Arcadia Ireland

Only a few weeks to go until our Ealu weekend in the Garden of Ireland, Co. Wicklow. Tom and I had a nice morning at the Avon on Wednesday to bring all the finer details together. The Avon, where our Ealu weekend takes place, is situated at the start of the Wicklow Greenway and only 30min drive from Dublin city. With spectacular views of Blessington Lakes and more than comfortable accommodation along with excellent locally sourced foods, it makes it an ideal place to host our biggest celebration of the Arcadia Community in Ireland.

Each Semester we try to find ways to make the weekend even better. We listen to the feedback of students and our own observations and we keep moving towards an even more successful engaging weekend experience. This time we are hosting a welcome reception (pizza) at our Center in Dublin. Its an official welcome to the Semester as students will have hopefully registered for classes, have settled into their new living environment and will be ready for a slower weekend! Once we get everyone settled into their cosy shared houses, we will experience the talent of local musician Donall Donnelly who will play traditional Irish music over afternoon tea overlooking the Blessington Lakes. We have moved our quiz to Friday night and saved the fast paced, community dance that is the Irish Ceili, to Saturday night.

On Saturday we are delighted to be joined by our very own Dr Colin Ireland. For those of you who don't know Colin, he was the Resident Director in Ireland for almost 20 years before retiring in 2011. He completed his PhD in Celtic Medievalism and is fluent in Irish (when I struggle for something to be translated from English to Irish, I ask Colin!). Colin will join us all day Saturday and speak about Irish history and in particular Round Towers, St. Kevin and the landscape of the Wicklow mountains which we will drive through.

Ireland boasts many amazing chefs and one of them is Catherine Fulvio. She is known in Ireland and beyond for her many Cookery TV series, her food writing for national and international media and for her many cookbooks (TV – NBC, BBC Saturday Kitchen – own TV and Lords and Ladles). At home she runs Ballyknocken house and Cookery School in County Wicklow where we will spend our Saturday morning! Catherine will be the head tutor on the day and each student will have a role to play in making the perfect traditional Irish lunch (Irish Country soup and delicious sweet scones). After our cookery class we will move towards her big country barn where we will enjoy our food along with proper Irish hot breakfast tea.

During Ealu, students will cook, dance, walk the landscape, learn about history, experience the breathtaking views of Glendalough, hum to the sound of Irish music, step away from their phones and their photos and celebrate the Arcadia Community in Ireland.