Ireland Writing Retreat Donegal

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Every song has a story, every story has a song

Such is the headline on the inside label of a CD by supremely talented Donegal-based singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Brí Carr and it ’s an extremely appropriate phrase.

For Brí is one of those naturally gifted artists who literally can turn a phrase into song and music as she did quite brilliantly during an evening of excellent entertainment on Culture Night recently that she hosted at Amharclann in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal where she is that theatre’s first-ever Artist-in-Residence.

Taking a phrase from one of the writers attending international workshops that week hosted by ‘Ireland Writing Retreat,’ she transformed the words of Bernie Doody from Omagh into a spontaneous slice of music that left seated writers from countries as diverse as Germany, Ireland and the US gasping with admiration. You’ll also appreciate Brí’s many talents in doing this by listening to the short music video above taken that very evening.

Though Brí has been writing songs since the tender age of 16,  she never performed publicly until she was in her 40s. That was due to part to derisory laughter she received by a man after she had penned a song to uplift the spirits of a close friend who had just found out she was pregnant. That song is entitled ‘Yesterday’ and, after listening, it is very hard to forgive the ignorance of the man whose only response was critical laughter.

But that is just one song in a wide-ranging portfolio created by Brí over the years and which feature on her CDs, namely ‘Full Circle/Rotha an tsaoil’ and ‘Roots/ Fréamhacha,’ as well as her singles.

Take, for example, ‘Smile Again,’ penned as a young college student in honour of her beloved Uncle John who left his native Arranmore Island in Donegal to work in the London tunnels in the summer of 1988 and sadly died just a few months later.

Extending the island theme, the place of her mother’s childhood, she then wrote ‘ Árainn Mhór,’ her first single, released in early November 2016, which captures the mystery, tradition and history of the island. It reached Nr. 3 in the Irish iTunes Charts in World Music that same week. Other songs in tribute to the island include ‘Ar an Oilean,’ ‘Where We Went To School’ and ‘Home To Shore.’

In late December 2016, her follow-up single, ‘My Father’s Legacy’ topped the charts in Easy Listening Music. It features a beautiful vocal from her then 7-year-old daughter, Caela.

Enjoying close family bonds, Brí dedicated at least three songs to her husband and children, whom she says “never fail to surprise me.” The songs include ‘How I Love Him,’  ‘Tog Mo Lamh Aris’ and ‘Bealach an tSaoil.’

Aside from song-writing, Brí, a teacher, is heavily involved in arts education.

“As a job-sharing resource teacher in Lurgybrack NS, I’m extremely fortunate in that I can develop and build upon my facilitation skills in and out of the classroom,” she states on her website. “To date I have enjoyed working with the children and staff of my own school on various school projects, from our LucyBarney School TV, Seachtain Na Gaeilge, Scór, RTE Junior and after-school music and drama. We have recorded albums for ourselves and with the Goats Don’t Shave as part of charity projects.”

Brí’s activities are multi-level. “I enjoy regular interactive workshops with other schools, mainly facilitated by Donegal County Library as part of WainFest, Ireland Reads and Spring into Storytime, which I thoroughly enjoy as it gives me the opportunity to teach and learn from students and teachers from Junior Infants all the way to Leaving Cert, creating and collaborating on new ideas, methodologies and cross-curricular activities,” she said.

As part of Peace IV, Brí was facilitator and director of several inter-school music, art and drama projects from Derry to Dunfanaghy, creating stories, exploring local heritage and cultures, bringing lively performances to the stage in Ozanam Centre, Dunfanaghy, the Workhouse, Dunfanaghy, An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny and Relay for Life Donegal.

“Collaborating with Donegal Education Centre, Donegal Women’s Centre and local schools helps me keep focus on the curriculum, and come up with new ideas for implementation in a fun and educational way,” she said.

Brí is also deeply involved in other organisations and initiatives including Blue Ribbon Arts, the Wider Horizons Project USA and Wild Atlantic Women, to name but a few. A manual by her in both Irish and English will soon be published entitled ‘The Big Blue Ribbon Book of Drama.’

International guests from Germany, the US, Romania and Ireland enjoyed musical performances by Brí and fellow artists, including her daughter, Caela (standing beside her in shorts), at Amharclann on Culture Night recently.

Her book is filled with almost thirty years of Arts in Education games, ideas and inspiration to aid fellow teachers in delivering Drama and SPHE games. She also created the ‘Ready to Rock Music Programme’ for Primary schools with CJ Fallons and is a member of ‘Wild Atlantic Women,’ a group of Donegal’s finest female artists in a wide range of genres from folk to country, traditional to modern who she said, “decided to join their voices in support of all thing Donegal.”

As for being Amharclann’s first Artist-in-Residence, pride oozes from her. “It is an honour and a privilege for me as both an artist and as a lover of west Donegal culture, language and heritage,” she said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities and challenges coming out of the Covid era, as people are beginning to re-emerge and embrace life in a careful, cautious way. What better way than through the arts, between concerts, exhibitions  theatre, music and drama  all of which are rich and abundant in the Rosses and Gweedore communities. I have been blessed with support of all ideas during the year, and as well as Oíche Chultúr, there has already been a great many stand out moments that I’ll carry with me on to the next phase of my journeys via writing, performance and community involvement.”

Brí Carr and Anne Biddie (r) make a terrific musical duet.

Brí is thankful for the opportunities she has been offered.

“I can never thank the people of Gweedore, and in particular Coiste Amharclann, for giving me this platform to further explore my work, my art and most of all, my self belief. I’ve had such growth, nurtured many new friendships and been part of countless amazing memories. I’m really excited about all the projects so far and will definitely be rowing in behind the next recipient of Artist-in-Residence, if they’ll have me, to further develop as an artist , engage more with the local community and continue my commitment to Amharclann in the years to come.”

It is certainly no surprise to learn about Brí’s favourite motto: ‘Lots to learn lots to do.’

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Interested in travel writing? Join me for a special workshop on April 10

While Ireland’s remote northwest corner may arguably be the gem of the Emerald Isle, being stuck here with a five-kilometre travel restriction during the wild, windy, wet months of winter has made me yearn to be on the road again.

  • Sean Hillen travel writer, travel writing workshop
  • Sean Hillen travel writer, travel writing workshop
  • Sean Hillen travel writer, travel writing workshop
  • Sean Hillen travel writer, travel writing workshop
  • Sean Hillen travel writer, travel writing workshop
  • Sean Hillen travel writer, travel writing workshop

As a travel writer used to new sights, smells and sounds, my forced stay-at-home lockdown has been even more difficult to handle.

Thankfully, that may soon end, with in-country travel probably permitted before June and international travel by mid-summer.

So, with Covid vaccines being distributed and the travel industry gearing up for business again, I thought it would be an enjoyable idea to share some of my experiences and host a special writing workshop for those interested in submitting their travel stories to newspapers and magazines. Or simply developing your own travel blogs.

Hungry for publicity but with little cash to pay for traditional advertising, hotels, museums, restaurants, airlines and tourism agencies will soon offer free ‘fam’ (or ‘familiarization’) visits to travel writers and bloggers. So there’s no better time to polish your writing skills and take advantage of them.

I’ve focused on travel writing for the past ten years and have been fortunate to enjoy ‘fam’ visits across Europe, the US and the Far East, to exotic countries as diverse as Iceland, Morocco and India. During that time, I’ve penned upwards of 500 stories, both short news pieces and longer color features, including those focusing on city and regional destinations, as well as hotel, restaurant and entertainment reviews. They’ve appeared in publications as different as The Irish Times, JustLuxe, Upscale Living and Fodor’s travel books, as well as my own blog, World Itineraries.

Learning more about California’s spectacular forests from a regional manager of the ‘Save the Redwoods League.

Among my ‘Regional Destinations’ stories have been northern California and Jersey Island while ‘City Destinations’ have ranged from Washington DC to Montpellier in southern France to Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford.

Quirky features I’ve written have included a dreamlike stay among the mesmerising sand dunes of the Sahara Desert and a fascinating journey in the footsteps of Scotland’s most famous novelist, Robert-Louis Stevenson, author of ‘Treasure Island.’

Rome is awash with eye-popping art. Here is its Musei Capitolini, home to the Salon of Horatii and Curatii. 

Skills I learned working as a journalist for various newspapers in the US and Europe and later as foreign correspondent for The Times, London and The Daily Telegraph helped me develop new approaches to writing about places. What I learned is part of what I want to share during my workshop. 

Writing about a luxury spa on the coast of Gran Canaria a rustic Mediterranean island retreat or an elegant riad in the heart of ancient Fez has given me ample opportunity to tackle diverse subjects.

Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris combines brilliant choreography with a hint of cheekiness.

As for entertainment, I’ve written about such dazzling and spectacular cabarets as the famous Le Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse in Paris and a dynamic salsa festival along Romania’s Black Sea coast, not to mention music and theatre venues from Boston to Barcelona.

My practical, two-hour travel writing workshop, which will take place on April 10, will focus on some of the following subjects.

Room with a View, Columba Hotel – Iona island off the west coast of Scotland offers much in the way of meditation.
  • Key elements of travel articles, from destination features to hotel, restaurant and entertainment reviews;
  • Starting a blog;
  • Effective strategies for research;
  • Writing winning pitches to editors;
  • Critiquing your own travel writing stories.

Come join us and learn the ‘write’ way to see the world. Join the Virtual Travel Writing Workshop.

And don’t forget to enter your travel story or memoir in this new competition, WAWA Love Competition, 1,000 euro prize money for 500 words.

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Helluva commotion going on in Donegal over lovable little oysters

Oysters, those soft, jelly-like little creatures that are (to some people) delicious to eat and ingeniously produce glittering pearls, are causing some bother in Ireland, especially in Donegal – or at least the greedy corporations hunting them for profit are.

And it seems the partnership government of Fine Gael-Fianna Fail and its back-up civil service are doing their utmost to prevent concerned local communities from doing anything about it.

Sitting at a public meeting this week at Falcarragh Community Centre focusing on these issues, these were the thoughts that passed through my mind as I listened to speaker after speaker give their views on controversial shellfish farming practices at Ballyness Bay near the town of Falcarragh on the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ in the Donegal Gaeltacht they consider are polluting and defacing the lovely, pristine scenery.

John Conaghan, spokesperson for the ‘Save Ballyness Bay’ committee, said four jobs would be created through aquaculture while more than 250 would be created via tourism, therefore “we should be protecting our area environmentally.” He also complained his committee had been denied inaccessibility to certain details, sometimes entire documents, pertaining to official comments made by both Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

“An official comment from Donegal County Council stated that there would be no visual impact, but the document was simply signed by a clerk,” he said. “I’ve spoken to many councillors and nobody seems to know who authorized the comments. No visual impact? Maybe, lads, you should go to Specsavers.”

Politician after politician, both local and national, including TDs, Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty and Fianna Fail’s Pat the Cope Gallagher, told around 200 concerned people that they were unable to access key information relevant to the situation.

John Shéamais Ó Fearraigh Sinn Fein local councillor and Údarás na Gaeltachta board member said he would try with whatever powers he had to obtain the information required from the council and the Irish language organization. “I will do whatever I can to help,” he said.

Fine Gael local councillor, Michael McClafferty, said he had submitted questions to the local council but had not received any answers. “It looks as if we are being thrown under the bus,” he added.

The proposed shellfish scheme could cover more than 46 hectares of sea coast in the scenic Gaeltacht region, with bags on steel trestles containing millions of oysters, with sediment accumulation beneath them and large-scale congregation of dead shells, committee members said. Licenses for 20 hectares of oyster beds have already been granted, with one site alone being over 10 hectares.

Committee member, Caitlin Ni Bhroin, said “no cost-benefit analysis has been produced for us to see” and licenses have been granted on “unsound scientific criteria, including the idea that oysters are healthy water filters, but they actually emit waste.”

Conaghan said there were many contradictions in the government’s approach. “While it granted licenses for shellfish farming, Ballyness Bay is not designated a shellfish area, but it is a special area of conservation.” He said Inland Fisheries Ireland declared the bay a valuable fishing asset.

“We are against all oyster harvesting in Ballyness Bay, such activity will damage eco-tourism, which could bring much-needed jobs,” he said. “Gaps, mistakes and assumptions sums up the government’s approach. If community concerns had been addressed properly, we’d not be standing here talking.”

He said the ‘Save Ballyness Bay’ committee was being assisted by Belfast-based Pat Finucane Centre.

Commending the committee on its efforts, Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty stated clearly, “My firm belief is that this scheme is anti-community and the application process is not fit for purpose, they are not being given properly and there is a lack of clarity.” He said three years ago he had sent a letter to the relevant ministry and department questioning the decision process, adding “construction cannot begin until all appeals have been heard, which could take several years.”

Being a long time, staunch member of Fianna Fail, part the ‘partnership government,’ Pat the Cope Gallagher, was obviously in a bit of a conundrum. While he offered to find out more information and report back to committee members, he went into a bit of a tantrum when I asked him to say ‘yes or no’ whether he agreed with the ‘Save Ballyness Bay’ committee’s views.

Now, credit being given, Pat is a wily politician, that comes with being forty years and more in politics. Maybe I spoke harshly when I said that his spiel was (to quote myself) “pure politics, filled with generalities and trivialities.” That he took offence was his right. That he tossed the microphone down (as someone said, “like a baby throwing out its dummy-tit”) is also his democratic right.

But he still didn’t answer my question.

Instead, he said previous situations had occurred near his home in Dungloe similar to the one at Ballyness but he “didn’t get involved in them,” but said he did pass on letters he had received from local people to the relevant minister.

At the meeting, two members of Aontú pledged their support, with one young member saying as the shellfish farms were adding to the carbon footprint, people had a right to know more.

Local resident, Mary Attenborough, said while a proper environmental impact study was required, so-called experts were all vetted by the government, and that bias might occur in their reporting.

Committee members were still unsure if licenses already granted were strictly non-transferrable.

One challenge facing the committee is the expense involved in appealing licenses. Each one must be appealed separately at a cost of 200 euro each, with a time limit for appeals being four weeks from date of the government’s decision on December 4.

Columbia Hillen, my wife who is from Romania but concerned about the environment, stood up and asked if those local people who had applied for licenses would show support for the local committee by refusing to accept them even if they were granted. None of those applicants in the hall – and there were some present – said anything. One of the applicants, Seamus O’ Donnell who owns Cluain Na d’Tor (Seaside Nursery Garden) in Falcarragh had gone as far as saying he is “having second thoughts” about his application for over 4.4 hectares of aquaculture if granted. But has he withdrawn his application?

For full information on all applications see HERE.

One speaker said Ballyness Bay was one of the best surfing areas, comparable to Hawaii and western Australia, creating strong tourism income. “Let’s try to keep it that way by not spoiling the scenery.”

Another speaker summed up feelings of many people present, “Governments that treat people with disdain, usually get their comeuppance.”

Sean Hillen is co-founder of Gaoth Dobhair based ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’  and author of the contemporary novel, ‘Pretty Ugly,’  linking Donegal and the United States.

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Whirlwind US ‘Pretty Ugly’ book tour: Tucson, New York, Kansas City, Fredericksburg…

Speaking recently before audiences of high-level academics, medical leaders and journalists and editors in diverse settings across the United States about my novel, ‘Pretty Ugly,’ has been a most exhilarating and gratifying experience.

Even more gratifying was the positive response from Americans about Donegal. Most – including those who had been to Ireland almost every year for decades – had never been to the ‘Forgotten County.’ Hearing about northwest Ireland’s key location role in my novel’s drama, many said they were intrigued to visit the region. One up for literary tourism.

Now back in the quiet, bucolic landscape of Bloody Foreland right behind my house, I find myself remembering many of the enjoyable and challenging moments during those pivotal weeks, from Kansas cornfields to Big Apple skyscrapers, while of course, internally evaluating what I consider I did right and what I could have done better.

And ultimately, thanking my lucky stars for the opportunity to embark on such a whirlwind tour that took me from Tucson, Arizona to Kansas City, Missouri to Fredericksburg, Virginia, with Florida and New York sandwiched between.

In Tucson, I had the privilege to talk before an august gathering of some of the best women doctors in Arizona in an event organized by Dr. Sandra Katz, three-term president of the of the Tucson Society of Women Physicians. Ranging from cardiologists and gynecologists to neurologists and orthopedic surgeons, they were all deeply interested in the potential dangers from nanoparticles in everyday cosmetics and discussed openly during question time and among their peers beside them afterwards over dinner, what health problems such tiny particles could cause within the human body. Most of the doctors were intrigued and delighted that such a real-life, and somewhat controversial medical theme, could be the central thread of a novel.

Dr. Katz thanked me on behalf of the medical society for what she described as “an enlightening and fascinating presentation,” adding, “You had a room full of physicians of every specialty- from family practice, anesthesia, dermatology, obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology, plastic surgery, general surgery, orthopedics, oncology – and we were all spellbound by the facts you presented about the dangers of toxins in cosmetics.  Hopefully, your book will have an impact on the regulation of the cosmetic industry and will educate the public on the health risks.”

Meanwhile, my talk in Missouri allowed me the chance to re-visit the place where I had lived for ten years working as the medical and science correspondent for the main morning newspaper, The Kansas City Times. Warm memories flooded back of wonderful people I had met, including highly-skilled journalists such as Pulitzer-prize winning Dunstan ‘Dusty’ McNichol (now sadly departed and for whom I offer a dedication in ‘Pretty Ugly’) and Chicago-born Mike Kennedy who still plies his trade skillfully there and who, to me delightful, was able to attend my presentation.

The event itself also give me the chance to honor two other highly-regarded individuals who have had a marked effect on me during my life. The evening took place in the Diastole International Scholar’s Center beside the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, which like Diastole, was established by Dr. E. Grey Dimond, a most astute man that I had the great pleasure of meeting while I was a newly-emigrated, 20-something reporter.  Such was E. Grey’s influence on me as both a close personal friend and an educator, I used his persona for one of the lead characters in my novel – a kind-hearted doctor concerned about the health and well-being of ordinary people.

The second person is Cuban-born Felix Sabates, a leading ophthalmologist who founded the Eye Department at the medical school, the Eye Foundation and also the Sabates Eye Centers. I knew very little about the complex internal workings of that most important of human organs until I interviewed Felix many years ago. The valuable knowledge I gained then came in very useful as I began to write ‘Pretty Ugly’ and decided the eye would be the crucial organ that is badly affected by toxic nanoparticles in cosmetics in a key female character.

Warm thanks must also be given to Nancy Hill, the center’s president, without whose tireless organizational skills the whole evening soiree could not have taken place and to Phil and Kathy Chaney for being such kind and generous hosts.

As for Fredericksburg, full credit there goes to Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, journalist, political commentator, Fulbright professor, author of multiple books and founder of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, who arranged my talk before students, staff and member of the local community. I was delighted that so many of them wanted more details from me after the lecture about this ongoing healthcare controversy and were puzzled and concerned that US politicians hadn’t done more to protect peoples’ health from such potential dangers as nanoparticles about which few clinical efficacy tests have been conducted.

All in all, my three-week US tour was not only a most gratifying one but one that helped me as an author strengthen my skills in presenting my novel in an interesting and attention-grabbing way, a challenging task for any author and one I hope to talk more about at this year’s ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’ in west Donegal, the very place where much of the action of ‘Pretty Ugly’ happens.

Also, I’m delighted to announce that I have been asked to teach a practical workshop – IQ (I Question) for Creative Writers – at this year’s Belfast Book Festival linking techniques in journalism to creative writing, particularly the art of asking questions

I hope to see you there.