Willowbrook Creative Writing Retreat 2023
A weekend of writing workshops and activities facilitated by some incredibly talented Irish & international writers. This is our third creative writing retreat following the first event in 2019 and last year, when after 2 cancellations due to covid, it finally happened again. The retreat involves readings / performances by the different facilitators, a full day of workshops, an open mic session, all your meals provided, and a novel little activity to close out the weekend.
So, some details:
Your accommodation and all your meals are included in the ticket price. Shortly after arrival on Friday evening we will share some pizza freshly baked in our wood fired pizza oven (gluten free and vegetarian options available). There will be continental breakfast each morning. We will break up the Saturday with lunch in the early afternoon, and dinner on Saturday will be provided by highly recommended local caterer. Expect delicious. Vegan options will be available. Accommodation will be in one of our extremely cosy yurts or other glamping units which you will share with other retreat attendees. We do have different types of accommodation units which some of you may be familiar with so it will be first in best dressed if you have a preference!!! If you have friends coming to the retreat, please let us know before booking and we will do our best to place you in the same accommodation. For those who wish to camp (including campervans or caravans) or locals who do not require accommodation, there will be a limited number of discounted tickets which will include all workshops and meals.
On Friday evening, after we eat, we will have readings by all of the facilitators who will be running workshops the next day. Saturday you will have the opportunity to attend 3 different workshops. There will be some spare time to go for a walk or to work on some of the things explored during the workshops, and in the evening we will have an open mic, where you will have the opportunity to share with the group something created during the day, or previously. This will be a judgement free weekend, and there is no obligation on anyone to read or perform during the open mic.
Those of you who attended the event in 2022 will remember that one of the highlights was the impromptu laughter yoga session out in the park. It was so much fun that this time around we have scheduled Jenni (Kinvara Laughter Yoga) into the program for the weekend. This will be the last activity of the weekend on Sunday morning. It’s not by any means obligatory for everyone to attend this part of the weekend but we highly recommend it, particularly if you plan to go deep with your writing over the weekend. Having been cocooned in our own little world at Willowbrook for the weekend, this is a wonderful way to soften the landing back into the real world.
Once again we are delighted with the facilitators who have agreed to come and share their experience with us. They are 2 husband and wife teams as follows…..
Chris O’Connor, presenting his workshop ‘Building blocks of Story’ –
Love Creative Writing? Got an idea for a story you’ve wanted to write for ages? In this workshop we’ll explore how to break stories down into their key components, the basics of structure and how our characters journey’s tie in with all of this.
Chris O’Connor is a playwright who has written for organisations such as the Leeds Playhouse, BBC Radio and Red Ladder Theatre Company. His first professional production was The Life and Soul in 2016 with Red Ladder, and he has recently extended this piece with The Parting Glass, further exploring the impact of suicide. He also worked with Doncaster based Buglight Theatre Company in 2017 on a play called Marching on Embers, which explored radicalisation in Northern Ireland, with a 4* review from the Yorkshire Post commenting that the ‘play proves that some of the very best drama happens outside London.’ In 2018 he worked with Leeds Playhouse and BBC Radio on a radio play, Exodus, about migration which was performed live and broadcast on BBC radio, and iPlayer. Recently he has worked with Riptide on numerous immersive theatre productions and is currently working on The Trial with Proper Job Theatre. He has current commissions in 2023 with Leeds Playhouse, Lawrence Batley Theatre, and Proper Job Theatre Company.
Claire O’Connor (Chris’ wife), presenting her workshop ‘If you can’t say it, sing it!’
When you don’t have the words to speak anymore, then you sing. Together we will explore how to use music in your work. Whether it’s a song you’re wanting to write, an underscored section to heighten the mood, or setting of your piece or perhaps how to move the action along without words? This workshop will help you explore and discover all the possibilities that sound and music can add and how it can be integrated to enhance your writing. No experience in making music is necessary for this workshop and though we might use music and song as a tool in our writing process, no-one will be asked to sing in the workshop (though you are free to volunteer a few bars of song)
Claire O’Connor is a creative from Yorkshire. She trained at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Musical Theatre and has worked all across the UK and internationally as an actor and musician. She has also worked with many companies as a musical director & composer. She co-composed a new musical; ‘The Not So Ugly Sisters’ which was in The Guardians top pick shows in 2021. Claire has had three professional writing credits to date; an audio play, Dream a Little Dream produced by Slung Low & Freedom Studios, a one woman stage play, Our Ben produced by Steven Joseph Theatre and a new play with music, Flow, which is in development with Interplay Theatre.
Gerry Boland presenting his workshop ‘Reading And Writing Poetry’
This workshop is designed with all poets in mind; those who dabble, and those who write regularly. Gerry’s sessions are always informal, instructive, and productive. Two or three poems will be read and analysed by Gerry and the group, and each poem will act as a trigger or a prompt to begin a completely new poem, the idea being that everyone will make a start on two or three new poems of their own.
Gerry Boland has published ten books to date, three of these being poetry collections (Watching Clouds; In the Space Between; All That Jazz). He is an experienced facilitator and has delivered workshops in libraries and art centres throughout the region. He is working on his fourth poetry collection, and on a series of storybooks for the young reader.
Prices:
Full weekend including glamping accommodation, meals & workshops €240
Full weekend including camping pitch, meals & workshops €160
Full weekend including meals & workshops (no accommodation) €140
A brief look at what the agenda for the weekend will be like….
Friday 8th September:
-Check in from 2pm if you wish to come early and explore our little bit of paradise.
-6pm: Welcome & Shared dinner
-8pm: Performances of original work by our facilitators
Saturday 9th September:
-8am-9.30am: Self Serve Continental breakfast in Campers Kitchen
-9.30am: Writing Workshop 1
-11am :Tea break
-11.30am: Writing Workshop 2
-1pm: Shared Lunch
-2pm: Writing Workshop 3
-3.30pm: Free time to create, should the mood take you
-6pm: Shared dinner
-8pm: Open mic spoken word session – your opportunity to share your work with the group should you choose to do so.
Sunday 10th September:
-8am-9.30am: Self Serve Continental breakfast in Campers Kitchen
-9.30am: Laughter yoga with Jenni McGinley (Kinvara Laughter Yoga)
-11am: Check out.
What people said about our previous Creative Writing Retreats:
One of the best experiences I have had in ages – Gemma
Such a relaxing atmosphere – Sean
An incredible creative writing weekend which exceeded all expectations – Sarah
Very professionally organized with a wonderful choice of facilitators to get the creative juices flowing. – Patricia
I spent a wonderful weekend at the creative writing course; It’s a gift to have this amazing sanctuary on my doorstep – Annamarie
The atmosphere was fabulous. Didn’t really want to leave. – Tony
For any queries, please get in touch in one of the following ways:
-Call us on (094)98 61307
-Email us at…… hello@willowbrookglamping.ieWe are Very much looking forward to welcoming you all to Willowbrook for another wonderful weekend of creativity!
