Anam Cara Writer's and Artist's Retreat

Eyeries, Beara, Co.Cork

Tel: +353 (0)27 74441 
Fax: +353 (0)27 74448

e-mail: anamcararetreat@eircom.net
website: www.anamcararetreat.com

Anam Cara is a retreat for novice as well as experienced writers and artists. Hosted by Sue Booth-Forbes, a writer and editor, it provides the necessary creature comforts and support for creative people to do their best work. Primarily a place for individuals to focus on their own projects, Anam Cara also offers a number of workshops throughout the year from writing and painting to music and meditation as well as retreats for special interest groups, such as book, creative textile, and drama groups.

Anam Cara sits on five acres of garden and riverbank on the northern coast of the sub-tropical Beara peninsula. Every window frames a magnificent view — of Coulagh Bay, the colourful village of Eyeries and the surrounding farmlands, or the mountains of Beara and the Ring of Kerry. Besides the two kilometres of walking paths on the grounds, numerous nooks and crannies in the hazelnut grove and around the meadow offer solitary spaces in which to work outside, weather permitting; among them are a sod-roofed meditation hut, the stone ruin of a corn and tuck mill, a storyfire, a grotto, and a river island. The Kealincha River and its dramatic cascades run along the retreat's northern boundary.

The retreat has five private working/bedrooms (four with sea views and one with a mountain view); several common areas a conservatory, two sitting rooms with fireplaces, a music and movie loft with a fireplace, and a gallery featuring local and resident artists' work as well as a sauna and a Jacuzzi. Residents also have access to the telephone, the Internet, a fax machine, a scanner, printers, and a copy machine.  Helping to concentrate your energies on your artistic endeavours, the daily schedule includes quiet working hours from 9:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M., three home-cooked meals — featuring regional and local seafood, produce, and products and often evenings enjoying each others' work. Workshop and special interest group participants spend their days at Anam Cara and stay either at the retreat or lovely B&Bs nearby.

According to David Gardiner,* a writer-in-residence from England: "At Anam Cara, you live a cosseted life in an ethos of creativity and support for your [project] in the company of fellow [artists] who understand when you stare at a blank sheet of paper [or canvas] for three hours. In addition, the rugged Irish coastline seen from every window cannot fail to inspire. As Socrates was the midwife to knowledge, so Sue is the midwife to artistic creativity. She somehow knows what you need, when you would prefer to be left alone, and where you've got with your particular project. I went with a vague idea that I would create a short-story collection using the six or so pieces that I thought might be good enough. Being at Anam Cara released a great flood of creativity, and I left with two more stories worthy of inclusion. More importantly, I had identified the common threads that ran through the stories and came up with the missing element that turned a random basket of stories into a collection. The Rainbow Man and Other Stories was published last year by Bluechrome/Boho in Bristol. Reviews have been positive, and acceptance from people I respect has given me one of the great `highs' of my life."

For availability, rates and bookings contact Sue Booth-Forbes at above address.