‘Currach,
caoineadh
& ciúnas’:
Listening to the land’s story
22nd-24th May 2026
With Kerri ní Dochartaigh
What does it mean to be with the land at this time? To listen, to learn, to unlearn , to open?
In this weekend retreat we will be with the mythical, ancestral land surrounding The Song House in a respectful, heart widening, healing way. We will spend time with writers who have long known the tender, transformative power of sitting with ancestors, with grief, with loss and with deep love. Being with place has long been a way, on this island, to weave a truth that transcends the ones we are fed as absolute. Together we will place our own truth on the page, allowing all that needs to be shared to be truly honoured . Stories of moss, deer, wren, waterfall. Tales of grandmother’s grandmother’s grandmother, of the old ways, of the liminal places between the cracks.
Let’s find our way back to the beginning through listening, honouring and making; as we always have done.
About the Teacher…
Kerri ní Dochartaigh is a mother, writer and grower. She is moved by the way we tend and attend: to ourselves; to one another; to the living world. She has written for The Guardian, BBC, RTE, The Irish Times and others. Her first book, Thin Places, was awarded the Butler Literary Award 2022, and highly commended for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2021.
Cacophony of Bone was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2023. She was Writer-In-Residence for CELT and The Woodland League in Autumn and Winter 2025. She lives in Clare with her family.
Kerri ní Dochartaigh
The Song House
The Song House is a beautiful extended Irish Cottage on the Northwest Donegal coast (2 minutes drive from the centre of Falcarragh), with the garden and every room overlooked by Muckish Mountain. Under the stewardship of Janice and James Simmons in it’s previous incarnation as The Poet’s House, it was a hub of literary activity, hosting such poets as Seamus Heaney, Billy Collins, Paul Durcan, John Montague, and Carol Ann Duffy. The Poet’s House was the fist organisation in Ireland to offer an MA in creative writing.
Accommodation
The course is based at the Song House, with a range of accommodation options to suit different needs and budgets. Places are limited and allocated on a first-come basis.
Accommodation is simple, comfortable, and shared in spirit. We have a library, a full-featured kitchen, spacious communal room and access to a beautiful garden with a stunning view of Muckish mountain.
Meals
Breakfasts and lunches will be provided by the Song House. Evening meals are not provided and are organised communally or independently. There are easily accessible local shops, and a number of good restaurants between 5-25 minutes drive of the house.
Costs
Base Course Fee: €300
(Covers full teaching programme, use of the Song House, hosting, facilitation, breakfasts and lunches)
Total Prices (Course + Accommodation)
Choose the option that suits you. All prices below are the full amount per person for the course.
(Accommodation options are limited and allocated on a first-come basis)
Course Dates
22nd - 24th
MAY 2026
Arrival: 4pm onwards
Departure: 10am
Booking & Payment
A deposit is of €150 is required to secure your place.
The balance is due six weeks before the course begins.
Accommodation preferences are requested at booking and confirmed subject to availability
