Fun on the Farm
Much of our time is spent on the
farm and the surrounding area. Outside of the studio,
students can enjoy hiking and mountain biking in the
Blackstairs Mountains, or gather around one of our regular
campfires. Day trips to local towns and beaches give time
to unwind and explore the Wexford region. Take time out of
the day to seek out a private spot under a tree to read a
book, or challenge a new friend to a game of ping pong or
chess. Play fetch with the dogs, or try your luck at
fishing in the pond. Sit back and enjoy a movie on the big
screen, make some music, or help out in the kitchen making
scones for the next morning’s breakfast. There are many
activities to compliment a productive day in the studio.
Excursions : Dublin (Sessions 1, 2 & 3)
On this
two-day excursion, we will visit Ireland's largest city,
founded by Vikings over 1000 years ago. Dublin may be an
ancient city, but with one of the youngest populations in
Europe, it is also a bustling modern culture with great
galleries, cafes, music and restaurants. Home to many
historic treasures, we take time to visit some of the
numerous world-class galleries and museums, including: The
Irish Museum of Modern Art, The National Gallery of
Ireland, The Douglas Hyde Gallery, The Gallery of
Photography and The Kerlin Gallery. Here students are
exposed to both traditional and contemporary Irish and
international artists, which often inspires students when
they return to the studios.
Galway and the Aran Islands (Session 1)
On this
three-day excursion to Ireland's west coast; we visit
Galway city, 16th century Dunguaire Castle, and
Lisdoonvarna, world famous for its traditional Irish music.
We explore the Burren region; this fascinating limestone
landscape is home to numerous Megalithic Tombs, such as the
Poulnabourne Dolmen, and many monastic Christian
structures, as well as rare flora, caves and underground
rivers. We spend one night on Inishmore, a small island
community off the west coast and largest of the Aran
Islands. There, we bike through stunning scenery, soak up
traditional local music, and see Dun Aengus, a Megalithic
ring-fort enclosed by three massive dry-stone walls built
to deter attackers. Undoubtedly the most famous and
impressive site on the island, it is perched spectacularly
on the edge of a sheer 100 metre cliff that falls
dramatically into the Atlantic Ocean.
Cork & Cape Clear Island (Session 2)
During
this three day excursion we visit Cork, Ireland’s second
city. Exhibitions at The Crawford Art Gallery and the Lewis
Glucksman Gallery, and kissing the Blarney stone at Blarney
Castle highlight our stay. Our first night is spent in the
old harbor town of Kinsale, the site of a late 17th century
coastal fortification, Charles Fort. We spend our second
night on Cape Clear Island; this Gaeltacht (Irish speaking)
Island is Ireland’s southernmost inhabited island. Its wild
scenery, sparkling harbours, cliffs and bogs and scenic
pebble beaches all contribute to the island’s unspoilt
charm. We explore the island's rich cultural heritage;
megalithic standing stones, a 5000 year old passage grave,
a 12th Century church ruin and 14th Century O’Driscoll
castle.
The Ring of Kerry (Session 3)
On this three-day
trip we visit County Kerry in the Southwest tip of the
country. We explore the Ring of Kerry and spend our first
night in Kilarney National Park. We visit the Dingle
Peninsula, and Gallarus Oratory; a small 1000 year old
corbel vaulted church. On a boat trip to Skellig Michael,
an island eight miles off the west coast of Ireland, we
visit the world's finest example of early Christian
monastic architecture A UNESCO world heritage site, the
monastery is on a cliff-top, 200 meters above the Ocean and
is surrounded by world-famous sea bird colonies. With its
Iron Age Forts and Ogham Stones, Christian Monasteries and
a landscape carved out of rock by the last Ice Age 10,000
years ago, this region provides unmatched insight into the
ancient heritage of Ireland.