Event
This festival has become an annual event, attracting people throughout Ireland and overseas. They come together and share, thereby participating, learning and appreciating yet another piece of traditional Irish culture in the beautiful setting of the Sliabh Bloom Mountains. The festival helps and encourages local people to remember and retain this ancient and rich heritage.

Saturday 27th July

afternoon Guided walk through the picturesque village of Castletown, the fifth tidiest village in the Tidy Towns competition.

9.30pm-1.30am Céilí with Ard Erin Céilí Band at Castletown Community Centre.

Sunday 28th July

11am Hill-walkers assemble at Pastoral Centre to travel in convoy to Ard Erin, the highest viewing point in the Sliabh Bloom range to celebrate the age-old Lughnasa festival.

4pm Outdoor platform céilí with Sean Norman Céilí Band at Ballynakill Vintage Rally.

10pm Céilí with Half-Door Club musicians in Castletown Community Centre. Refreshments available.

Monday 29th July

10am-1pm Set dance workshop at Castletown Community Centre (throughout the week).

afternoon Visit to Heywood Gardens, fine example of 18th century landscaped gardens; Timahoe Round Tower and its carved Romanesque doorway; and Abbey Sensory Garden, Abbeyleix.

9.30pm Session and sets in Eamonn an Chnoic Lounge, Raheen, Co. Laois.

Tuesday 30th July

10am-1pm Set dance workshop.

afternoon Waterfall ramble in the unspoilt landscape of woodlands and blanket bog of the Sliabh Bloom mountains.

9.30pm Session and Sets with Half-door Club musicians in Mary’s Pub, Clogh, Ballacolla, Co. Laois.

Wednesday 31st July

10am-1pm Set dance workshop.

afternoon Visit to Kilkenny, heritage city, and arts and craft shops.

8pm Session and show of traditional music and dance at Manor Hotel, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois.

9.30pm Session and sets in Mountrath pub.

Thursday 1st August

10am-1pm Set dance workshop.

afternoon Walk in Cullahill Mountains with qualified tour guide, the owner of an organic scenic sheep farm.

9.30pm Outdoor barbecue session and sets with the locals at Castletown.

Friday 2nd August

10am-1pm Set dance workshop.

afternoon Visit to Emo Court, 18th century neo-classical mansion and gardens; and 13th century fortress on the Rock of Dunamase.

9.30pm Session and sets in the Castletown Inn.

Saturday 3rd August

10am-1pm Set dance end-of-school ceili

afternoon Stroll to the nearby four-acre Gash Gardens, home to a variety of plants including a large rock garden and rare alpines.

10pm-late Céilí with surprise céilí band at Castletown Community Centre.

Sunday 4th August

free morning and afternoon Suggested activities:

11am Miceál Ó Duinn memorial Mass at Ballyfin Church.

afternoon Stradbally Steam Rally and Railway leisure trip.

9.30pm Céilí with the Davey Céilí Band at Castletown Community Centre.

Monday 5th August

afternoon Grande finale outdoor céilí and session with guest céilí band in Mary’s Pub, Clogh, Ballacolla, Co. Laois.

How to get to Castletown
You can fly or ferry into Dublin which lies northeast of County Laois. You can travel by coach one and a half hours. Take the Limerick coach from Busaras Central Bus Station in Dublin and ask the driver a Castletown set down. When driving take the N7 directly to Castletown for 100 km.

The Half Door History
The Half-Door Club is a group of dancers and musicians who came together as a direct result of the enormous popularity of dancing and music, and can boast of a tradition of dance and music in Laois, Ireland. Because of its proximity to the Sliabh Bloom Mountains, many of the styles and skills have been retained by the dancers and the overall presentation is one of speed, skill and an obvious atmosphere of self-enjoyment which permeates through the audience by giving them a tremendous feeling of participation with the set dancers themselves. One of the hallmarks of the Half-Door is that all of the members are competent teachers of dance and music. For beginners the very rudiments and basics of Irish dance and music are encouraged for native and traveller alike. The Half-Door Club's motto is "A light heart lives long."

Accommodation
Local B&Bs costing on average €25-30.
The Pastoral Centre, Castletown, a hostel-like environment, €23 for B&B.

For inquiries or booking please contact:
Micheál Lalor, Doon, Raheen, Mountrath, Co. Laois
Telephone: 086 260 7658 - International: +353 86 260 7658
Email: micheal.lalor@iolfree.ie
John Sinnott, Derrylusk, Mountrath, Co. Laois
Telephone: 0502 32213 - International: +353 502 32213
Email: derrylusk@aol.com
Áine Barrett
Telephone: 0405 49937 and 087 275 2015
International: +353 405 49937 and +353 87 275 2015
Email: ainebarrett@hotmail.com

Workshop and ceili admission
€7.50 per person
A nominal fee will apply to afternoon activities.

Miceál Ó Duinn	Miceál Ó Duinn was one of a family of seven who was born in Upper Ballyfin, August 1883. He devoted his life to promoting Irish music and dance. In his young days his only mode of transport was a pedal cycle which transported him as far as Spiddal and other parts of the Gaeltacht, where he learned Irish language and music. He also took part in Irish dancing competitions. He led a long and healthy life, until he passed away on 7th July 1977 at the age of 92 years.
Summer School	The Miceál Ó Duinn Summer School will commence with set dancing teachers giving tuition in the old set dances and steps. Accommodation for the groups will be provided locally and traditional musicians from the locality will provide entertainment.
Festival Origin	In ancient time the year's turning was celebrated by numerous festivals. One of the most famous was the festival of Lughnasa, celebrated around the end of July. It was the custom for the people to assemble on a particular mountain top in their locality to celebrate the festival. Ard Erin in the Sliabh Blooms was one such location where the festival survived in living memory, known locally as "height or fraughan Sunday". The fraughan or bilberries were traditionally gathered and eaten during the walk to and from Ard Erin. The Half-Door Club, based locally, is seeking to revive this festival in the form of the International Sliabh Bloom Fraughan Festival and Summer School.
Our Fifth Annual Event	This festival has become an annual event, attracting people throughout Ireland and overseas. They come together and share, thereby participating, learning and appreciating yet another piece of traditional Irish culture in the beautiful setting of the Sliabh Bloom Mountains. The festival helps and encourages local people to remember and retain this ancient and rich heritage.