Irish Bahá'í Summer School 2010
31 July - 8 August
Who is Writing the Future?
About
The 2010 Irish Bahá’í Summer School will be held at Kilkenny College situated just fifteen minutes walk from the historic and picturesque town of Kilkenny. The School offers an exciting well balanced programme for everybody based around the theme – Who is Writing the Future.
There are Children’s Classes, a Junior Youth Programme, a Youth Programme and a Programme for Adults – the latter offering a mixture of plenary sessions and in-depth courses. In addition to these sessions and cources, each evening there will be a full and varied programme of Arts and Activity based workshops open to everyone.
As well as these formal sessions there will also be informal sessions throughout the week and also the usual compliment of entertainment and sports activities.
Kilkenny College offers many areas suitable for casual recreation, relaxation and chatting and if at any time you are feeling in need of reading materials or refreshments, these will all be available to you from our Bookshop, Coffee Shop and Tuck Shop.
Kilkenny College has a variety of accommodation. As a boarding school most of the accommodation is in four and six-bedded rooms but it also has some smaller rooms and even a number of single rooms. Some of the rooms have en-suite bathrooms and all have access to nearby bathroom and toilet facilities.
Rooms will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. However, as this is quite a big premises it is likely that we will be able to cater for all who wish to attend. The accommodation is all reasonable – some of it is even quite good - but it is important to remember that while perfectly adequate this is still boarding school as opposed to hotel accommodation.
If you wish to apply for a single room please note this on your registration form. There are a limited number of single rooms and many will be allocated on the basis of need. However, we hope to have some single rooms to spare. There will be a small single room supplement in cases where there is no particular need but simply a preference. However, there are plenty of multi-bedded rooms that are very suitable for families and small groups.
Bedding and bed linen is provided in the rooms. Towels are not provided.
If you, your children or any members of your party have any special needs please let us know well in advance. While we cannot guarantee to meet your needs we will do our utmost to do so and therefore need plenty of notice of all special requirements.
As usual, the principle of universal participation will be paramount at our School and anyone not already providing a service at the school will be afforded a fabulous opportunity for universal participation - via the Rota! At Registration you will receive your three Rota duties.
Please turn up at the required time for your rota duty, even if this means missing a small part of the session. Your Summer School needs you!
Programme
This year we are delighted to have a number of very interesting speakers at the school.
We are also fortunate to have internationally renowned speaker and author Mr Nadier Saiedi who, in addition to his course, will be giving three plenary sessions addressing the Theme of the school, 'Who is Writing / Creating the Future?' and one further session on The Writings of the Báb.
Other interesting sessions include:
- How the Faith influences Governance / The External World - Dan Wheatley
- The Beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi - Ashling Jackson
- Development - the challenges of working with Junior Youth - Brian O'Toole
- Confidence building - Paddy Honan
Each morning and all weekend sessions will be plenary. In addition to the plenary sessions a wide range of courses are being offered each day from Tuesday to Friday.
As well as plenary sessions there will be a number of courses on offer. Please make your course choices on the appropriate part of the registeration form. Some courses have a restriction on numbers so though we will endeavour to give everyone their first choice as this may not be possible we would ask you to choose three courses and rank in order of preference.
The courses will be on twice a day from Tuesday to Friday and are as follows:
- Overall message and World View of the Báb ...more
- The Will and Testament of Abdul Bahá ...more
- The Kitáb-i-Aqdas ...more
- The Bahá'í Writings and Human Rights ...more
- Building the World Order: Guidance from the Universal House of Justice ...more
- Science and Religion ...more
- Life Skills - a practical approach ...more
-
A Graceful integration of the Arts into the Core
Activities ...more - The Bahá'í Faith & Catholicism ...more
- Happy Children, The Challenges and Joys of Parenting ...more
- The Dawn Breakers ...more
- The Secret of Divine Civilization ...more
- Upon a Strong Foundation ...more
Youth
This year’s Youth Programme will include a number of exciting speakers and a course on relationships by Daniel Lord. ...more
Junior Youth
Omeid Hallem and Daniel Braunstein will be conducting the main part of the Junior Youth programme.
Children
There will be a full programme of Children’s Classes and activities.
Crèche
There is a professionally-run Crèche available for babies and children under 3
Location
Kilkenny is a medieval city of 24,000 people acclaimed internationally as a centre for craft and design. Technology, Tourism, Craft & Design and food processing are the main industries in the county. Within Ireland, Kilkenny is probably most famous for its dominance in hurling – the national sport. Each year Kilkenny hosts a number of international festivals and the city is a very popular tourist destination.
This medieval city is characterised by many beautifully restored buildings and winding slipways - it is small and compact enough to explore on foot, yet full of fascinating historical buildings and contemporary shops, design galleries and restaurants.
The ancient city of Kilkenny was named after a 6th century monk St Canice. His memory lives on in the beautifully restored St Canice’s Cathedral, built overlooking the city in the thirteenth century. Kilkenny Castle , one of the most magnificent castle's in Ireland was built by the Normans who arrived in the city during the 12th century.
For more information on Kilkenny click here.
Education has long been at the heart of Kilkenny. A college of vicars’ choral was established at St. Canice’s Cathedral in the thirteenth century and in 1538 Piers Butler, Earl of Ormonde and his wife, Margaret, founded a school to the west of the Cathedral. James, first Duke of Ormonde, established Kilkenny College c.1666. It soon became a famous school and so, in the 1780s, a new College was built on the same site overlooking the river Nore. The Georgian building, with its elegant facade, now houses the offices of the County Council.
The College has had a long list of famous past pupils. The best known is undoubtedly Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels who went on to become Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Another famous alumni was George Berkeley the philosopher who went on to become Bishop of Cloyne and ultimately gave his name to the University City of Berkeley in California. Other famous names include William Congreve and George Farqhuar (both Restoration playwrights), John Banim, Thomas Prior (founder of the Royal Dublin Society) and David Beatty (1st Sea Lord at the Battle of Jutland in 1916).
In 1985 the College moved to a green-field site on the Castlecomer road. Comprising an attractive complex of classrooms, dormitories, catering and dining facilities. it is The Kilkenny College of today is set on a landscaped 50-acre site framed by mature trees and it is the largest co-educational boarding school in Ireland.
Prices
Full Week Prices
| Child* | Over 15 | OAP / Student | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Board | €115 | €230 | €170 |
| Board Only | €62 | €125 | €80 |
| Camping Only | €30 | €70 | €50 |
| Camping and Meals | €82 | €165 | €120 |
| Meals & Registration | €77 | €155 | €115 |
| Registration Only | €25 | €50 | €40 |
*Children under 5 are free
Day Prices
| Child* | Over 15 | OAP / Student | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Board | €20 | €40 | €30 |
| Board Only | €10 | €20 | €14 |
| Camping Only | €4 | €10 | €8 |
| Camping and Meals | €15 | €30 | €21 |
| Meals & Registration | €12 | €25 | €20 |
| Registration Only | €5 | €10 | €7 |
*Children under 5 are free
| 1. Prices for First Weekend | Child* | Over 15 | OAP / Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Board | €40 | €80 | €60 |
| Camping and Meals | €30 | €60 | €45 |
| 2. Prices for Last Weekend | |||
| Full Board | €35 | €70 | €53 |
| Camping and Meals | €25 | €50 | €38 |
| 3. Prices for Both Weekends | |||
| Full Board | €70 | €140 | €105 |
| Camping and Meals | €50 | €100 | €75 |
*Children under 5 are free
- Includes accomodation or camping and all meals from dinner on Saturday 31st July til dinner on Monday 1st August
- Includes accomodation or camping and all meals from dinner on Firday 6th august til brunch on Sunday 8th August
- Includes 1. and 2. above
Register
Please download the School Registration Form and fill it out. The completed registration form should be returned to the School Registrar by post or by email.
A non-refundable €30 deposit is required for each adult attending the school. This should be paid within two weeks of registration in order to secure your place at the school. The deposit can be paid in the following two ways:
- by cheque denominated in Euro and made out to the NSA of The Bahá'ís of the Republic of Ireland. The cheque should be sent to the School Registrar.
- by wire. The account details can be obtained from the School Registrar.
Downloads
In order to access the dowload directory for the school brochure, price list and registration form, you may be prompted for username and password. The details required are:
| User Name: | f103480.summerschool |
| Password: | school!2010 |
Contact
Registrar Contact
Corinne Goggins,24 Burlington Rd,
Dublin 4
IRELAND
Tel : +353-1- 6682870
Email: irishsummerschool@bahai.ie
| Given By: | Nader Saiedi |
| Details: | Writings of the Bab: A detailed discussion of the substantive worldview that is offered by the writings of the Báb. The profound and mesmerizing character of the writings of the Bab is the best well-kept secret in the history of the new revelation. This course is a concrete call for understanding the Bahá'í Faith as a the unity of the Twin revelations. |
| Given By: | Brendan McNamara |
| Details: |
Repeat Course - due to demand! Exciting in-depth exploration of this significant work of Abdul-Bahá. Please bring copy of text. |
| Given By: | Caroline Smith |
| Details: |
Repeat Course - due to demand! Exciting in-depth exploration of this major work of Bahá’u’lláh. Please bring copy of text. |
| Given By: | Dan Wheatley |
| Details: | How do the concepts of human rights fit with the Revelation of Bahá’ú’lláh and the dawning of a New World Order? The human rights discourse embraces a set of ideas that have progressed from the margins of society to the heart of the establishment. Whilst human rights are regarded as sacred by those who defend, there has been a backlash of scepticism about the term as the progressive enshrinement of human rights into law has occurred. The course will examine the issue of human rights through the perspective of the Bahá’í Writings and will include study of both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í sources on the subject matter. We will examine the evolution of the ideas of human rights and looking at how they relate to the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith, as well as discussing the distinguishing features of a Bahá’í discourse on human rights. |
| Given By: | ABM Ann O’Sullivan |
| Details: | Drawing on material from a variety of sources this course is an exploration of how the Supreme Body guides the process of civilization building, with particular though not exclusive reference to the last fifteen years. The course will enable us to deepen our understanding of our "world-embracing, continually consolidating activities" which "constitute the one integrating process in a world whose institutions, secular as well as religious, are for the most part dissolving." By the end of it we will have a greater understanding of "the silent growth of that orderly world polity whose fabric" we ourselves are weaving, under the loving care and guidance of the Universal House of Justice. The book Turning Point will be a significant work of reference for this course. |
| Given By: | Les Gornel |
| Details: | No further details available. |
| Given By: | Ardawan Lalui |
| Details: | The art of living: A Perspective. This simple and yet practical course will address a number of life issues such as "discovering your potential and your goals", "planning your goals", "executing your plan", "creating balance" and "solving problems". This course is suitable for people of all ages and all backgrounds. |
| Given By: | Adib Taherzadeh Training Institute |
| Details: | A course for everybody, whether they consider themselves to be creative or not. It is inspired by the Universal House of Justice which said in its letter of December 27th 2005: "A graceful integration of the arts into diverse activities enhances the surge of energy that mobilizes the believers." Facilitated by the Adib Taherzadeh Training Institute Board, the course will cover the integration of drama & storytelling, music, crafts and other artistic expressions into the four core activities. |
| Given By: | Association of Bahá'í Studies |
| Details: | The Course will cover a number of topics from a Bahá'í perspective, including the administration system in Catholicism, the priesthood, Papal infallibility, the Eucharist and other sacraments, the virgin Mary in Catholicism, and the Apostles' Creed. It aims to give Baha'is a better understanding of the Catholic church and the common ground between it and the Bahai' Faith. Hopefully this will facilitate better teaching of and dialogue with Catholics and those from a Catholic background. |
| Given By: | Ken & Sabina Nagle |
| Details: | No further details available. |
| Given By: | Matthew Kennedy & Friends |
| Details: |
Featuring inspiring epos Very suitable for those who have an interest in further exploring the Bahá'í Faith and their friends. |
| Given By: | Sohaila Loftus |
| Details: |
Repeat Course - due to demand! The Secret of Divine Civilization A group study /discussion of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Treatise, described by the Beloved Guardian as "...'Abdu'l-Baha's outstanding contribution to the future reorganization of the world." There will be a study guide, and the aim will be to cover the entire book together. Bringing a copy of the book would make it easier for participants to take home their own notes and markings for later reference and further study. |
| Given By: | Derry & Kevin O'Malley |
| Details: |
This course aims to present scientific support for the model of emotional/spiritual
wellbeing enshrined in the Bahá'í Faith. To identify and expand on the innate spiritual and emotional needs and resources highlighted in the Bahá'í Faith. To present the tools and knowledge to build on those resources, drawn from the Bahá'í Faith and supported by scientific research, and to outline how an understanding of these concepts is beneficial to our individual development and service to the Plan of the House of Justice. We are presenting this course to highlight new scientific research and organising Ideas that validate the underlying principles of unity and wellbeing, both personal and communal, espoused in the Bahá'í Faith. The benefits of understanding and being aware of this new research is; a refined perception of the influence of Bahá'u'lláh's message on the world outside of the Bahá'í community, and the twin processes at play (disintegration and integration.) and the development of an understanding of the role of science and religion in the fulfilment of mans personal and global potential. |
| Given By: | Daniel Lord |
| Details: | Youth Course. 14 - 18 year olds. |
Registrar Contact
Corinne Goggins,24 Burlington Rd,
Dublin 4
IRELAND
Tel : +353-1- 6682870
Email: irishsummerschool@bahai.ie
In order to access the dowload directory for the school brochure, price list and registration form, you may be prompted for username and password. The details required are:
| User Name: | f103480.summerschool |
| Password: | school!2010 |
