Facal á beul is eun air sgéith

Course description

Facal á beul is eun air sgéith — Words have wings, but fly not where we would How do we capture the feeling of the places we inhabit? This Spring course is a relaxed, experimental space for anyone interested in exploring their personal 'sense of place'. Taking inspiration from Gaelic themes and 'ways of seeing', we will spend time noticing the world around us and turning those observations into something new. Beyond a poetry class; this is a space to play with ideas, share work, and get curious about your surroundings using whatever tools you enjoy—from note-taking and list-making to photography, sound recordings, and sketches. Our programme • 5 Fortnightly Zoom Sessions: 90-minute live meetings for discussion, short exercises, and sharing. • Weekly Creative Prompts: Digital PDFs filled with examples, Gaelic-inspired themes, and exercises to keep you inspired between meetings. • A Supportive Collective: A structured, kind environment to share your work and receive thoughtful feedback from your peers. • Total Creative Freedom: Choose your medium—poetry, photography, film, or sound. ________________________________________ The Course Schedule The course follows a "fortnightly rhythm": one week for generating new work and one week for sharing and reflection. • Weeks 1 & 2: Out of the Head, Into the Body – Grounding yourself in sensory observations of your immediate space. • Weeks 3 & 4: Belonging & Topography – Revisit a single spot daily for a week. What reveals itself when we look twice? • Weeks 5 & 6: The In-Between – Finding the beauty in the unnoticed, "unimportant," or unphotographed corners of life. • Weeks 7 & 8: Specificity & Story – Exploring local place names and the specific words that only make sense in your own community. • Week 9: Closing Circle – A final celebratory session to share your favourite pieces from the course. Is This for Me? You don’t need to be a "writer" or an "artist" to join. You just need a curiosity for the physical, emotional or remembered places you inhabit every day. All sessions are delivered in English, exploring Gaelic concepts of places and their connections. What you’ll need: · A computer/tablet for Zoom. · A notebook, a phone camera, or any simple tool you like to use for capturing ideas. · 2–3 hours a week for independent creative work and peer feedback.