Kilcatherine English Centre

 Kilcatherine English Centre, run by Journalist Anne O'Carroll, is a Language School with a difference. Here, the students who come every summer, many for the second or third time, are, as Anne says, "hurled straight into Irish culture". "We speak English all the time they are here - except after 10.  I figure if they've lasted that long, they deserve a break. And anyway, by then, they've probably been to the pub. "We have English lessons in the mornings in a more formal classroom structure. Then in the afternoon we might go cycling, hill walking, visit Dursey or whatever. As well as being a lot of fun, it's a practical application of English. This house is only 80 meters from the sea."

The lucky students, who come from Japan, Germany, Russia and other far-flung countries, live in Anne's seaside cottage, and tend to make themselves at home. An increasingly popular out of school activity seems to be set-dancing.

"At first, they usually say 'oh no. I couldn't do that'. But I get them started on some simple steps, and before you know where they are, there's no stopping them. "I like to think that when people leave here, they've had a chance to enjoy the culture in addition to learning the language.

"And I think that one of the things I enjoy most about it is that there's often such an eclectic mix. People get the chance to ask if they really eat raw fish in Japan. So they are being exposed to more than Irish culture in the end". This is Anne's fifth summer running the school, and the idea grew from giving lessons to a Swiss woman friend some years ago.

And once the first happy students left these shores with a new proficiency in the language they were only glad to pass on the good news to others. "It really grew from word of mouth," Anne says. I'd send posters and leaflets to former students, and they'd put them up around campus. And I've travelled and lived in several different countries, so I have a good network of friends who were all very supportive too. "Nowadays, of course, it's all a lot more sophisticated. We have email and a website, and I'm beginning to get a response from unexpected places.

"The summer is a high octane time for me. Having people in the house all the time can be great fun, but exhausting at times. But there is lot of compensation - like all the new people I meet.  Sometimes, I get the odd bottle of whiskey,

"A lot of the students can't get over how friendly people are here. I introduce them around locally one day, then when they are in the pub the next evening, there are people saying 'hello' to them all over the place. "It's one of the highlights of the trip for them."

"And when they ask me about a bus into town, I just direct them to the seashore. They end up sitting there for hours sometimes, just staring into the sea. When they first get here, they're on city time, and they think they have to rush about the place. But generally, they soon unwind and relax."

Anne encourages her visitors to enjoy all the advantages the wider area has to offer, arranging transport for them to get to festivals, exhibitions, or whatever might be going on at this busy time of year that she thinks might be of interest to them. This year students who are lucky enough to be in residence during the Fringe Festival in Bantry will, for instance, have the opportunity to hear Anne reading some of her own work at the midnight court in Vicerys Bantry on the 30th.

And they will, of course, have the opportunity during the week of the 24th July of hearing some fine musicians, who will be appearing in the West Cork Chamber Music festival. And who knows? Perhaps some of her students might have a few lines of their own ready to read by then too. If not, then perhaps a bit of set-dancing might come in useful.

For the future Anne would like to see her establishment expand into an operation which places equal amounts of emphasis on culture and language. "There's something like 73 million people of Irish descent around the world, so its probably not so surprising that so many people have an interest in Ireland."

Due to late cancellation, two places are available during July/August with reduced rates applicable for July.

Anne can be reached at the Kilcatherine English Centre, Eyeries, on (027) 74203. or email aocarroll@iol.ie for further details.