Quick Links Kia's Class Mary's Class Wes's Class Will's Class For new students	About Gaeltacht Minnesota Events Subscribe to Free E-zine Latest GaelMinn Gazette Volunteer Page
GaelMinn Home | Dates: schedule, events | All Class | Tools | Amusements

Weekend in Winona, July 17-19

Weekend in Winona is our annual weekend-long workshop.

Complete details below, but first, let us mention . . .

20% Discount for Early Registration!

Register by Tuesday, June 30, and save 20% ($35) on the workshop fee. Early registration fee = $140, after June the fee is $175 (on-campus lodging extra).

To register, simply download the form and mail it in with payment. (If you have any trouble downloading the form, drop us a line and we can mail you one.)

What You Need To know

The common questions and answers below should tell you everything you need to know.

• If you've been to our Winona event before, or if you are definitely planning on coming, jump to "I'm gonna do it" for the most important information. Old hands might just want to download our "Quick Answers" summary of the most important changes from last year.
• If you are still thinking about it, and need more information to decide if this is for you, start with the questions under "I'd like to know more." Then you may want to come back to the "I'm gonna do it" section for practical details about the event.
• Also check out "About Winona" for information about the location, transportation,the campus, and some other events going on that weekend.

Spread The Word!

If you know some place a little flyer might help get the word out, please download one and post it or share it.

Ceisteanna agus Freagraí (Questions and Answers)

Just about everything you need to know about our Winona workshop should be answered in one of the following links. If not, e-mail us with your questions and we'll get back to you with specific information.

I'd like to know more about the workshop in general, before I decide . . .

• What is Weekend in Winona?
• If I want to join the Monday evening classes in the Twin Cities, will this get me in?
• What will I learn there?
• Can a beginner really learn anything worthwhile in one weekend?
• Who should attend?
• What about kids?
• How do we spend our time?
• What if I've never studied Irish before, or only a very little bit?
• How do I know I'll end up in the right class at this workshop?

I'm gonna do it, just gimme the details . . .

• How do I enroll?
• What does it cost?
• What do we eat?
• Where will I stay?

Tell me about Winona, St. Mary's, and other Events

• Where is Winona?
• How do I get there?
• What other activities should I know about that weekend?
• Tell me more about St. Mary's

What is Weekend in Winona?(back to questions)

Weekend in Winona is a weekend-long workshop in the Irish Gaelic language, suitable for everyone from raw beginners to advanced students. It is held July 17-19 on the campus of St. Mary's University in Winona, MN. We'll gather for supper on Friday evening, and complete our activities with lunch on Sunday.

In addition to a good deal of class time, in the evening we'll enjoy songs, games (ever play "Clue" in Irish?), and general socializing. And we have an amazing Drama Festival.

Will this get me in the Monday evening classes in the Twin Cities?(back to questions)

The short, but incomplete, answer is Yes. Please read the rest of this section!

After completing the beginner class at Winona, you can start attending our Monday evening classes in the Twin Cities.

BUT we won't back up as far as we usually do when we bring new people into the program (for example, after our Community Education Intro class). Now, you'll get more experience at Winona than you do at, say, our spring workshop, and we have just recently started over with some new students from May, so we aren't that far along.

But you have to understand that for the first few classes, if you decide to join us, you're going to be doing some catching up. With a little extra effort, you should be just fine in a few weeks -- but we want you to understand how it works with the Winona workshop.

The beginner class generally does a thorough review in the fall, so you should be able to catch up if you stick with us.

What will I learn there?(back to questions)

If you are a beginner, you will learn the basics of simple conversation, and a good deal about how Irish spelling and sounds work. You'll get a start on being able to sound out things you see written in Irish, and you will acquire some of the basic vocabulary of the fundamental 'small talk' -- greetings, weather, and beginning dialogue -- that is typical of an Irish conversation.

If you already have these basics, you will spend more time working on the next level of conversation. In addition, you'll work with some fundamentals of grammar.

At the more advanced levels, working in the language and applying your knowledge of Irish becomes the focus. Students at the upper levels will hear much less English during the day, and use their speaking, reading, and listening abilities in more novel situations.

More specific goals and activities for each group are worked out as we learn the composition of each class. In other words, we adapt each workshop to reflect the numbers and abilities of the people attending. For more about how we determine your ability in the language, see our placement question .

Can a beginner really learn anything worthwhile in one weekend?(back to questions)

Absolutely! We'll even prove it to you at the event. On Saturday evening, we send our beginner class around to eavesdrop on several typical Irish conversations. With what they've learned, our new students are able to tell which people are talking about the weather, which about being in class, and so on. Obviously, this is something you can't do when you walk in the door on Friday evening, but all of our past beginners have been able to handle this task without much trouble.

Of course, you won't understand every word, and you'll only be able to talk about yourself a little bit, at the end of the weekend. But you will know some basic conversation, you'll have a start on Irish pronunciation, and most importantly, you'll know whether the Irish language is something you want to pursue further.

And feedback from past participants consistently shows that they were very happy with their progress in a single weekend.

Who should attend?(back to questions)

Anyone who is interested in the Irish language, whether you already study it or not. There are many reasons why you might like to attend this workshop:

• If you've always been curious, or always meant to try your hand (or your tongue) at the Irish language, to see if you'd like to study it, this is a great way to check it out. Afterwards you may decide to enroll in a class, or to take advantage of other events held in our region and around the country.
• You can be confident of learning in a supportive, friendly environment. You'll be in a group of students of similar ability, whatever your level. Absolute beginners are always an important part of our workshops, so if you're worried about being new to this, you'll be very comfortable.
• More advanced levels are usually smaller groups at our workshops, so you have plenty of opportunities to participate, and speak, during the classes. We have instructors with experience in teaching all levels of students, so you can expect to get a language workout that's appropriate to your abilities.
• You'll meet instructors and volunteers who can answer questions and generate ideas about how to pursue your studies.
• You'll meet other students who struggle with the same problems you do: finding time to study, finding others to work with and converse with, finding materials and resources . . .Instructors and textbooks are not the only sources of solutions. Talking with other learners is a great way to stay motivated, and make progress, with the language.
• It's just plain fun. It's a stimulating way to spend a weekend, among people who share your interest, and with supportive faculty and staff, in a pleasant campus environment. The vast majority of participants at our past workshops have indicated, on our feedback forms, that they would probably attend the next workshop we held or recommend the workshop to a friend . They had a good time while learning something, and so will you.

What about kids?(back to questions)

Younger students are welcome, but we ask you to think about it a little before you sign up a younger student:

• We think it's important that any students who do come want to be there. That is, we welcome younger participants who have expressed an interest in at least trying a bit of the Irish language. We don't recommend dragging a kid along who really has no interest.
• This is, of course, a residential workshop. They'll be in class all day on Saturday, and then social activities carry on into the evening. They have to be able to handle a lengthy day, and to handle the responsibility of living in the dorm, if that's what they do.
• Evenings are social time, with a lot of adults chatting about their interests. Now, our adult students are very friendly folks, but again, younger students need to be comfortable (and responsible) in an adult social environment.
• We cannot supervise minors, so they should be accompanied by a parent who is also attending the workshop. Note that alcohol is among the refreshments available in the evening, another reason to ensure that your youngster is supervised.

Rest assured, we have had many teenagers attend with adults and it has worked out very well. We have had even younger students do well at our workshops, but they clearly need some support for an event of this type.

How do we spend our time?(back to questions)

The workshop begins with supper on Friday evening, July 17. You can pick up your materials just before supper (served at 6 p.m.). After a fine meal together, we'll have some opening remarks to give you the lay of the land, and then you'll have your first class session. We then have class sessions time Saturday morning and afternoon, hold a special group class activity on Saturday evening, and finish Sunday morning.

By the way, even if you aren't staying on campus, we have activities on campus that provide important, and entertaining, cultural connections to the language, so plan on being on campus until about 9:30 on Friday and Saturday evening.

We have coffee breaks along the way, and the last part of Saturday afternoon is free time. There are great hiking trails along the bluffs next to the campus, and the city of Winona is a delightful community to visit. Friday and Saturday evenings we gather on campus for some additional Irish experience, followed by social time. We'll try a few songs together, share our "party pieces", and playing games is always popular -- have you ever played "Clue" or "Pictionary" in Irish?

In the evenings, we bring all the classes together for joint activities after supper on Saturday, before the frolicking begins. There is free time on Sunday morning, to wander about or to attend church, and the workshop concludes with a brunch together at midday on Sunday.

Of course, more details will be sent to you when we acknowledge your registration.

What if I've never studied Irish before, or only a very little bit?(back to questions)

Then this is your chance! Beginners love our workshops.This is a perfect opportunity for you to get a taste of the language, because:

• You learn a lot, about the language and about your interest, for a relatively modest investment of time and money. No books, tapes, or other materials to buy, no long term commitment, no plane ticket to Ireland. If you decide, after this experience, that you really aren't interested in studying the Irish language seriously, you've just spent one weekend to find that out.
• We work with lots of beginners. Our instructors are experienced in teaching beginners, and you'll have plenty of company as you try to learn some basic conversation in Irish.
• You can make valuable contacts with instructors and others who can point you to resources and share ideas. And other students at all levels can be especially helpful sources of information for the beginning students.
• Motivation and support can have more to do with your success in a language than books, tapes, and other resources. Our participants leave our workshops excited, ready to tackle Irish seriously -- and looking forward to attending the next workshop, according to the feedback they give us. If you start with an enjoyable, supportive class, and make connections with the instructors and students in the Irish-speaking community, you'll have the best possible beginning to your Irish studies.

How do I know I'll end up in the right class at this workhop?(back to questions)

This is a concern for both the beginner and the more advanced student. We are continually working to improve our ability to meet the needs of students at all levels. That's why we ask you to answer some questions about your language abilities on the placement section of our registration form, to ensure the best fit between student ability and instructional activities.

• When you complete your registration form, we will ask you to also answer a few simple questions about your experience in Irish. And we ask you to express some simple concepts in Irish.
• As registrations come in, we review the placement information and group students into levels of similar ability. When we aren't sure, from your placement data, where to put you, we may give you a call for more information. (Or we may be able to add information for students who are already known to one of the instructors or staff of the workshop.) We want to take both your ability and your confidence into account in placing you in a section at the workshop.
• Absolute beginners -- people who have never studied the language at all, not even in one of our workshops -- can rest assured that they will be placed in our beginning class.
• Placements are not carved in stone. If, after the workshop begins, you feel that you have been placed in a level that is too hard, or too easy, you are completely free to move to another section.

Our placement system is designed to make the workshop experience more enjoyable and more worthwhile for you. We have been fairly successful at this sort of placement in our past workshops, so most people find themselves at the right level. And if we aren't quite right, you can easily change.

How do I enroll in the workshop?(back to questions)

You enroll by sending in a registration form, with complete information, and a check ($140 if received by June 30, $175 thereafter). Forms must be received (not postmarked) no later than Saturday, July 11.

But we strongly encourage you to register early and take the $35 discount.

Payment must accompany the registration form, and the placement test part of the form must be completed. We need a form, and a placement test, for each participant, so if several members of the family, or some similar group, want to register together, you can send separate copies of the form for each participant, or you can clearly mark the information for multiple students on one form. In either case, you can pay for everyone with one check.

Also note:

• By submitting the registration, you agree to the conditions listed under "How to Enroll" on our form.
• We need your phone number, so that if there were an emergency (e.g., natural disaster wipes out power in Winona), we can call you.
• If you prefer vegetarian meals, be sure to check the appropriate box on the form. See more about meals below, so you can decide which types of meals to sign up for.
• You can indicate your lodging preferences on the registration form as well. Note that "single" is a bedroom to yourself, but two bedrooms share a bath, kitchen, and living area. See the lodging question for more information.

How much does it cost to attend?(back to questions)

You can attend the workshop for $140 IF your registration reaches us by Tuesday, June 30. After that, it will cost $175. (Registration due by July 11, no matter what.)

Fees cover all materials and instructions, all meals, and refreshments for both coffee breaks and evening social time.

Lodging is extra: if you wish to stay on campus, rooms are available at very reasonable rates, compared to a typical motel. Please see the next question for more about the lodging on campus. (Cost is $100 for the weekend for a "single", $50 for shared, but please see the next question for what we mean by a "single", in which you still share some space.)

Where do I stay?(back to questions)

We have lodging available, at a ridiculously good rate, on campus in the dorms. Fees are $100 for a "single", $50 for a "shared" bedroom -- but even the singles share a bathroom.

Please Note:

• Final location can change at the last minute! For example, one year we ended up with a better location because another group had canceled. So even after you register, keep an eye on the site for last minute news (and, of course, we'll give you the final scoop when you check in at the University).

The Pines

This year, we'll be staying in The Pines, which (for previous participants) is a dorm we used for several years in the past. This is a very comfortable air-conditioned residence, convenient to all of campus, and we use the common room for socializing in the evening. All rooms are non-smoking, basic linens/towels are provided.

Room arrangements:

In Pines, two bedrooms, each with two beds, have a bathroom between them. See this layout.

• "Single": $100 for the weekend. Note:This is one of the two bedrooms in the suite to yourself, with no one using the other bed. You still share a bath, kitchen, and living space with the other bedroom, if it is occupied.
• "Shared": $50 for the weekend. This means that both beds in the bedroom will be occupied, and the pair of you will share a bath with the other bedroom.
• If you are a couple, a parent and child, etc., you will want to select "shared" for each of you on your forms, and let us know you are together. In other words, a couple would pay for two shared places, at $100 total for the weekend, but they would be in two single beds in the same bedroom.
• We often don't have to fill both bedrooms, so most of the time we don't end up with four people sharing one bathroom. But it is not impossible, of course.

Overflow

If we use all the rooms in Pines, the overflow will stay in the "New Village" apartments. These are a cluster of small buildings, in which a pair of bedrooms, each containing two beds, shares a common bathroom and kitchen. They are on the edge of campus, a short stroll from our classrooms, and from our lunch and supper location.

Other Options

Of course, some people stay with friends and relatives in the region, or live close enough to commute.

And others may choose to stay in a B&B or local hotel, for whatever reason. Go to VisitWinona and click on "Places to Stay".

What do we eat?(back to questions)

Your fee covers the main meals -- Friday supper through Sunday brunch -- along with morning and afternoon coffee breaks on Saturday.

We also supply refreshments for evening activities, snacks, fruit, beverages (alcoholic and non-) in the dorm.

Vegetarian vs. Meat

Vegetarian entrees are available at all meals. Even if you are not a vegetarian, you may want to consider selecting vegetarian meals if you avoid certain foods (e.g., pork). We do not allow you to mix vegetarian and meat entrees, you'll have to go one way or the other for the entire weekend.

Here is a brief summary of the menus for the weekend. If you have questions, contact us.

Breakfasts:

• Depending on what else is happening on campus, Saturday breakfast may be through a cafeteria line, with plenty of options, or simply a continental breakfast in a dining room.
• Sunday morning we usually just offer coffee and bagels in the main dorm (Pines).

Special Needs

If you have special dietary needs, let us know and we work with St. Mary's catering. Naturally, we try to keep things simple, which helps with costs, but we have generally been able to work things out with the catering folks -- and we'll get back to you if we run into problems.

Where is Winona? (back to questions)

Winona is just over a two-hour drive from the Twin Cities. It is about 45 minutes from Rochester, and less than half an hour from La Crosse.

The town itself, of about 25,000 people, rests on an island in the Mississippi river, with limestone bluffs towering over Winona. This is what's known as the "driftless" area of southeastern Minnesota, a region that wasn't ground flat by the glaciers in the last Ice Age.

Winona was named for a Dakota Indian maiden ("first born daughter" of Chief Wapasha) who threw herself from “Maiden’s Rock” over thwarted love. In 1858, the first tax-supported teachers' college west of the Mississippi was founded in Winona (now Winona State University, and the oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System) .

How do I get there?(back to questions)

You can reach Winona by car, bus, or rail. And you can shuttle to Winona from nearby airports.

• CAR: Interstate 90 passes right by Winona, for travelers from Wisconsin, Illinois, western Minnesota or South Dakota. US highway 14 heads through Winona (and right past St. Mary's) from La Crosse, and US 61 provides a wonderfully scenic route along the river from the north.
• AIR: Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport is the nearest major airport. Also note that La Crosse, WI has daily service to and from Chicago. If you fly in, please let us know your plans and we can help get you a ride (allow at least 3 hours from the Twin Cities to get to Winona and check in). There are also shuttles between these airports and Winona.
• TRAIN: Amtrak's Empire Builder, connecting Chicago and St. Paul, stops in Winona.
• BUS: Greyhound reaches Winona from many locations, including the Twin Cities, Rochester, La Crosse, and Chicago.

If you take a plane, train, bus, or shuttle, let us know your travel details and we'll try to arrange a ride with someone from the airport or station to the event.

What other activities should I know about that weekend? (back to questions)

There are many cultural attractions in the area, but if you want to hang around after we're done on that Sunday, here are a couple of special events (make your own arrangements, of course:

• The Great River Shakespeare Festival offers Love's Labors Lost at 4:30 p.m. at Winona State University.
• In town, The Minnesota Orchestra plays a Minnesota Beethoven Festival concert at 4:00 p.m.

Tell me more about St. Mary's (back to questions)

Our home in Winona is St. Mary's University, a co-educational Catholic university with locations in Winona, in the Twin Cities, and in Rochester, not to mention programs in Jamaica and Kenya. It is a private university run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

The Winona campus, a mile or two from the Mississippi, is surrounded by the beautiful bluffs that are a highlight of the region. Nearly 1400 undergraduates pursue liberal arts and sciences at the Winona campus.

For directions and maps to the Winona Campus, try this page.

Comments and questions are welcome via e-mail

(our e-mail address, broken down to reduce spam from 'spambots', is info at gaelminn dot org)