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family · Monday 29 June 2026 · Various 
Rockschool Summer Camp 2026
At The Glens Centre · The New Line, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim
At The Glens Centre · The New Line, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim
Rockschool has been running out of Manorhamilton since 2006, founded by Dee Armstrong - formerly of Kíla - and virtuoso guitarist Bobby Lee, winner of the Rory Gallagher Award. In the two decades since, it has put hundreds of young musicians aged 10 to 18 through an intensive week of playing, writing and performing together. The format is simple and effective: arrive on Monday as individuals, leave on Friday having played a concert with a band. If your young person has been at the guitar, bass, keys or drums for at least a year and is ready for something more than weekly lessons, this is the logical next step.
The week runs from Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July at The Glens Centre on The New Line in Manorhamilton. Days are built around ensemble work - participants are grouped into bands, coached through original material or covers, and pushed to perform rather than just practise. The programme sits under the guidance of Dee Armstrong, and the teaching team are working musicians rather than classroom teachers, so the atmosphere leans toward rehearsal room rather than school. The week ends with a Rockschool Concert, a proper public performance where family and friends can see what the camp has produced. Past alumni include members of Grooveline, some of whom went on to work professionally in music. Places are limited and the camp is known to sell out, so early booking is worthwhile. Minimum one year’s playing experience is required.
Manorhamilton sits at the meeting point of three glens in north Leitrim, about 25 km from Sligo town via the N16, and around 20 km from Enniskillen on the same road. From Dublin, the drive is roughly two and a half hours via the M4 and N4 to Sligo, then the N16 east. Bus Eireann route 64 connects Sligo to Manorhamilton, making it reachable by public transport from the north-west. The Glens Centre is on The New Line on the edge of the town centre, with parking available on site and along nearby streets.
The town is a good base for the Leitrim Glens, with walking trails, river swimming and some decent food stops within easy reach. If you are dropping a young person off for the day or collecting them for the week, it is worth having a look around. There is more to see in Manorhamilton and across Co. Leitrim.
Heading to The Glens Centre in Manorhamilton? Leitrim has plenty more to see. Read the Manorhamilton area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.