Donegal Adults Only Harp Summer School 2027

Book a date

The Adult Only (Residential) week

This course is for players over the age of 18, at all levels and abilities. Held by celebrated veteran Janet Harbison, this course focuses on general harp skills, social playing, fun and friendship and is located in the town of Maghery on the magnificent Donegal coast. Janet will take your musicianship, confidence, creativity and traditional music understanding to a new level - enabling you to understand how music works and leading you to develop your own tunes and arranging skills. The style of teaching is oral with everyone challenged to a comfortable level. Like your first language, your learning should be organic, your playing flexible and spontaneous. With a maximum of 8 participants on any of the Adult Only Weeks, everyone is assured of personal attention with workshops, lectures, concerts and sessions in the evenings, and a great trip out on Wednesday afternoon. There is lots of interaction with local musicians – Join Janet and the community of Dungloe musicians for a week to remember!

What’s included

• 5 days of Summer School training from 9.30am to 3.30pm (with 9.30am – 12.45pm on Wednesday) with lunches provided (all diets catered to) and all evening concerts, lectures and sessions (with travel where necessary!)

• Accommodation for 6 nights (from Sunday to Saturday) in twin or double ensuite bedrooms in adjacent (and fully equipped) holiday cottages. All bookings are treated as for single occupation, but you are welcome to bring a friend/partner if you wish. Kitchens are set up with starting breakfast supplies, and all-day teas and coffees.

• Evening activities: Monday: Illustrated lecture with Janet: ‘500 years a ’harping’. Wednesday: Concert - Local ‘Seisiún’ concert in the ‘Ionad’ (€5). Thursday: Concert - Templecrone Church featuring ‘Janet and Friends’. Friday: Dinner at Danny Minnie’s (famous local restaurant) with a great session afterwards.

• A mid-week trip out to Aranmore Island/Glenveigh National Park/Dunlewey (cost listed below).

• Pick-ups and drop-offs are arranged for all travelling by air or bus. If Janet is driving, this is free of charge!

What’s not included:

• Your evening meals (except on your arrival day). As we have self-catering facilities, you may choose to eat in or out in the evenings.

• On Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, we book a table at McCafferty’s Pub which is very near us and an excellent pub and restaurant. On Thursday evening, we suggest a ‘pot luck’ at home where all who wish can contribute to a communal evening meal.

• The optional Wednesday afternoon trip out to Aranmore Island/Glenveigh National Park/Dunlewey. Each trip costs up to max €30 (taxi/bus/ferry/entrance costs).

• The Wednesday evening concert in Dungloe’s community centre (featuring all local musicians, singers and dancers), a ‘contribution’ of €5 is requested to cover the interval refreshments.

Course price (includes training, concerts, lectures, workshops. Includes supper on arrival and light lunches (soup or salad) Monday – Friday (x5). Evenings, we eat out or self-cater)
€900

ROOM (6 nights) Twin or Double bedroom + breakfast supplies (self-serve)
€650

PLUS ONES sharing your room + starting breakfast supplies  (Or, partners may share for €500 each).  To join the course for lunches can be arranged separately.
€350

Harp Hire (at the venue during classes and practice periods, and elsewhere by special arrangement)
€80

*Rooms are not en-suite : but 2 rooms share 1 bathroom.                                          

More information

The Course Venue

Maghery Beach Cottages are a little village complex of six traditional cottages, just a few steps from the magnificent beach of Maghery with a village pub, coffee shop, ice-cream parlour, camping ground and community centre (with a café and fish‘n’chip shop in the summer months). 

Residential Course Afternoon Options

For walks, swims, exploring, shopping, relaxing, practising - Dungloe is a wonderful Donegal town with lots to offer. Closely located to Glenveagh National Park and Mount Errigal, Donegal’s most spectacular mountain surrounded by an exceptional area of natural beauty and nature conservation, and there is a superb range of walks for everyone from seasoned hikers to leisurely wanderers. On Wednesday, we have an afternoon off to take a trip to the park, or the mountain, or a boat trip to the island of Arranmore with dolphin and whale spotting with seabirds and sandy beaches.

Travel Arrangements

FLY into Dublin Airport, and take another flight from Dublin airport to Donegal with Aer Lingus. This takes 35 minutes, costs €40 but there are 2 flights every day at 11.40 and 18.50hrs. The airport is just a short drive from our Centre and we will pick you up.

Come by BUS from Dublin Airport or ‘Busarus’ (Dublin City Bus Centre) to Donegal town centre and there is a connecting bus for Dungloe. This is a 5 hour journey with a comfort break of 10 minutes in Cavan (midway) – very scenic but long!

Or, come by CAR taking time to explore more of our wonderful country along the Wild Atlantic Way! Your destination is the Maghery Beach Cottages, Maghery, Donegal, Ireland. F94F883.