← All events
seasonal · Sunday 26 July 2026 · Various 
Scoil Acla Summer School
At Various venues on Achill Island · Achill Island, Co. Mayo
At Various venues on Achill Island · Achill Island, Co. Mayo
Scoil Acla has been one of the great anchors of traditional Irish culture on the west coast for decades. Revived in 1985 - though its roots go back to 1910 - this week-long summer school on Achill Island draws musicians, singers, dancers, writers and learners from across Ireland and well beyond, with regular participants travelling from the United States and Japan. If you play an instrument, want to start one, are curious about the Irish language in its Achill form, or simply want to spend a week immersed in live trad music in one of the most striking landscapes in Ireland, this is a genuinely worthwhile reason to make the journey west.
The school runs from 26 July to 1 August 2026 across various venues on the island. Daytime classes cover a full range of traditional instruments - fiddle, tin whistle, flute, concertina, accordion, harp, banjo and uileann pipes - with tuition available for all ages and skill levels, from complete beginners to experienced players looking to sharpen their technique. Irish language classes focus specifically on Gaeilg’ Acla, the distinctive Achill dialect, and sean-nós singing is also taught.
Beyond the classroom, the school brings in writers’ workshops, poetry readings, drama, art exhibitions and visual arts courses - so the programme reaches well past music alone. Evenings come alive with ceilis, informal sessions and concerts. One of the most loved traditions is the Hata Acla, a family music competition rooted in an old Achill custom where a communal hat was shared among those who had none - it has evolved into a warm, characterful competition that captures the spirit of the whole week. Instructors are drawn from some of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians. Places fill quickly, and several courses in recent years have had waiting lists.
Achill Island is connected to the mainland by a causeway - you drive on and off, no ferry needed. From Westport it is roughly 45 minutes by road (the N59 west through Newport and Mulranny is a fine drive in itself). From Castlebar allow about an hour. The nearest rail station is Westport, served by trains from Dublin Heuston; from there you would need to hire a car or arrange a taxi or lift, as bus connections to Achill are limited. Driving is the most practical option for a week-long school, and parking on the island is generally easy outside of peak summer weekends.
A week at Scoil Acla leaves time to take in Keem Bay, the long strand at Dugort, or the dramatic cliffs above Minaun. The island has good pubs and cafes, and the evenings during school week tend to spill into local sessions that are open to anyone. There is more to see in Achill and across Co. Mayo.
Heading to Various venues on Achill Island? Mayo has plenty more to see. Browse the area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.