The Hibernia Centre at Avonmouth, on the coast and 8 miles from Bristol, is just off J18 of the M5. Details of how to get there are on the website, as are various contact telephone numbers.
The Centre is open every other Saturday morning from 10am to 1pm. The next opening will be Sat 22 February 2003. Because the Centre more or less follows school terms and is closed during school holidays, it is advisable to contact Donal Lynch, whose phone number is on the Hibernia website, for the latest information if you are a first timer or don't go on a regular basis.
The Centre is primarily a workshop centre for teaching Irish traditional music on all the trad instruments, Irish singing, dancing (both solo and set), and lessons in the Irish language for any who are interested. Workshops start at 10am sharp (bows on strings etc!) and, with a short coffee break, go on to 12. All standards are catered for, from beginners who literally have never picked up an instrument, to advanced. For example, in the fiddle workshops - of which there are usually three of different standards - the aim is to teach one or two tunes by ear in the morning. At midday everyone gets together in one of the larger rooms for a mini session lasting 30-45 minutes where pupils can have an opportunity to play the tunes they have just learned, and well-known session tunes are played.
On the evening of each Saturday when the Hibernia is open there is usually a music session starting at 9pm at St Bonaventure's Irish Club at Bishopston in Bristol. I say "usually" because the Club is sometimes requisitioned for a private booking and the session may have to moved elsewhere. Again, check beforehand if you're not at the Hibernia that morning!
Lastly, the fee for the morning workshop is now £4 - still superb value for money, bearing in mind the tuition you get.
The Hibernia Centre is now starting to have its Saturday evening sessions at "The Bear", Hotwells, Bristol. We have a semi-private room at the back of the pub with plenty of room for musicians, and a dance area that will take at least one set of set-dancers, two at a squeeze (a set is 8 dancers). Again, check with the Hibernia before you set out for The Bear if you're not at the workshop on that Saturday morning, because the pub (as with most pubs) can sometimes book rooms for private functions.
Trevor
The Hibernia Centre has now changed its Saturday evening sessions to "The Plume of Feathers", Hotwells, Bristol. The "Plume" is about 5 minutes walk from "The Bear" along the Hotwells Road towards the centre of town. The session is actually in the pub, but unfortunately there is no provision for set dancing.
Trevor
The Hibernia Centre, Bristol - dates for remainder of 2004
The Hibernia workshops on Saturdays at Avonmouth for the remainder of 2004 are:
13th November - Jenny Crook is running a Harp Workshop. All other classes will run as usual.
27th November - the usual venue is being used for a Christmas fair, so registration and classes will be held at the Avonmouth Community Centre opposite St Andrew's Church and alongside the Library.
It appears from one or two emails I received that the Hibernia website is no longer functioning, so I have set up a temporary website to give basic information on, http://www.hibernia.uni.cc
The Hibernia Centre at Avonmouth, on the coast and 8 miles from Bristol, is just off J18 of the M5. Details of how to get there are on the website, as are various contact telephone numbers.
The Centre is open every other Saturday morning from 10am to 1pm. The next opening will be Sat 22 February 2003. Because the Centre more or less follows school terms and is closed during school holidays, it is advisable to contact Donal Lynch, whose phone number is on the Hibernia website, for the latest information if you are a first timer or don't go on a regular basis.
The Centre is primarily a workshop centre for teaching Irish traditional music on all the trad instruments, Irish singing, dancing (both solo and set), and lessons in the Irish language for any who are interested. Workshops start at 10am sharp (bows on strings etc!) and, with a short coffee break, go on to 12. All standards are catered for, from beginners who literally have never picked up an instrument, to advanced. For example, in the fiddle workshops - of which there are usually three of different standards - the aim is to teach one or two tunes by ear in the morning. At midday everyone gets together in one of the larger rooms for a mini session lasting 30-45 minutes where pupils can have an opportunity to play the tunes they have just learned, and well-known session tunes are played.
On the evening of each Saturday when the Hibernia is open there is usually a music session starting at 9pm at St Bonaventure's Irish Club at Bishopston in Bristol. I say "usually" because the Club is sometimes requisitioned for a private booking and the session may have to moved elsewhere. Again, check beforehand if you're not at the Hibernia that morning!
Lastly, the fee for the morning workshop is now £4 - still superb value for money, bearing in mind the tuition you get.
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by lazyhound
The Hibernia Centre is now starting to have its Saturday evening sessions at "The Bear", Hotwells, Bristol. We have a semi-private room at the back of the pub with plenty of room for musicians, and a dance area that will take at least one set of set-dancers, two at a squeeze (a set is 8 dancers). Again, check with the Hibernia before you set out for The Bear if you're not at the workshop on that Saturday morning, because the pub (as with most pubs) can sometimes book rooms for private functions.
Trevor
# Posted on December 17th 2003 by lazyhound
The Hibernia Centre has now changed its Saturday evening sessions to "The Plume of Feathers", Hotwells, Bristol. The "Plume" is about 5 minutes walk from "The Bear" along the Hotwells Road towards the centre of town. The session is actually in the pub, but unfortunately there is no provision for set dancing.
Trevor
# Posted on November 9th 2004 by lazyhound
The Hibernia Centre, Bristol - dates for remainder of 2004
The Hibernia workshops on Saturdays at Avonmouth for the remainder of 2004 are:
13th November - Jenny Crook is running a Harp Workshop. All other classes will run as usual.
27th November - the usual venue is being used for a Christmas fair, so registration and classes will be held at the Avonmouth Community Centre opposite St Andrew's Church and alongside the Library.
11th December - last Hibernia workshop of 2004.
Trevor
# Posted on November 9th 2004 by lazyhound
The Hibernia Centre, Bristol - dates for remainder of 2004
11th December 2004 - there will be NO evening session at The Plume of Feathers on this date.
Trevor
# Posted on November 9th 2004 by lazyhound
The Hibernia Irish Centre
It appears from one or two emails I received that the Hibernia website is no longer functioning, so I have set up a temporary website to give basic information on, http://www.hibernia.uni.cc
Trevor
# Posted on November 11th 2004 by lazyhound
The Hibernia Centre,Bristol
I miss Cooley's Reel playing and the foty of yis all on the auld web-site!
# Posted on December 5th 2004 by sheepdip
Hibernia Website URL
Here is a link to the current Hibernia website:
http://www.hiberniacentrebristol.org/
(The website has details of evening pub sessions organised by Hibernia, and details of other Bristol (UK) pub sessions as well).
# Posted on December 5th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian