The Willie Clancy Summer School is the place to come to learn to play traditional Irish music from today’s great players.
It’s held over a week. People travel from all over the world to be part of this event.
It takes place in a town call Miltown Malbay, or Sráid na Cathrach. The town is near the western Atlantic coast of Ireland.
That’s the end of our photo tour. I hope you liked the taster.
If you ever want a real taste of Irish music, maybe you could travel to County Clare some future year.
We attended one of the daily concerts that take place during the Willie Clancy week. It was a mix of Irish and Scottish musicians playing their own traditional music. Some of the music was mesmerizing, and it was all worth the watch.
Are you an Irish music player, or do you just like to listen? Let us know by leaving a reply below.
30 thoughts on “Photo taster of Willie Clancy music week”
Dia dhuit, really enjoy the site and the regular emails. looking for some assistance with the definition of the Irish word “Gabhal”. any help you can offer would be appreciated.thanks, M.
Mike, I have forwarded your question to our team. I will respond to you via your email as soon as I get a response. We appreciate your interest!
Hi Mike, if you’re not making fun… it can be used as a deragotory word. We won’t be posting its meaning on this blog 😉
I received notice of Willy Clancy week today – 17th July. It is hard to find a date on the info supplied, but I gather, from one of the photos, it is the 4th – 13th July. Sorry, I can’t get there.
Hi David. Yup, by our mistake we emailed twice in two weeks about this blog post. It was oroginally published on July 9th 2014. Sorry for causing confusion :/
Phyllis- Altan is probably my all-time favorite traditional group, but i enjoy most traditional Celtic music. I haven’t gotten to the point yet where i can understand song lyrics in Irish, but i’m trying.
I too prefer traditional Celtic music. Thank you so much for sharing your favorite.
I too took the free trial and thought it very good. But as Caitlin mentioned in her email it was not 30 days which is what I expected. The grammar part for me was the hardest (probably because it’s just hard, not that you all didn’t do a good job of explaining it!)I enjoy your pod casts, liked the one with Fin and absolutely adore Irish music although I can’t play a note! I hope to visit Ireland in the next year or so and do want to continue learning the language.
I’ve spent the last couple of years learning the Tin Whistle which I find to be great fun. I will probably never get to the level of any of my idols in that field but i enjoy it just as much. & play it every day.
My Nano is fully stocked with Irish music & that is played every day as well. BiteSize Irish is on the Nano as well & I find listening to that while “biking” in the gym is a great way to learn.
How fun! What is your favorite tune to play? We love hearing the different ways our customers learn. Listening while exercising is wonderful!
I love “Raglan Road” & “Buachaill ón Éirne” & “The Foggy Dew”. There are so many other great ones to play. It’s hard to choose.
I agree that it is very hard to choose. You have wonderful taste in music.
Great information, Thanks! We are planning a trip to Ireland in a year or two and I must add this to our itinerary. I would love to learn Irish fiddle. My fiddle idols are Patrick “Paddy” Bonner of Beaver Island MI., Ashley McIsac and Natalie McMaster from Cape Breton.
You are so very welcome. You have some wonderful fiddle idols. When you get to go to Ireland in a couple of years, where are you planning to visit?
I listen to Natalie McMaster sometimes; she’s great! I live in Michigan and I never heard about Patrick Bonner and “the island of fiddlers”. A very interesting history. Thanks for sharing!
Is breá liom ceol Ceiltach! Seinnim an pianó agus whenever I hear an Irish song I like on Pandora or songsinirish.com, I like to figure out how to play it on the piano. I also memorize the lyrics and sing along. I’ve learnt quite a bit of Irish that way!
We appreciate your insights. Yes, learning the music really helps in learning the language. What is your favorite Irish music?
There are so many artists and songs I like; I can’t choose a favorite. The Irish language songs that I figured out on the piano are: Báidín Fheilimí, Molly Na gCuach Ní Chuilleanáin (Danú) and Smaointe (Enya).
I am very impressed. I have always wanted to learn to play the piano. It is hard to choose a favorite with so many wonderful artists.
Thank you for the lessons, it seemed not to be the length that is was
said to be. So many complicated rules or maybe I was just not getting it.
Told my Sister about it as well and she kept track of her days left.
She said she was cut short five days , but also added that it was free so
she has no room to complain. I agree. Thanks again!
P.S. I play the guitar, violin and piano although not good at
any of them lol as Maisy explained it , I too am a forever beginner.
Caitrin, apologies to your sister. Please ask her to contact us (the link is at the bottom of every page of this web site), and we’ll extend her free trial for her for.
As for lessons with complicated rules, I’d love if you could also contact us using the link below, and tell us exactly which lesson put you off. It’s our job to break down the Irish language into small easy Bitesize lessons for you.
Mhúineadh mé bodhrán don Acadamh Ealaíon na hÉireann i Indianapolis, agus staidéar a dhéanamh ar an bhfidil, ach níl mé an-mhaith … go fóill.
Maith thú! Is aoibheann liom an bodhrán, ach go háirithe.
I play flute, and like learning Irish tunes. {It’s a silver flute though, not a wooden traditional one}. I’m nowhere good enough to play in a session though!! I also listen to Irish music a lot. I’m glad you posted this- i listen to Raidió na Gaeltachta at times and i’ve heard them going on about Willie Clancy, but couldn’t quite figure out what it was all about-thanks!
I’m so glad you now understand about Willie Clancy. I think it is amazing that you play the flute and listen to Irish music. What is your favorite?
Thanks for the posters and the lessons. Yes, I play the mandolin here in the US (one of those forever beginners). Maybe someday I will go there. That would be a dream. Your program is not just about the language but about the culture as well. I enjoyed one of your podcasts too.
We appreciate your comments and hopefully you will visit Ireland someday. Thank you for your encouraging words.
I really enjoy this website. And especially the bite-size lessons in Gaeilge. Please keep them coming.
Thank you so much for your feedback. We love knowing you are enjoying the lessons.