Ernestine Healy, from Castlebar Co Mayo has been appointed as the director of the Blas Summer School which takes place in the University of Limerick. Ernestine is a qualified secondary school teacher, currently on a career break and now working as a full-time lecturer in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. Having occupied the position of Acting Course Director on the Graduate Diploma in Music Education post-graduate programme during 2008/09, she is now lecturing on the BA in Irish Music and Dance undergraduate programme.
Ernestine is an internationally recognised concertina player, as well as a tutor and producer on the Irish musical scene.
On her appointment as the new director of the Blas Summer School, Professor Silleabhain, head of the Irish World Academy, commented, “Ernestine is a huge addition to the Irish World Academy since first arriving here as a student of the graduate diploma in music education. She has been a vital part of the team here at the academy, as a teacher, composer, organiser, and we are very fortunate that she has agreed to take on yet another role as director of one of the academy’s flagship events The Blas Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance.”
One of Ernestine’s first tasks as director of Blas 2010, was to announce the Paul Brady Blas Scholarships, which were launched at a high-profile event at the University of Limerick in March of this year. The Paul Brady Blas Scholarship will provide 20,000 in endowment funds over three years, providing 25 places for deserving musicians on the Blas programme where they will benefit from master classes and tuition from some of Ireland's most respected traditional musicians and dancers.
