At the Augusta Irish Retreat, you will choose from many dynamic sessions centered around learning Irish tunes, songs and traditions. This year’s retreat will be hosted at the newly renovated (and historic!) Tygart Hotel in Elkins, WV. You’ll be treated to learning sessions and authentic Irish music played by master artists of the genre. Celebrate the culture you love with good friends, great music, and incredible instructors.
The concept of this weekend was dreamed up by Augusta Irish Week founder Mick Moloney along with Emily Miller and Seth Young, just before Mick departed this world too soon. The vision is being carried forward brilliantly by Brenda Castles and the Augusta team.
Register today to secure your enrollment. Once enrolled, you may call the Tygart Hotel at (304) 246-5022 for accommodations at the hotel itself or find lodging elsewhere in Elkins. Tell the Tygart you are with Augusta when you call!
Augusta offers students the option to purchase a guest pass for a spouse or friend. This pass, which may be purchased at registration, allows a spouse to attend all non-class activities (after lunch).
Schedule for Augusta Irish Retreat 2025:
Schedule subject to change. Specific class offerings for each period will be announced soon!
DRAFT of 2025 Augusta Irish Retreat Schedule Handout
Thursday
3:00 pm: Check-in begins for rooms at The Tygart Hotel
5:00 – 7:00 pm: Dinner Break
6:00 – 7:00 pm: Check-in with with Augusta (check with your hotel about the specific check-in times wherever you have chosen to stay)
7:00 pm: Orientation (Meet the staff, learn about the weekend workshops)
Following Orientation until 9:30 pm: Welcome Gathering with all AIR Staff and Students
Friday
9:30 – 10:45 am: Period 1 (Hop Jigs & Marches, Songs of Mick Moloney, Irish Guitar & Tuning)
10:45 – 11:15 am: Tea Break
11:15 – 12:30 pm: Period 2 (Playing with Singers, Making Tunes Sound Irish, Flatpicking Irish Tunes)
12:30 – 2:30 pm: Lunch Break
2:30 – 3:30 pm: Period 3 (Grupa Cheoil, Slow to Fast Tune Session)
3:30 – 4:00 pm: Tea Break
4:00 – 5:00 pm: Student-Led Sessions at Kump House
4:00 pm: Guided Tour of the New Augusta Building with Seth Young
4:00 pm: Instructor Sound Check
5:00 – 7:30 pm: Dinner Break
7:30 – 9:00 pm: Concert: Masters of Irish Music. This concert, featuring Brenda Castles, Eimear Arkins, Jefferson Hamer, Eileen Gannon and Dan Lowery, will highlight songs from Frank Harte and Mick Moloney.
9:30 – 10:30 pm: Staff-led Tune & Song Sessions
After 10:00 pm: Open Tune and Song Sessions
Saturday
9:30 – 10:45 am: Period 1 (Guitar Arrangements, Intro to Lilting, Beginning Whistle for All)
10:45 – 11:15 am: Tea Break
11:15 – 12:30 pm: Period 2 (Chord Theory, Harmony Singing, Irish Fiddle)
12:30 – 2:30 pm: Lunch Break
2:30 – 3:30 pm: Period 3 (Ancient Harp Tunes, Singing in Irish, Slow to Fast Tune Session)
3:30 – 3:45 pm: Mini Tea Break
4:00 – 5:00 pm: Student Open Mic (Please bring a song, tune, or bit of verse to share! We love these student sharing opportunities!)
5:00 – 7:00 pm: Dinner Break
7:00 – 8:30 pm: Ceili Dance (Join the band or dance!)
8:30 – 10:00 pm: Staff-led Tunes & Song Sessions
After 10 pm: Open Tune and Song Sessions
Sunday
9:30 – 10:45 am: Period 1 (Dance in Tune, Learn to Set Dance, Song & Tune Accompaniment)
10:45 – 11:15 am: Tea Break
11:15 – 12:30 pm: Farewell Tune & Song Session with All AIR Staff
2:00 – 3:30 pm: Film Screening: Plight of the Bumble Bee with live music score and conversation with the director, Brenda Castles. (This optional event is free to weekend participants)
Tuition for the weekend is $395. Meals will be on your own. Students will need to reserve their hotel rooms directly with the Tygart Hotel at (304) 246-5022.
Augusta Irish Retreat 2025 | Artistic Staff
Brenda Castles (concertina, vocals)
Brenda is known both as a respected solo performer and as a member of Mick Moloney’s Green Fields of America. She has a series of All Ireland Fleadh titles to her name in solo and group competitions. Originally from County Meath, she hails from a rich tradition of music held by her family and the musicians she credits as her extraordinary teachers. She herself is an in-demand teacher, privately and at festivals such as the Catskills Irish Arts Week. She currently is based in Dublin and New York and spends time performing around the world including recent gigs in Alaska. Her CDs, Indeedin’ You Needn’t Bother and The Light Side of the Tune have been critically acclaimed. In addition to being an accomplished musician and singer, Brenda is a licensed veterinarian. She once owned a horse named Rocky who was the companion for Irish champion racer Oscar Time.
Eimear Arkins (fiddle & vocals)
Eimear Arkins is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and dancer from Ruan in County Clare.
She holds eleven solo All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil titles and has competed in all Ireland, European and World Dancing Championships. Eimear has toured extensively with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann on concert tours throughout Ireland, Britain, North America and Canada. She has represented Ireland in France as a performer at Rennes Expo and in Spain as a participant in La Noche Negra a cultural collaboration and exchange between the Mid-West of Ireland and the province of Asturias.
In 2014 Eimear was selected to be part of the Comhaltas National Folk Orchestra of Ireland, which was put together to perform the Boróimhe Suite, a newly composed suite of music, written and directed by Michael Rooney, commemorating the life of Brian Ború.
For the past eight summers, Eimear has performed with the internationally renowned show Brú Ború and was part of the troupe that represented Ireland at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. In August 2015, Eimear traveled to World Expo 2015, in Milan with St. Louis Irish Arts where she promoted not only Irish culture but the expression of Irish culture worldwide.
Eimear has toured and performed with numerous groups including Cherish The Ladies, The Paul Brock Band, Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble and Téada. She is a regular teacher at St. Louis Irish Arts since and has given workshops at various festivals throughout the world including Catskills Irish Arts Week, New York; Viljandi Pärimusmuusika Festival, Estonia; St. Louis Tionól, St. Louis; Festival Interceltique de Lorient, France, Winnipeg Irish Fest, Canada and Canadian Celtic Celebration, Thunder Bay, Canada.
Eimear released her debut album, What’s Next? in June 2018 to great acclaim. Most recently she was awarded Newcomer of the Year 2019 by liveIRELAND
“She is a lovely singer, wonderful fiddle player and a truly accomplished step dancer. Triple threat time! Count us as major new fans of her and what will surely be a terrific career. Eimear Arkins–remember THAT name!” Bill Margeson, liveIRELAND.
Eileen Gannon (harp)
Eileen Gannon has been lighting up the St. Louis music scene for many years. Eileen, a St. Louis native, is one of the top Irish harp players in the world. She has won numerous accolades including the highly coveted Senior Harp title at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (World Irish Music Championships). She has a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from St. Louis University and a master’s degree in Ethnomusicology from University of Limerick. Eileen has toured and performed all over the world and is a regular tutor at international festivals like the Catskills Irish Arts Week, and Scoil Eigse. Eileen also represented Ireland at World Expos in 2010 in Shanghai, China and in 2015, in Milan, Italy. Eileen launched her debut solo CD, The Glory Days Are Over in 2017, and has appeared on albums with Tommy Martin, Bernadette NicGabhann, Eimear Arkins , Kevin Buckley, and Robert Ryan.
Eileen studied classical harp with Laura Hearne and spent most of her summers growing up studying with various harp masters in Ireland. Many of Eileen’s students have nwon honors in All-Ireland competitions. She also holds the TTCT teaching certificate awarded by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eirreann. Eileen was a member of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and has performed with the Clayton and University City Symphony Orchestras. Eileen has also appeared with the Musical Diversions Society Orchestra and the St. Louis Women’s Chorale.While studying in Ireland, Eileen taught at the Limerick Municipal School of Music and performed regularly at Dromoland and Bunratty Castles.
Jefferson Hamer (guitar, mandolin & vocals)
Jefferson Hamer is a guitarist, songwriter, traditional musician, and producer of studio recordings. He is best known for his collaborations with Anais Mitchell (Child Ballads, recipient of a BBC2 Folk Award), Sarah Jarosz (as guitarist and harmony singer on her Grammy-nominated Blue Heron Suite), Session Americana, and other solo artists including Kristin Andreassen, Reed Foehl, and Laura Cortese. His original songs are featured on his self-released albums and singles, including the full-length Alameda. Perhaps his most enduring collaboration is The Murphy Beds, a harmony-rich folk duo with Irish musician and songwriter Eamon O’Leary, featuring a self-titled LP and the follow-up Easy Way Down.
Dan Lowery (Flute, Whistle)
Dan Lowery is a flute player from Irving, Texas. He currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and has been playing Irish music professionally for the past twenty years, performing with The Bronx Boys, The Colin Farrell Band, Warbelow Range, Derek Warfield, and in the Broadway musical Come From Away.