The 2026 summer school has a social, cultural and academic programme informed by the theme:
Myths, Legends and Laws
Miotais, Finscéalta agus Dlíthe”
Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time …so begins all the best of stories. And it’s this idea of beginning that draws us in now, to wonder, to dream, to imagine…what must the world have been like some 400 years ago?
In words that connect us across time, 400 years ago this year, a man born and bred in Kilbarron began work on compiling what was to become the most comprehensive chronicle of Irish history; The Annals of the Four Masters. A momentous work, it captured stories from sources that are now lost to time, blending myth, tradition and history. Ambitious in scope and scale, its contribution to capturing a nation’s heritage was unprecedented. His journey began here, on our shores, looking out at our ocean.
Mícheál O Cléirigh was a man of God, a Franciscan friar who was rooted in Donegal yet boundless in his quest to know, to see, to document. His legacy endures and is celebrated annually near the place of his birth, in a weekend that invites you to enjoy music, readings and guest speakers, all drawn together by the stories. This year, Myths, Legends and Laws are in the spotlight, so it’s sure to be an interesting summer school.
This year, we’re inviting you to come to the Franciscan Friary in Rossnowlagh on the weekend of the 8th-10th of May. Share some stories with us, look out at the Atlantic and take a moment to just be. Let this be your Once Upon A Time.
Dr. Angela Byrne to speak at the 2026 Summer School
We are pleased to announce that one of our speakers for the 2026 Mícheál Ó Cleirigh Summer School will be Dr Angela Byrne.
Angela is a Donegal native and a historian specialising in Irish migration, women's history, and the history of travel and exploration. She works at the Dictionary of Irish Biography (Royal Irish Academy) and has previously held research and lecturing positions at the universities of Toronto, Greenwich, Ulster, and Maynooth, and at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. She has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, newspapers and history magazines, and has held research fellowships across Europe and North America. Her most recent books include Anarchy and Authority: Irish Encounters with Romanov Russia (Lilliput Press, 2024), Irish Historic Towns Atlas no. 32: Ballyshannon (Royal
Irish Academy, 2025) and Finding Mary: The Untold Story of an Inishowen Murder, 1844 (Four Courts Press, 2025). She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
The history Summer School takes place over the weekend from Friday 8th May which celebrates local talent and culture; Saturday events include five talks based on the theme of Myths, Legends and Laws; On Sunday morning there will be a field trip to the Cavan Burren stopping off at various historical sites an the journey.
For more information on all the speakers see: Home – Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Summer School