“Celtic Ways Conference 2009”  details and booking.

Dates:

Thursday, February 19^th until Sunday, February 22^nd 2009

Theme:

“The Harp That Once ….”

Exploring and celebrating the the mythology of the Irish Harp, its reverence by bards, and its connection to ancient Celtic celebrations.

Within The Programme:

Workshops:

• Things you can make for ancient Celtic celebrations
• How to be a bard and how to publish your work
• Harp Music for healing and protection
• Folk drama from ancient rituals to modern comedy
• Creating and using a labyrinth for celebration and meditation
• Surreal Photography
• more to be announced

Talks and Discussions we do not like the word “lecture”:

• Exploring how the harp became Ireland’s symbol
• Brigid, spiritual birth, and the Cygnus Swan mythology
• Did British Arthurian legends originate from Keash, Co. Sligo?
• Who was, or is, Morrigan?
• An introduction to the Ogham language
• The link between harps and Celtic celebrations
• more to be announced

Local Guided Tours:

• Carrowkeel ancient passage cairns
• Kilronan, O’Carolan’s resting place and sacred sites
• Keash Caves, hopefully for sunset.
• pre-Conference tour to Cavan Burren and Shannon Pot
• pre-Conference day tour to Brigit’s Garden, Co. Galway

Evening Ceilis:

• fire ritual barbecue
• singer harper concerts,
• Claire Roche, Madeleine Doherty
• folk drama performance
• storytellers
• poets
• ceili dances
• a program every evening, to be announced

Find Out More:

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How to get to the Conference:

Arrive by train (best method) -

8 trains a day from Dublin Connelly and Sligo to Boyle. Inexpensive.
Courtesy transport provided from Boyle Rail Station to your accommodation.

There are frequent Airlink 747 buses from Dublin Airport to Dublin Connelly Rail Station where you will catch a Dublin to Sligo train to Boyle. There are connecting trains from the sea ferry ports of Larne, Belfast, Dun Loaghaire and Rosslare. From the Cork sea ferry port take the train to Dublin Heuston then Luas Light Railway from Heuston to Connelly.

Arrive by air -

Fly into Knock from UK airports Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, East Midlands, and within Ireland from Dublin. Transport provided from Knock Airport to your accommodation. 

If you fly into Dublin either fly Aer Arran to Knock, take a bus to Connelly train station and catch a Sligo train to Boyle, or catch a    

Arrive by bus -

You can travel from all over Ireland by Bus Eireann buses to Boyle.  From Dublin Airport get a frequent Airlink 747 Bus to Dublin Busaras bus station. From elsewhere in Dublin takes buses or a taxi to Busaras bus station and catch a Sligo bound bus that stops at Boyle. From elsewhere in Ireland you will change to a Boyle bus from either Dublin, Sligo, Longford or Athlone, as instructed when you check the Bus Eireann web site.

Courtesy transport provided from Boyle Bus Stop to your accommodation. While waiting for us in Boyle, have a tea, coffee and snack at the Stone House Cafe near the bus stop. 

Arrive by car -

We can arrange lowest cost car rental/hire for you from any airport in Ireland. You can even pick up a car from one airport and leave it at another.

Hotels of the conference, subject to availability:

• Cromleach Lodge, Co. Sligo, 4 star
• Coach House, Ballymote Co. Sligo 3 star
• local guest houses, to be listed soon

Programme (currently open to offers from presenters)

Scroll down for pricing and booking ….

Tuesday, Feb 18th

Pre-Conference day tour to Brigit’s Garden, Co. Galway
details to follow asap

Wednesday, Feb 19th

Pre-Conference day tour to Cavan’s Burren & Shannon Pot
details to follow asap

Thursday, Feb 20^th :  Conference Reception

Afternoon Arrivals: 

Collections, as required, from railway stations, airports, bus stops

Welcoming at our Cairn View cottage where you may enjoy beverages and snacks and sharing our Labyrinth Garden.

Reception Dinner Ceili: (location to be determined)

Gathering of all in one place, in the lobby and lounge, where at least mead and mulled wine will be served as guests arrived from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm

Dinner, probably 7:45 ish

After dinner short singer harp concert and informal social

Friday, Feb 20^th : Choice of workshops, lectures , activities and events

Fuller Itinerary to be published soon

Saturday, Feb 21^st : Choice of workshops, lectures , activities and events

Fuller Itinerary to be published soon

Sunday, Feb 22^nd : Choice of workshops, lectures , activities and events

Fuller Itinerary to be published soon

Pricing: (subject to change according to costs of presenters)

• Reception Dinner Ceili  €60 per person
• All workshops from €20 each
• All talks from €15 each
• All concerts & ceilis from €15 each
• All local half day tours €25 each
• Pre-Conference full day tours €60 each
• Accommodation prices vary ….
• 4 star hotel €85 per night
• 3 star hotel €55 per night
• guest house €35 per night
• hostel €25 per night
• single supplements extra
• dinners & lunches extra 

To Inquire and Book:

Please use our inquiry email utility below.
We will respond quickly with answers, suggestions and current pricing
along with payment terms and booking links

We look forward to you possibly joining us.