Retreat Dates
for 2020 

Bridget Retreat
February
Friday 7th - Sunday 9th
Ballyvaloo,  Co. Wexford

March
Friday 6th - Sunday 8th
Boghill, co. Clare

Bealtaine Retreat 
May 
Friday 8th - Sunday 10th
Glendree, Co. Clare
further details to be confirmed

Autumn equinox Retreat 
September
Friday 25th -  Sunday 27th
Boghill, Co. Clare

November
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th
Ballyvaloo, co. Wexford

Yule Retreat
December
Friday 18th - Sunday 20th
​Boghill, Co. Clare

Bridget Festival of Renewal Retreat
​February 7th - 9th 2020
 Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre, Co. Wexford
see below for details

You can read the full programme of a Tribal Spirit Retreat  here.

Now in their twenty third year, Tribal Spirit Drum and Song Retreats are well-known as magical and uplifting explorations of the power of community music. All of our Retreats are set in beautiful and private surroundings to help enhance our journey into enchanting music and playful celebration.

Prices:

Retreats in the Boghill Centre in Co. Clare.
Our 3 Day Retreats in The Boghill Centre, are priced on a sliding scale from, full price of €245 to our lowest available concession price of €180 per person. (note €140 of the above prices goes to the Boghill Centre for accommodation and meals).

Our 4 Day Retreat (Bealtaine) is priced from, full price of €350 on a sliding scale down to our lowest available concession price of €245 (note €180 of the above prices goes to the Boghill Centre for accommodation and meals).

Limited Private accommodation is available in the Boghill Centre for an extra €12 per night per person.

Our retreats in the Boghill Centre will start at 7.30pm on Friday night with a meal, and run through the weekend until 5.30pm on Sunday, apart from the Bealtaine (May) Retreat which runs until 5.30pm on Monday.

Retreats in the Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre in Co.  Wexford.
Our 3 Day Retreats in the Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre are priced on a sliding scale from a full price of €300, to our lowest available concession of €260 per person. (note €160 of the above prices goes to the Ballyvaloo Centre for accommodation and meals).

All Rooms in the Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre are single private rooms with en suite bathroom facilities. A limited number of double rooms are available on request.

The Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre is also a Mobility friendly Centre with a limited number of wheelchair accessible en suite rooms available. If you have limited mobility, or need use of a wheelchair friendly room, please let us know when booking.

Our Retreats at the Ballyvaloo Centre start at 6pm on Friday evening with a meal and run through the weekend until Sunday evening at 5.30pm.
Guests are welcome to arrive from 3pm to check in at the centre.

Prices include all meals, use of facilities, accommodation and all workshop facilitation.  
The concession prices are available for people who are unwaged, low waged and for students and are offered in return for ​a little help setting up before and tidying up after the workshop.  
​Please get in touch with us if you would like to apply.
Tribal Spirit Weekend Workshops are aimed at adults,
all our Wexford retreats at the Ballyvaloo centre are for adults only (18+), 
but older teens (15+) are welcome with an adult guardian to our Boghill based Retreats.  
All Tribal Spirit workshops are drug, alcohol, and mobile phone free zones.
See the full programme here.

Tribal Spirit Drum and Song
Bridget Retreat
Festival of Renewal 
February 7th - 9th 2020
A weekend of Tribal Spirit Drum and Song with facilitator John Bowker at the Ballyvaloo Retreat Center in Co. Wexford
Running over 3 days the event
starts with a meal at
6pm Friday February 7th
(please arrange to arrive before then to check in, you are welcome to arrive from 3pm on Friday)
and runs through to
5.30pm Sunday February 9th
(Check out will be Sunday morning with space provided to store luggage until we finish)
​
Tribal Spirit Festival of Bridget Drum and Song Retreat
 
Bridget, the Festival of Renewal, is one of the many names given to this time of celebrating the return of the first light of spring after the deep winter.
This retreat will embrace the ancient idea of assisting the restoration of the warmth with powerful music, songs and dance.
In the Celtic lands this festival was thought of as the return of the maiden, the embodiment of the gentle life force of nature. The winters forces that had chained her in a deep sleep within a faery mound weaken now. Re-awakening she escapes and brings her gentle light to the world.
Known as Brid, Bridget, Bridie and many other names, she was said to weave a magic of undying light, poetry, smithcraft and healing that all could tap into and work with at this time.
 
As with all these retreats the atmosphere will be a playful yet powerful exploration of music from many cultures woven into a tapestry aligned with the traditions of this moment: a time of re- awakening our own light and energy, a time to celebrate the passing of the dark days and to focus on the coming year ahead, sowing seeds in our imaginations of the good things that may come to be.
 
The event starts with introductions to the hand drum and to harmony singing.
​There will be Songs for Brid's day, Celebration Drum Sessions, Trance Dance Drumming, Dance of Life, Gospel Songs, Rainforest Chants, Celtic Songs, Heartsong Project Sessions, and a time for making Bridget's crosses from willow and rushes.
 
For Retreat bookings please email us or call (067) 41721 

Note: the Brigit, Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox weekends are special beginner friendly workshops open to absolute beginners and experienced players as well.  No previous experience of making music is needed.  Starting at the very beginning, exploring the drum and playing music together, we will wander playfully and deeply into a journey of very powerful and beautiful music.
Bealtaine, Samhain, and Yule are all aimed at those who have been to at least one of the regular Tribal Spirit classes or day workshops led by John Bowker.

For more information on the Boghill Centre visit www.boghill.com
Directions to the Boghill Centre are here

The Boghill Centre is signposted off the road between Kilfenora and Lisdoonvarna in North West Clare.  Contact the Centre directly on 065 - 707 4644 for further directions.
  For more information and for Directions to the
Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre visit www.ballyvaloo.ie


The Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre is situated right on the beach, approx. 15 km from Wexford Town and 25Km from Enniscorthy town in Co. Wexford.
​Contact the centre directly on ​053 913 7160 for further directions 
​