Social Programme

27th – 31st July 2022 | St. Patrick’s College Maynooth

Welcome

A very warm Céad Míle Fáilte and welcome to the Social Programme for the Summer School. We hope that you will take time to immerse yourself in all that Maynooth has to offer – within the University walls and outside.

Not only is Maynooth home to the University and St. Patrick’s College, Ireland’s Pontifical University and main Roman Catholic seminary, it is also a beautiful little town steeped in heritage and history. The town and surrounding area contains many important buildings and other historical and monastic artefacts which we hope you will explore and enjoy over the course of your few days at the Summer School. Maynooth is easily navigated with one main street book-ended by a Castle – Maynooth Castle (constructed in 1203) and Carton Castle.

It contains many restaurants, pubs and locally owned shops which you are invited to support and enjoy during your time with us. Advance booking of local restaurants is recommended – Best Restaurants Maynooth List .

Scheduled Events

There will be a number of scheduled events during the Summer School, these include the Welcome Reception on the opening night and a supper and dancing on the Saturday evening of the Summer School.

On the Friday afternoon there will be an option of going on a led Heritage walk, which will commence in Maynooth and organised by the Summer School.

You are asked to register your interest when registering for the Summer School if you intend to attend the led walk along the Royal Canal as this will help greatly with the smooth planning of the excursion.

Music and Song!

The Summer School committee is delighted to announce that, this year, we are planning our first Social Dreaming Matrix. We are also planning a Summer School Community Choir. This choir will meet during the 5 days of summer school – for the sheer joy of singing together! You do not have to have a good singing voice! You do not have to be able to read music! There are songs that want to be sung just as there are dreams that need to be dreamt. We will be selecting 3 or maybe 4 songs, and they will be sent to you in 4 part harmony. We will try to find a way of sending the ‘parts’ so you have the choice of which part to sing, but if that seems too much. . . . just sing the melody. If you haven’t sung before don’t worry – a singing voice is not a pre-requisite for this group! We will be happy to provide some guidance about posture and warming up and you may be surprised at what might emerge from you …

There are many local pubs which serve bar food and pints. On Thursday and Friday night there will be a traditional Irish music session in the front bar of Fitzgeralds Roost Bar on the Main Street in Maynooth.

Please find below some information which we hope you will find useful as you begin to plan your time in Ireland during the Summer School – and perhaps beyond…

Dublin Airport to Maynooth

Public Transport

Dublin airport has no rail link, so the best public transport option is to take the 746 or ‘Airlink’ bus at the airport and get off at Drumcondra Station; these are express services and cost around 7€ (single), another option is to take the 16A or 41 buses (1.80€) that also stop at Drumcondra but are slower. Once at Drumcondra station, take the train to Maynooth and get off at Maynooth station; please refer to the map below or also: (http://www.nuim.ie/location/webmaps/index.shtml) for directions to the venues/accommodation from Maynooth train station.

Note that the train service to Maynooth runs every 30-45min depending on the time of the day, but is less frequent on Sundays. View the timetable here

Taxi

A taxi from the airport to Maynooth will cost of the order of €55, with a cab rank just outside the airport. Alternatively, local companies (for example Taxy* (+353 1) 628 9999) can be pre-booked to meet you at the airport.

Car

The quickest and most direct route from Dublin Airport to Maynooth by car requires electronic payment of a toll on the M50. This can be paid on the eflow website, www.eflow.ie

Directions to Maynooth follow:

After exiting the airport, follow the signs to Dublin (M1 Motorway)
Leave the M1 at junction 3, and take the exit signposted to the M50 (Southbound).
Take the M50 southbound until you reach junction 7, Sligo N4 West.
Continue along the N4 onto the M4 and  take the exit signposted Straffan, Naas, Maynooth).
 Once you have exited the M4, cross over the motorway and head north on Straffan road towards main street Maynooth.