The Tyrone Guthrie Centre is paradise. I haven't cooked or committed acts of housework in seven days. I'll get to the writing part soon...but the food (dinner is every evening at seven) is exquisite. A fatted calf took the bus back to Laois yesterday! Thai food, vegetarian, fish, roast...every evening was different and a taste of heaven.
The novelty of writing uninterrupted never wore off. My room was large, en suite and had plenty of light. I do wish I'd brought a sketchbook, the gardens were stunning. If I went to the kitchen for coffee, there was always homemade scones and someone to talk to. The balance is perfect, if you need to work for hours at a time in silence, you have it. If you'd like a break and a chat, you have that too. I've made new friends and will be keeping an eye out for various plays, exhibitions, poems and novels...
Writing wise, it was hard work. I discovered my novel isn't as near to finished as I'd imagined. I could wrap it up now but it needs deeper writing, one of my main characters has a lot more to tell. The person who went to Monaghan would have been gutted by this revelation, but I'm not. It takes time. I've two points of view with a third one creeping in. You tackle what you can at the time of writing, and when I started this novel I didn't know the characters well enough, now I know them well enough to continue...
Another rewrite!
Did I mention the lake? The organic gardens? The relaxed atmosphere?
10 comments:
sounds fab, good for you on getting the time for yourself.
and homemade scones! I'd have been in that kitchen all day...
Great to hear that your week has been both enjoyable and productive. The two don't always go hand in hand, do they?
Oh wow!! It sounds like an absolute writer's dream!! First the great food selection, second the atmosphere, third the setting and fourth and best of all - the creative flow!! Well done you for grabbing your writing with heart and soul and being very positive about it!!
Take care
x
@niamhB- its the kitchen thats calling me back.. (plus the excuse/unfinished novel...)
@Martin H- Thanks,they don't always but these people have been running the centre for over 25 years so they've got it sussed!
@old kitty - it was a writers dream, and its open to writers from all over, there were residents from spain, hungary, london... check it out, i think you'd like it too!
Niamh, that sounds amazing, am I a real writer when I zoned in on the 7 days no housework bit ?
I am delighted you got a chance to concentrate on what is an obvious talent to us readers of your blog..
Good luck with working on it now.
@Brigid, thanks for that lovely comment! It's funny, I've just come from commenting on your last magpie! I think the 7 days without housework was the most important part! (and being cooked for!) - its hard to adjust to the real world!!
what a wonderful experience!
Thank you for posting about the Tyrone Guthrie Centre! Looks fantastic. My namesake, yes, but from Washington state I hadn't heard of it. May you experience your retreat as richly as you want.
Sounds fantastic and good to hear that you got a lot out of it.
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