What the weekend will look like:

Friday:

Travel to Baltimore and take the 2 PM ferry to Cape Clear. It’s a scenic 45 minute crossing. We’ll get straight to the studio to glaze your pots for the soda and fast fire wood kiln. We’ll get these kilns loaded before we head up to the accommodation and settle down for dinner.

Saturday:

In the morning the group will split into two. One group will walk down to a closeby beach to collect some materials for the firings, the other group will start building a mini soda kiln and preparing for the firing. The groups will swap over half way through. We’ll glaze and load your pots and start the firing. It’ll be fired all day and into the evening.

In the afternoon we’ll load the barrels with wood, combustibles, oxides, and your pots. We’ll get these ready and light them around dusk. We’ll wrap the day up with dinner at the accommodation and then BYOB drinks around the barrels at sunset.

Sunday:

On Sunday morning we’ll unload the barrels and mini soda at your accomodation. We’ll evaluate the results and assess the firing.

The group will be split into teams of two, and you’ll be in charge of firing the mini wood kiln at the studio. Each group will take shifts of 1 hour throughout the day, you’ll get full instruction and I’ll be nearby to give assistance.

I’ll be firing the soda kiln at my studio all day, and you’ll be able to come and visit and learn about how these firing processes work.

While you’re not on shift at the wood kiln you’ll be able to have downtime on the island. You can spend time exploring the various walking trails, attend a candle workshop with Sadhbh (you can even use a pot from the mini soda or barrels fired the day before), and have a sauna session in our barrel sauna in the afternoon.

We’ll finish the weekend with dinner and drinks in the pub

Monday:

Monday morning we’ll head to down the studio to unload the soda and wood kilns, we’ll then pack up your pots before you head off on the 12pm ferry back to the mainland.

What to Bring:

• up to 13 bisque-fired stoneware pots mug size or equivalent.

• Soda kiln - 4 stoneware pots, I recommend using St Patricks Buff, ES5 original white, ES90 flecked, Ming porcelain. 15cm maximum height 14cm maximum width.

• Mini fast fire soda kiln - 3 small stoneware pots, 12cm maximum height 10cm maximum width. I recommend using ES5 original white, or any other raku clay body.

• Fast fire wood kiln - 3 small stoneware pots, 12cm maximum height 10cm maximum width. I reccomend using ES5 original white, ES80 reduction, or any other grogged stoneware clay body

• Barrel pit firing - 3 stoneware pots, I recommend using ES5 original white, or any raku clay body. 20cm maximum height 15cm maximum width.

• Work gloves.

• Respirator mask.

• Weatherproof clothing.

What is Included

• 3-day workshop on Oileán Chléire

• All workshop materials and firings

• Accommodation and 2 meals a day.

• Return ferry to Cape Clear Island

Not Included:

• Transport to Baltimore

• Breakfasts

• Alcohol and snacks

• Local link island taxi

Exploring the island

In your down time you can explore the island. It’s a remote rugged place, with a number of walking loops spotted across the island, and there’ll be plenty of migratory birds around in September.

Accommodation Details

The accommodation is very basic. Bunk beds and shared rooms, with two communal bathrooms.

Accessibility

This long weekend will involve hilly walking, but there is a small local link taxi that is available. There are two ground floor bedrooms and one ground floor bathroom and the rest are up a set of stairs. If you have any questions or concerns around accessibility please get in touch

Important

This weekend is focused on experimentation, learning, and experience. There’s no guarantee your pots will be successful or that they will all fit in the kilns. The weekend is suitable for all skill levels but is focused on learning and experimenting rather than production.

Please only book if you are able to bring your own bisc fired ceramics with you, please bring up to 13 bisc stoneware pots (you can bring less). These will be split across the kilns. There is a possibility that not all your pots will fit in the kilns, we will fit as many in as possible while keeping it a fair split. Please keep to the maximum sizes stated earlier, or smaller. Any larger pots will count as multiple pieces and may not fit in the kilns. No plates please. You are welcome to bring extra small pots encase there is additional space.

Please make sure you bring everything you could possible need over the weekend. This is a very rural place and the weekend will reflect that. There is a small shop on the island with limited opening hours, there is no pharmacy, no doctor, no off license, no ATM. I will not be able to provide anything other than what is on the included list.

If you are coming from overseas then you are welcome to ship your pots to me, get in touch and we can arrange

Please let me know of any dietary requirements as soon as possible.

Due to the nature of being on an island this workshop is weather dependant. The workshop may need to be postponed or cancelled last minute if there is a storm (as no ferry will run). If the workshop is cancelled a full refund will be given for the cost of the workshop.

Price - €600

€300 booking deposit required to secure your place, remaining balance due 27th March. The course is non-refundable.