Festival Highlights

MUSIC: Three Concerts

Classical Concert - Micheál O'Rourke plays Beethoven in Moore Abbey Baronial Hall

Organ Recital on historic organ in St.Evin's Parish Church by Lee Dunleavy, Organist in York Minster Cathedral. An Oxford graduate, Lee has conducted performances of, amongst other works, Duruflé’s Requiem, Arvo Pärt’s Passio, Stanford’s Songs of the Fleet and the UK première of Erkki-Sven Tüür’s Requiem.

Traditional Irish Music Concert with All-Ireland Winners, The Bridge CéilÍ Band with musicians, singers and dancers. We look forward to a special night with this first class Ceili Band.

International Poetry Readings (Daily)

Among Poets reading will include Cécile Oumhani, a celebrated French writer deeply rooted in the Mediterranean world. One of cecile's recurring preoccupations is to bring people and cultures closer together; Anatoly Kudriavitski from Russia, who will launch his most recent collection of poems in English; Chung Hee Moon from Korea who has won numerous awards for her poetry including the prestigious Sowol Poetry Prize, and the Contemporary Literature Award and the well-kown Czech poet, Pavel Kolmacka; ShaÏp Emerllahu; Biba Ismael (Macedonia) and others. Irish poets will include Patrick O'Brien and Desmond Egan.

Lectures (Daily)

Each morning, we have lectures on the theme of the influences of Hopkins. Among topics this year are:

The Trail of Hopkins: His Influence on One Writer Today; The Golden Poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins: ‘Beauty therefore is a relation, and the apprehension of it a comparison' ; The Nature of Gerard Manley Hopkins; Hopkins's Poetic Heritage: What Did He Leave for His Followers? Hopkins Doesn't Just Influence - he Demands! Pre-Raphaelite Influences on the Poetry of Hopkins; God ' s Grandeur and Five Composers; Hopkins and Egan: Comparisons in Rhythm; Hopkins's Influence on New Zealand Poetry; The Newman Ideal; The Book of Kells; Hopkins and Milton; Hopkins and White; Hopkins: an English Perspective; Hopkins and the Golden Ratio; Hopkins's influence on American Mid-Century Modernism; Gerard and Gerontius - Dream and Vision in Hopkins and Newman.

Workshops - Translation, Poetry and Song

Director: Michael O'Dwyer National University of Ireland, Maynooth ably assisted by Cécile Oumhani from the Sorbonne (Paris). Visitors are invited to participate in this terrific Workshop where a Hopkins poems will be translated into many languages: Gaeilg (of course!); French; Japanese; Korean; Macedonian; Czech etc etc. Be prepared! You will find the poem, I wake and feel the fell here

Poetry Workshop2 pm - 5 Sat. July 23

Will be conducted by poet, Desmond Egan with help from Jessica Peart and Mary O'Connor (Irish Poetry). Distinguished visiting poets will also participate including Pavel Kolmacka (Czech Republic); Biba Ishmael (Macedonia); and the leading poet of South Korea, Chung Hee Moon.
Places on Workshps are limited to the first 40. Entrance: 30 euro. Please bring 30 photocopies of a poem for reading and analysis.

Words and Music Workshop: 10.00 -1 Fri. 29

Conor Mahony is attracting a growing reputation with the release of his second CD with songs written, performed and sung by himself. The Hopkins Summer School is proud to have such a genuine talent to take charge of the Words and Music Workshop, one of the highlights of the 18th Festival.

As well as being a talented performer, ready to illustrate his point musically, or to offer sound working advice, Conor is well-known as an exceptional teacher. His expertise and guidance will be available at the Workshop from 10 – 1 pm – but places are limited and advance booking is advised. Come and bring your song or words! Or, just come and learn. Visiting musicians at the Summer School will add to the richness and value of the event. Further information.

Book Launches

Hellenising Ireland by Brian Arkins
DVD: Through the Eyes of the Poet
A Poetic Approach to Ecology: A Lifetime with Hopkins
Shakespeare the Papist by Peter Milward S.J.
The Shadow of Time by Anatoly Kudriavitsky

Field Trip to Naas Wed. July 28, 2005

First stop is a visit to world-renowned Kildangan Stud. The Festival Bus pauses briefly in Kildare, Heritage Town with its fine Cathedral and Wellington Tomb and then on to Newbridge Silverware where visitors can browse in the state of the art Showroom and then, on to Naas, gateway to County Kildare.

More than 1,000 years ago Leinster Chieftains had their headquarters in this ancient town - the Gaelic name for Naas translates as " Kings Assembly Place". St. David's Castle is now the only remaining portion of the old Fitzgerald Castle. Here, it is believed, Lord Edward Fitzgerald took refuge during the rebellion of 1798. Shopping; sight-seeing; a walk by the Canal and a Civic Reception by Naas Urban District Council

The trip concludes with a Traditional Irish Music Concert
with The Bridge Ceili Band.

Exhibitions (open daily)

Margaret Becker of Kildare Graphics Studio; Benedict Byrne; Derek Fitzsimons, Stone Sculptor; Michael Sheerin exhibits fine specimens of local Bog Oak Carvings; Eva Kelly has a fine display of decorative glass; Nikola Duretiae, renowned Macedonian photographer has stirring photographs of War and Life.

Participants for 18th Summer School 2005