ACTING - DUBLIN and CORK

Brendan Gleeson got his big break at 40; Helen Mirren is top of her game at 64. Maybe now’s the time to develop your own thespian tendencies. The Gaiety School of Acting is running Easter Courses suitable for beginners. Try Improvisation over four evenings from 6 – 9 April (6pm – 9pm, €180) in Dublin, or Musical Theatre in Cork from Saturday 19 to Sunday 22 April (10am to 5pm, €150).
No experience is necessary for either course. The Cork weekend is specifically aimed at beginners and you don’t have to be a great singer - tutors promise to boost confidence by passing on the tricks of the trade!
Two friends signing up together will receive an “Easter Buddy” discount of 10%. For more information on both courses go to http://www.gaietyschool.com/ or call 01 6799277

GLASS BEAD AND NECKLACE MAKING – MAYO

Fancy something a bit more intimate? Using a torch and molten glass, discover how to make and decorate glass beads by hand at the E.O.M residence and studios in scenic Mulranny, near Westport in Co Mayo. The next one-day bead-making course is on 15 May (€80, lunch and all supplies included). Or sign up for a five-week course (Tuesday evenings) covering the basics of using beads in jewellery. Students will complete a project each week with the final lesson for repairing and redesigning any old or broken necklaces no longer worn. Supplies are included. Course starts 6 April (€150).
For more information and bookings go to http://bit.ly/makingbeads

3-DAY WOODCARVING WORKSHOPS –CORK

Ben Russell's three-day Woodcarving Workshops will take place in his studio in West Cork throughout 2010. Suitable for complete beginners, all tools and materials, as well as lunches and refreshments, are supplied. A wide range of projects can be undertaken, several with step-by-step guides. Cost: €355 or €340 for groups of two or more. Next workshop: 7 to 9 April.
For more information, other upcoming dates, and bookings go to www.benrussell.info or call 027 66133.

MUSIC LESSONS – DUBLIN

Duke Ellington said, “There are two kinds of music: good music and the other kind.” Learn to play the right kind at Walton’s School of Music in Dublin. One-to-one, partner and group lessons are on offer for instruments ranging from banjo and bodhrán to mandolin and oboe; there are also classes in voice and sight singing as well as African, Latin and world percussion. Now enrolling for Term 3 (April-June), lessons begin the week of 12-17 April, and group courses begin the week of 19-24 April.
For details go to http://www.newschool.ie/ or call the school office on 01 478 1884

PORTRAIT DRAWING and PRINT MAKING – CARLOW

On Saturday 10 April (10am – 5pm), portrait painter Alan Daly will give a one-day workshop at the Visual Centre for Contemporary Arts in Carlow town. The course will take participants through a step-by-step process to create successful portraits, from looking at the structure of the head and how it sits into the shoulders, to posture and rendering a three-dimensional look to your drawing. Cost €80. All materials provided.
The following weekend, on Saturday 17 April (10am - 5pm), printmaker Amelia Peart will lead an introductory workshop in three print-making techniques: dry-point, carborundum and etching using ferric acid. Cost €100. All materials provided.
For more go to: http://www.visualcarlow.ie/

SHORT STORY WRITING WORKSHOPS and LITERARY FESTIVAL - NORTH CORK

Sign up now for short story writing workshops at the Trevor/Bowen Summer School in Mitchelstown, Co Cork from Friday 30 April to Sunday 2 May. Stay the weekend and be inspired by lectures on Mitchelstown-born William Trevor, Elizabeth Bowen, James Joyce, Irish Short Stories and the literary legacy of the Irish country house. Individual events cost €15, weekend ticket €60; Creative writing workshops are €60.00 for two sessions.
For more go to http://www.mitchelstownliterarysummerschool.com/

ANIMATION and SCRIPTWRITING - DUBLIN

Irish animation was the toast of this year’s Oscars and next year’s hopefuls can sign up for a course at Filmbase, where each student will produce their own animated short film. Over eight evenings from 6 - 29 April, starting with basic story principles and ending with special effects, the course will culminate with a showing of participants’ films to fellow students, friends and families. Cost: €400 member / €425 non-member (Deposit: €200).
Also at Filmbase, Scriptwriting for Beginners takes place over eight Thursday evenings from 8 April - 27 May and will include developing characters, dialogue, writing for TV, writing comedy and rewriting techniques. Cost: €280 waged / €260 unwaged (Deposit: €100).
For more information go to http://www.filmbase.ie/