Learning Holidays in Ireland
Learn a New Skill in Monaghan
Monaghan is the perfect place to learn a new skill or indulge in an existing passion. Offering easy access from both Dublin and Belfast airports, and a range of pursuits to suit all ages and interests – from horse riding, rally driving and sailing, to pottery and lace-making. Holidays can be planned around your chosen pursuit. Choose from a wide range of classes and courses, many of which are unique to Monaghan.
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Horse riding holidays in Monaghan – Castle Leslie Estate is arguably the best place in Ireland for equestrian holidays, with majestic grounds and an award-winning, world-class on-site equestrian centre which caters for beginners, improvers and expert riders. 21 miles of meandering bridleways, cross-country jumps and a dressage arena, as well as luxury accommodation, make this a brilliant choice for anybody looking for a horse riding holiday in Ireland.
Meanwhile, the family-run Mullaghmore Equestrian Centre is especially well-equipped in tuition for children and those with additional or sensory needs.
Learn lace-making from the experts at Carrickmacross Lace and Clones Lace; Carrickmacross Lace, known as the ‘royal lace’ is unique in the world, having gained popularity with Queen Victoria in the late-nineteenth century. The Lace Gallery in Carrickmaross serves as a showcase for the art, as well as the venue for lace-making classes to suit all skill levels. The International Clones Lace Summer School, meanwhile, attracts enthusiasts from all over the world.
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Monaghan boasts the leading rally driving facility in Ireland, with Rally School Ireland in Scotstown offering a wide range of experiences for drivers of all ages and abilities; the School works together with local accommodation providers to offer a variety of packages.
Where better to hone your poetry-writing skills than the birthplace of the great Patrick Kavanagh? The Patrick Kavanagh Centre in Inniskeen includes adult poetry and family workshops as part of Kavanagh Weekend Festival, which usually takes place at the end of September each year.
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Get active outdoors with courses on sailing and kayaking on Lough Muckno at the Castleblayney Outdoor Adventure Centre, or why not brush up your mountain skills on a training course offered at the Tanagh Outdoor Education and Training Centre in Dartrey.
Express yourself through an art holiday in Monaghan. Sew Arty Studio runs pop-up ‘Paint and Sip’ events at various venues throughout the county, which include guided step-by-step painting and plenty of laughter, too.
From one-hour taster sessions to full-blown workshops, Busy Bee Ceramics in Glaslough is a destination for pottery; and the beautiful Mullyash studio of Grace Brennan is the setting for glass-fusing workshops. Clones Art Studios based in the old post office offers various courses and workshops throughout the year.
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Food-based workshops in Monaghan include fermenting masterclasses with Bia Cultures and Síolta Chroí, an environmental education centre just outside Carrickmacross has a calendar of courses from seed saving and growing your own food to mushroom-growing. Check their website to see what’s coming up at the centre.
Browse Monaghan hotel and accommodation listings here and plan your journey to Monaghan here.