Comhaltas Archive

Che Scoil €igse
phenomenon
School of Irish
Traditional Music ­
c5ummer
Instrumental - Vocal - Dancing
- Workshops - Lectures - Sessions -
Irish Language
The 24th Annual Scoil Eigse organised
by CCE takes place in Listowel on
August 18-23 i.e. the week preceding
Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. This
Summer College of Irish traditional
music is the most comprehensive of its
kind with classes on the fiddle, concert
flute, whistle, 2-row accordion,
concertina, piob uilleann, harp, banjo,
piano-accordion, traditional songs in
English and Irish, traditional dancing
and Irish Language.
The Scoil Eigse is a phenomenal
development through which hundreds
of Irish peope as well as many visitors
from foreign lands, come to a better
and deeper understanding of Irish
music and culture. The great sessions
in the aftermath of the Fleadh are now
legendary but in recent years hundreds
of enthusiasts have been discovering
the Scoil Eigse, the week-long
extravaganza of workshops, classes,
recitals, dancing, singing and music
sessions which commences on the
Sunday previous to Fleadh Cheoil na
hEireann. These enthusiasts include
adults, teenagers, families, dancers and
musicians of all ages; for them the
Scoil Eigse is the outstanding week of
the year.
There is no age limit at the Sco il Eigse
and certainly no generation gap.
Enthusiasm knows no age barriers and
w heth er you are keen on learnin g sets
or mak in g a comeback on th e
accordi on you wi ll find fellow-pupils to
join you in session, to exchange tunes,
songs or steps.
Each day's programme - commenci ng
at 1 O.OOam - includes 2 classes (on the
va ri ous in struments, singing and
dancing) - a couple of workshops of
genera l interest and/or a traditional
dancin g sess ion in w hich all
participate. After tea each evening -
commencin g at 8.30pm - th ere are
recitals (s hort inform al concerts with
top class guest arti sts) and then there is
the Club Eigse where all may
participate in well-organi sed sess ions of
music, singin g and dancing.
Beg inners are accepted onl y in the
dancing and trad itional singing streams.
On th e various instruments only those
who ca n play reaso nably well are
accepted, and the emphas is is on
im proving their traditional techniques
and th eir know ledge and understa nding
of th e music. There are two or more