Summer camps in Ireland are becoming more sophisticated, offering an ever-widening variety of ideas to keep your children and teenagers active during the holidays, writes Louise Holden
The big-production summer camps of the US are a million miles from the traditional Irish offering - table tennis and a teatime disco in the local national school. However, the landscape is gradually changing here with a greater level of commercialisation creeping into the market. The arrival of the Horizons Centre to Westport, Co Mayo marks a new stage in the growth of the sector. A residential camp for children as young as eight, with weekly fees of €500-plus, Horizons is proof that the Irish summer camp is going upmarket.
The trend continues across the sector with high-spec offerings from groups such as Let's Go in Cork and Killary Adventure Centre in Galway. Extreme sports, multimedia dance productions and intensive driving lessons are just some of the 21st-century additions to the old summer camp format.
If you have a 13-year-old boy racer just itching to take your car out and wrap it around a lamppost, the driving school is the latest summer diversion for teenagers and is offered as part of the summer camp programme at Wilson's College in Mullingar, Co Westmeath. How to drive, road awareness, rules of the road, car maintenance and road rage - come September your child will be driving himself to school.
For those looking for a low-cost, local option in Dublin South, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is offering a range ofsports activities for children throughout the summer. Read on . . .
Adventure Camps
Killary Adventure Co
Leenane, Connemara, Co Galway Tel: 095-43411 E-mail: adventure@killary.com www.killaryadventure.com
Residential summer camp programme for eight-year-olds upwards. Five-day programme June to August. Range of sports and activities such as hill-walking, rock- climbing, kayaking. Non-residential summer camp includes activities and lunches.
Horizon's Westport Summer Camp
Westport, Co Mayo Tel: 098-50290
Horizon's Wilson's Summer Camp
Mullingar, Co Westmeath Tel: 098-50290 www.horizonireland.com
Based in Wilson's College, Mullingar, this is an American-style summer camp with diverse activity in a residential setting for eight-year-olds and up. Surfing, kayaking, archery, gymnastics, judo, hip-hop, drama and driving programme etc. June to August.
Camp Rockwell
Rockwell College, Cashel, Co Tipperary Tel: 062-61444 www.rockwell-college.ie
The longest-running multi-activity camp in Ireland. Supervised activity programmes, weekly excursions and activity evenings. Indoor heated swimming pool, two gyms, a nine-hole golf course etc.
Delphi Adventure Company
Leenane, Connemara, Co Galway Tel: 095-42208 www.delphiadventureholidays.ie
Adventure holidays for unaccompanied eight- to 17-year-olds in July and August. Fully escorted travel and a wide range of activities. Ocean adventures include surfing, kayaking and swimming. Forest adventures include archery and orienteering. Mountain adventures include rock-climbing.
Let's Go Multi Sports Camp
Tel: 021-4877111 E-mail: info@letsgo.ie
Camps all over the country for five- to 13-year-olds. Separate programme of activities for the five- to six-year-olds and the seven- to 13-year-olds. Within these two programmes the children will be subdivided into smaller groups.
Westwood Club
Leopardstown Racecourse, Leopardstown, Dublin 18 Tel: 01-2893208
June to August 31st, 10am to 3pm daily. The multi-activity camps include basketball, swimming, soccer and hip-hop dance for ages five to seven and eight to 12. Participants can take a one-week course or more, up to eight weeks.
Science and Technology
Whizzkids Summercamp
Tel: 061-339178 www.whizzkids.ie.
Fun with technology for children from nine to 15. Using state-of-the-art computer facilities at Ireland's universities, children learn how to design their own websites, use digital cameras and make films. Camps in DCU, UCD, UCC and NUI Galway. Camps run throughout July and August from 9.30am to 4pm. This year there is a residential camp running in UL from August 13th, with an emphasis on film-making.
Anyone 4 Science?Tel: 087-6749608 E-mail: anyone4science@eircom.net www.anyone4science.com
Summer camps for children aged between seven and 12 during July in IT Tallaght, Rathgar, Bray and Ashford. Recycling and alternative energy, separating mixtures and investigating the chemical and physical properties of sticky solutions.
Environment
Wild and Wonderful Art
Airfield House, Dundrum, Dublin 14. Tel: 01-2984301 E-mail: paula@airfield.ie
Nature trails and arts and crafts for ages eight to 11 from August 7th to 17th. Airfield adventure camp runs from July 9th to August 3rd for five- to 11-year-olds.
Kippure Education Centre
Kippure Estate, near Blessington, Co Wicklow Tel: 01-4582889 www.kippure.com
Provides environmental and outdoor activity-based learning programmes for school and youth groups. Outdoor education and eco-adventure days. Family days in July and August.
Cookery
Food Active Summer Camp
St Conleth's College, Dublin 4 Tel: 086-8066111 www.foodactive.ie
Week/fortnight cooking and nutrition course with Garth McColgan and L'Écrivain's Derry Clarke. With sports/activity in the afternoon. Runs weekly from June until August from 9am to 4pm. Mornings comprise cookery classes etc. Afternoons of soccer, basketball and tag rugby. Choice of one or two weeks.
Taste
Rathdown School, Glenageary, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin Tel: 086-8571074 www.tinadunne.com
For girls and boys aged eight to 13, the Taste programme runs during July and August. Participants will have the opportunity to cook dishes that they will be able to cook again at home for family and friends.
Junior Chef Cookery School
Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co DublinTel: 01-2780382 www.juniorchef.ie
A four or five-day course where the children learn how to cook healthy food in a fun environment. Courses for four- to eight- and nine- to 12-year-olds run from 10am to 2pm. Courses for 13- to 16-year-olds run from 3pm to 5.30pm
Fairyhouse Food & Wine School
Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath, Co Meath Tel: 086-8831124 www.fairyhousecookery.com
At her purpose-built cookery school, located beside Fairyhouse Racecourse, Billie O'Shea and her team provide small group teaching sessions with demonstrations of cooking techniques. Fully supervised, fully equipped workstations. Sample what you cook. Refreshments /ingredients provided.
Busy Bee Summer School of Cooking
Ballinclea Heights, Killiney, Co Dublin
Tel: 01-2858674
E-mail: busybeeschool@eircom.net
Weekly June 12th to mid-August (three courses overall). Kids aged 11 to 16 can learn culinary secrets and cooking techniques at this well-established cookery school run by Bee Mannix-Walsh.
Sport
NIB Summer Soccer Schools
Tel: 1890-653653 (1890-OLE-OLE) www.summersoccerschools.ie
The official soccer schools of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) are open to boys and girls aged seven to 15 and will take place this year in 220 venues nationwide. This year will see the addition of a completely new kit and football for each participant.
Blackrock/Templeogue/Ballsbridge soccer and rugby
Tel: 01-2882111
Intensive soccer and rugby coaching for ages five and six. June, July and August at Blackrock RFC, Stradbrook Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin; St Mary's RFC, Templeville Road, Templeogue, Dublin 6 and Wanderers FC, Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
SportWays Hockey 2007
www.sportways.com. Contact: Andrew Kenny. Tel: 087-8207538
Featuring top international players and coaches, the clinics cater for players of all abilities from nine to 16. Limited places left. Reserve your place online. Dublin - National Hockey Stadium, UCD: Clinic 1: June 4th - 8t. Clinic 2: June 11th - 15th. Clinic 3: July 9th - 13th. Cork - Garryduff Sports Centre. Clinic 1: July 2nd - 6th.Clinic 2: July 23rd - 27th. Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club Camp 1: Tuesday, August 7th - Monday, August 13th. Camp 2: Tuesday, August 14th to Monday August 20th.
Parks Tennis
Tel: 01-8338711 E-mail: parkstennis@eircom.net www.parkstennis.com
Tennis lessons at courts in public parks, schools and community centres in 24 counties in the Republic and Northern Ireland. In 160 venues nationwide. Boys and girls ages six to 17. Low-cost subsidised programme for beginners and improvers.
Mick Smyth Tennis Camp
Tel: 01-4505341. E-mail: mesmyth@gmail.com
This well-established tennis camp with indoor facilities based at Terenure College, Dublin, is for social players, beginners and intermediate players aged six to 18 from July 2nd to August 17th. All qualified Tennis Ireland coaches.
Basketball Camps at the National Basketball Arena
Tel: 01-4590211
Week-long senior and junior camps. Juniors: July 23rd - 27th, August 20th - 24th. Seniors: July 16th - 20th, August 13th - 17th.
GAA Vhi Cúl Camps
www.vhiculcamps.gaa.ie or contact your local county co-ordinator
Running throughout the summer from Monday to Friday, 10am to 2.30pm, in all 32 counties. For primary school children aged seven to 13 years. Activities include skills coaching, games and competitions in both hurling, camogie and football.
Summer Scrummage Camps
Tel: 01-6084344 www.irishrugby.ie
Seventy-five nationwide rugby summer camps (20 more than last year) for boys and girls between the ages of six and 13, sponsored by Ulster Bank in association with the IRFU. Five-day camps from 9.30am to 1.30pm each day, July and August.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Sports Development Office Summer Activities 2007
www.dlrcoco.ie/sports. 01-2054700
• Snorkelling at Bullock Harbour, in association with Trident Sub-Aqua. Participants must be 12 years and over with swimming skills. Project runs over a number of Sundays during the summer months.
• Funky Fundays at Monkstown Pool and Fitness Centre. Week of July 9th to 13th. Swimming and various other fun sports activities for a half-day programme.
• Basketball Camp at UCD Sports Centre. July 16th to 19th.
• Multi Sports Camp, at Monkstown Pool and Fitness Centre. August 7th to 10th. This camp will include soccer, basketball, hockey and swimming for children aged seven to 17. Soccer Blitz during July and August. Watch website for availability.
Community Games
Tel: 01-8728203
The Community Games caters for most ages up to under-17 in various events. Contact your local area games secretary, Dublin Community Games to check if your locality is entering teams in any events. There are team and individual events, and the emphasis is on participation and fun.
Gaeilge
Gael-Linn Summer Irish Schools
Tel: 1890-675675/01-6751200
Gaeltacht Summer Colleges located in the Cork, Mayo and Donegal Gaeltachts in June, July and August for students aged 11 to 18. New college in Coláiste Bun an Inbher, Gweedore
Ógras
6 Sráid Fhearchair, Baile Átha Cliath 2 Tel: 01-4751487
Five-day Irish Language Summer Camps for seven- to 13-year-olds in July and August. Venues in Dublin, Wicklow, Mayo, Kildare, Derry, Donegal, Cork, Galway, Kerry.
Sailing and Surfing
Irish Sailing Association
Tel: 01-2800239 www.sailing.ie
Young sailors and windsurfers can take lessons at one of the many sailing centres throughout the Republic.
Westport Horizon Centre
Tel: 098-50290 www.horizonireland.com
Wet and Wild surfing camp, Westport. Residential programme for one week or two weeks, 13- to 16-year-olds.
Oceanic Manoeuvres Surf Summer Camps
Red Cottage, Tramore, Co Waterford Tel: 051-390944
Gremmie Turtle Club, six- to eight-year- olds. Surf and beach camp for eight- to 14-year-olds. Team Zone for 11- to 17-year- olds. All equipment supplied. Family Fun Clubs July and August Saturdays for children from six up with adults and nine up with/without an adult.
Art and Photography
The Ark Cultural Centre for Children
Tel: 01-6707788 www.ark.ie
See the toys of the past and build the toys of the future at the Ark in Dublin's Temple Bar this summer in July and August. An exhibition of the must-have toys from the last century to today with toy-building workshops and interactive play zone.
Pine Forest Art Centre
www.pineforestcentre.com. Glencullen, Kilternan, Dublin 18 Tel: 01-2941220
Courses June, July and August. Two-week courses for ages five to 12 and 13 to 16. Also two-week and four-week portfolio preparation courses for ages 17 to 19 in August. Private buses from suburbs for summer courses.
Music and Dance
Children's Summer Series at the National Concert Hall
Tel: 01-4086789 www.nch.ie
Summer Camp from July 9th to 13th, 10am-2.30pm. Specially devised programme is suitable for ages seven to nine, and will feature a variety of musical and fun activities. Participants will compose a group piece for performance on the final day as well as discovering a variety of different instruments and rhythms during the week with a team of professional musicians.
Ballet Ireland
Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise, Co Laois Tel: 0502-63355; Glór Irish Music Centre, Ennis, Co Clare Tel: 065-6843103; Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co Wicklow Tel: 01-2724030; Civic Theatre, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Tel: 01-4627477; An Grianán, Letterkenny, Co Donegal Tel: 01-9120777; Burnavon Arts Centre, Cookstown, Co Tyrone Tel: 048-86769949; Moat Theatre, Naas, Co Kildare Tel: 045-883030; Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath Tel: 046-909 2300; Simon Ryan Theatre, Tipperary, Co Tipperary Tel: 062-80520
Week-long courses on the theme of Cinderella. Each week focuses not only on dance, but also on mime, music and the dramatic elements that combine to make a complete ballet. At the end of each week there will be an onstage performance open to all - parents, friends, neighbours and the general public. Participation open to all from age six to adults, boys and girls, experienced or first-timers.
National Performing Arts School
PO Box 8943, Dublin 4 Tel: 01-6684035 www.npas.ie.
The National Performing Arts School (NPAS) has just added a new course of drop-in classes in Street Dance/Hip-Hop which are pay as you attend, priced at €10 per class and open to anyone aged from 11 to 18. NPAS also offer summer programmes in dance, drama and music.
For more ideas, events and activities, see www.primarytimes.net/whatson.htm
