Writing Workshops in Cork, Ireland

About Cork

Cork (Irish: Corcaigh, from corcach, meaning "marsh") is the second largest city in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in Munster province. Metropolitan Cork has a population of about 400,000.

County Cork is sometimes called "the Rebel County," and residents will refer to the city as the "real capital of Ireland" and themselves as the "Rebels." The county was home to Michael Collins, the famous IRA leader of the early 20th century.

The city is built on the River Lee, with the city centre located on the island created by its two channels. Cork Harbour is one of the world's largest natural harbours, with quays and docks along the banks.

We will be in Cork during the heart of their annual Midsummer Festival, a two-week city-wide celebration of summer. The festival combines the best of local, national, and international arts and culture for a memorable event you won't want to miss.

The Program

The Writing Workshops Abroad have been held every summer for almost 20 years, in such locations as Prague, Madrid, San Miguel, and Edinburgh. We are closely associated with the UNO Creative Writing Workshop, and provide the residency component of the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program - both of which are included in the Huffington Post's "Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs." This summer's Academic Director is Fredrick Barton, the Director of the Creative Writing Workshop.

While you are welcome to, you do not need to apply to the Low Residency MFA Program to attend the Writing Workshops in Cork. For more information about writing degrees at the University of New Orleans, please visit http://www.uno.edu/writing.

2013 marks our first year in Ireland, and we are excited to be studying at the University College Cork. As usual, we'll feature our writing workshops with exceptional faculty and guests, as well as our famous reading series and excursions to nearby historic sites, like the strategically important military and fishing port of Kinsale and the imposing 17th Century Charles Fort, only an hour bus ride from Cork.

The program cost is $4,195. This includes tuition, accommodation, lunch on class days, opening and closing receptions, weekend excursions, weekly film screenings, readings and performances by students, faculty, and guest writers, study abroad travel insurance, and panel discussions with authors, agents, and publishers to explore the business side of writing.

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided in the form of apartment-style housing, courtesy of UCC Campus Accommodation. We will be staying in the Castlewhite Apartments on the banks of the River Lee, a short walk from campus and with easy access to public transportation. Each apartment features private bedrooms with desk, sink, and storage space, with kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas shared between approximately four program participants. The complex also includes self-service laundry facilities, a copy room, and on-site residential security. Upon arrival in Cork, transportation to the Apartments is available via taxi, city bus, and Aircoach. More information can be found on the UCC website.

Excursions

How could we be in Ireland on June 16 and not go to Bloomsday in Dublin? The notion seemed ludicrous, so we are going to make it possible for every participant to follow Leopold Bloom's famous odyssey from breakfast to bedtime in Ulysses. The group will depart from the Castlewhite Apartments on the morning of June 15 and return in the late afternoon of June 17. We will be staying in campus apartments at University College Dublin, with easy access to the city centre. The literary festivities are endless, but there should be plenty of time left over to explore the Guinness brewery, the remarkable library at Trinity College, the Irish writer's museum, or any of the other attractions in one of the world's great literary and cultural centers.

Our second is excursion is a full day trip of the area surrounding the City of Cork, including Cobh, Blarney, and Kinsale. The group will depart from the Castlewhite Apartments on the morning of June 21, and return later that evening. For more information, please visit the Excursions page.

For more information about the Writing Workshops in Cork, please contact the Program Coordinator, Jarred Marlatt, Division of International Education
jmarlatt@uno.edu | 504-280-7345.

University of New Orleans, Division of International Education, 2000 Lakeshore Dr., New Orleans LA 70148
phone 504-280-7116; fax 504-280-7317; e-mail isp@uno.edu