Has anyone attended the Willie Clancey Festival in Miltown Malby in the last year or two. I have been asked if it is worth attending with regard to the tuition or is it now so popular that classes are oversized and lack student teacher communication. It seems the feeling over this side of the water is that it might be a bit of a circus with throngs of people, vastly over crowded sessions, limited highly inflated accomodation prices and the usual rip off pub prices.
But if you play the pipes, you have to make the journey. From a friend of mine "lessons for 4 hours in the morning, practice in the afternoon" and then do what ever you'd like- for 6 days or so.... I'm trying to figure out how to go this year.
If you post this over at the chiff and fipple uilleann pipe site, I'll bet you'll get an answer as well
As regards pub prices being inflated - thats complete rubbish - they are no different from anywhere else in the country. The Willie Clancy Week is without doubt one of the best festivals in the world as regards the quality of Irish Music. The student numbers are quite large in general, but are catered for quite well, in the sense that there is usually a good student/teacher ratio. Also, in the evenings, there is plenty of recitals, concerts, and of course sessions in every available corner of a pub. Its WELL worth a visit.
my first (and last so far) willie week was 03: cannot complain about classes / the summer school organizers keep some standards as far as I can tell. still practice with my personal recordings from my teacher John McEvoy and from the 03 Martin Hayes class, which I copied from Brian´s mini disc.
"loved" the accommodation at Mc Auley House - very low dormitory style with sometimes cold showers and poor standards but high quality international student community. the Mc auley was closed 04 (remodelling?). If it is open during my next willie week it will be my #1 accomodation!
town IS overcrowded and the "circus" is not everyones favourite pleasure but there is enough opportunity to find secret craic of a different level.
Know folks who stay away from Miltown after having been at willie week two or three times. I´m not there so far, so Miltown will see me summer 05 or 06 and I´m sure I´ll know how to get the best from it all again.
food&beverages: a pint costs standard compared to Ireland and overall Euroland (i.e. it is expensive to spend six days at the pubs anyway, you know). Food is the same. Supermarket has great opportunities to make your own sandwiches to rise your stout budget. a hot bar meal at least at one or two of your six nights out is ok since you get good full breakfast (once again: mcauley house is great...)
Do a “search” for “Willie Clancy 2004” on this site and you’ll get over 1000 “hits”.Trawl through those and you’ll get a wide range of opinions on everything from classes to bar prices. Which class were you interested in?
it is true that accommodation remains limited; those few places that you can still find available are either available precisely because they're over-priced or over-priced because they're available, if you catch my drift. If you book early enough, most accommodation is priced fairly standard for the time of year. I've been going to Miltown on and off since I was about 8. Although it can get over-crowded the music is excellent if you look in the right places and definitely worth the trip. If you go there hoping for all the comforts of home, incredibly cheap accommodation , food and beer then you're missing the point entirely.
Willie Clancey Summer School
Willie Clancey Summer School
Has anyone attended the Willie Clancey Festival in Miltown Malby in the last year or two. I have been asked if it is worth attending with regard to the tuition or is it now so popular that classes are oversized and lack student teacher communication. It seems the feeling over this side of the water is that it might be a bit of a circus with throngs of people, vastly over crowded sessions, limited highly inflated accomodation prices and the usual rip off pub prices.
# Posted on February 27th 2005 by McMahon
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
I don't know about the classes but you got the rest of it about right.
# Posted on February 27th 2005 by Bernie
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
But if you play the pipes, you have to make the journey. From a friend of mine "lessons for 4 hours in the morning, practice in the afternoon" and then do what ever you'd like- for 6 days or so.... I'm trying to figure out how to go this year.
If you post this over at the chiff and fipple uilleann pipe site, I'll bet you'll get an answer as well
# Posted on February 27th 2005 by I_Fel
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
I won't be there this year, so that's one empty space more than last year.
# Posted on February 28th 2005 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
As regards pub prices being inflated - thats complete rubbish - they are no different from anywhere else in the country. The Willie Clancy Week is without doubt one of the best festivals in the world as regards the quality of Irish Music. The student numbers are quite large in general, but are catered for quite well, in the sense that there is usually a good student/teacher ratio. Also, in the evenings, there is plenty of recitals, concerts, and of course sessions in every available corner of a pub. Its WELL worth a visit.
# Posted on February 28th 2005 by edelfox
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
my first (and last so far) willie week was 03: cannot complain about classes / the summer school organizers keep some standards as far as I can tell. still practice with my personal recordings from my teacher John McEvoy and from the 03 Martin Hayes class, which I copied from Brian´s mini disc.
"loved" the accommodation at Mc Auley House - very low dormitory style with sometimes cold showers and poor standards but high quality international student community. the Mc auley was closed 04 (remodelling?). If it is open during my next willie week it will be my #1 accomodation!
town IS overcrowded and the "circus" is not everyones favourite pleasure but there is enough opportunity to find secret craic of a different level.
Know folks who stay away from Miltown after having been at willie week two or three times. I´m not there so far, so Miltown will see me summer 05 or 06 and I´m sure I´ll know how to get the best from it all again.
food&beverages: a pint costs standard compared to Ireland and overall Euroland (i.e. it is expensive to spend six days at the pubs anyway, you know). Food is the same. Supermarket has great opportunities to make your own sandwiches to rise your stout budget. a hot bar meal at least at one or two of your six nights out is ok since you get good full breakfast (once again: mcauley house is great...)
# Posted on February 28th 2005 by crannog
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
Do a “search” for “Willie Clancy 2004” on this site and you’ll get over 1000 “hits”.Trawl through those and you’ll get a wide range of opinions on everything from classes to bar prices. Which class were you interested in?
# Posted on February 28th 2005 by Kenny
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
Thanks to all for the response, and the good advice from Kenny, I checked out the Willie Clancey 2004 session hits very enlightening.
Sl`ainte
# Posted on March 1st 2005 by McMahon
Re: Willie Clancey Summer School
it is true that accommodation remains limited; those few places that you can still find available are either available precisely because they're over-priced or over-priced because they're available, if you catch my drift. If you book early enough, most accommodation is priced fairly standard for the time of year. I've been going to Miltown on and off since I was about 8. Although it can get over-crowded the music is excellent if you look in the right places and definitely worth the trip. If you go there hoping for all the comforts of home, incredibly cheap accommodation , food and beer then you're missing the point entirely.
# Posted on March 1st 2005 by Conán McDonnell