Visitor Comment on Hopkins Festival

Visitors Comment from the 2010 Hopkins Festival Comment

On our new venue, Newbridge College:The Newbridge College venue was much better than the old venues SO Japan 'A small echo from our first successful week in Newbridge!' BG France'This was a most a wonderful festival with Gerard Manley Hopkins' poetry and I enjoyed every minute of it, it was well organized and highly interesting.' J. V, Poet, Finland 'dizzyingly delightful'
Paul Andrews S.J.


Thanks, too, for a great Hopkins week and for all the work and effort
you both put into it. The new venue was a huge improvement, and
Newbridge is certainly a step (or two) up from Monasterevin. The week
was a great success, and I was very pleased with the Youth Programme.
W A (Germany)

Hopkins 2009 Visitors Comment

'It was all most enlivening visit to the Hopkins Summer School. It was all most interesting,
informative, stimulating and amusing'. Peter Costello

... I had one of the best times of my life at the Festival. Thank you and your husband so much for inviting me. It was also great to have a face from home there in David Axelrod. I can hardly wait until next year -- especially since one of my best friends plans to come -- L.C. (NY)

What an absolutely wonderful week I and Aileen just had. You are the best! DA (NY)

' one of the high points of the literary scene in Ireland' - A D., 22 July 2007.

'I enjoyed the Festival very much and I applaud you and your crew for all the wonderful work you do. - P.S.(Chicago)

'I really enjoyed participating in the Youth Programme and learned quite a bit during my week which went by far too quickly. The Multilingual Translation Workshop was particularly interesting. I'd never have considered attempting to translate a poem before then. Also, the opportunity for students to get feedback on their work from the International panel present was very much
appreciated. - C.C.(Ireland)

I'll be telling all my fellow students at Maynooth about my experience, so expect an avalanche of applications next year.! Catherine Conlon.'. a most interesting and enjoyable experience. As a student of English in NUI Maynooth, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole event. I found speaking with the distinguished panel of writers and poets that ahd assembled there be most a fascinating experience. CMcC (Ireland) on The Youth Programme

' I have never attended a better run and more enjoyable event'
- D. A. (New York, 2007)

' Attending the Hopkins Festival was truly one of the most wonderful
academic experiences of my life.  Terry too loved the trip and would love
to visit again.' PK, Ohio 2008

And More Comment from Past Hopkins Festivals

Bhí an cheardlann go han-mhaith! -
S.C. Ireland - commenting on the Multilingual Translation Workshop.
More about unique Multilingual Translation Workshop

Each year, last week in July since 1987, the Gerard Manley Hopkins Festival
has taken place during the last week of July, every year since 1987. Read
what some of our visitors thought of the experience. Internationally renowned
scholar and critic, Hugh Kenner, had this to say about the Summer School.

'The Hopkins Summer School is a major part of the process of keeping
Hopkins re-invented Hugh Kenner, Athens University',
Georgia, USA (see Hugh Kenner Remembered)

To attend the Hopkins Festival is not like visiting another country but another
world, where seriousness and gaiety go hand in hand in that uniquely Irish
way. Within hours of arriving at Monasterevin, complete strangers are old
friends. The poems are beautiful, the Guinness flows. There is music and
laughter. Go!
Roger McGough, Poet, (2001) Poet, England

Perfect. Just perfect. - B.R.G. France

'An extraordinarily rich experience - E.H. Nebraska, USA

'The Hopkins Summer School offers a grand opportunity for fellowship
and exchane of knowledge A.M. Athens, Greece

'Nothing but enjoyment.' Z.T. Beijing, China

It was very inspiring E.W. Lublin, Poland

' . . varied and wonderful'. J.T. Geneva, Switzerland

'Interdisciplinary cross-fertilization of scholarship, music, art, and
poetry.' H. K. Osaka, Japan

'Well organized with plenty of varied activities.' J.C. California, USA

'I liked best the high level of the Festival.' E.C. Croatia

'What i liked best was the variety of events.' W.A. Chester, UK

'The Festival was very well organised' - A.S. Russia

'The Hopkins Summer School surprizes us with its ever greater
variety.'I.B. Czech Republic

Complete strangers are old friends . . music and laughter. Go!
M.K. Turin, Italy

I had a great time in Monasterevin. It was a wonderful experience.
Chie Itoh, 2001,
E.Z. Tokyo, Japan

Excellently organised! A-M. B. Nantes, France

Everything was excellently organised. E. C. (2001) Croatia

I have to say it was the best-organised festival I have ever participated in.
Anatoly Kudrasvitsky, Poet, Moscow, Russia

Everything was just perfect. I enjoyed all the arts, poetry, music, dancing,
lectures and the Multi-lingual Translation Workshop. The most wonderful
thing was the presence of participants on the Youth Programme. S.O. (Japan).

The Gerard Manley Hopkins Archive since 1987
Irish sculptor James McKenna and The Gerard Manley Hopkins Monument
Desmond Egan, Artistic Director
The Gerard Manley Hopkins Youth Probramme