Beadmaking Bliss in Magical Ireland!

Fuel Your Passion for Beadmaking — The Irish Edition
July 13-20, 2026

Treat yourself to the time and inspiration to refine your skills, learn new techniques, and enjoy a community that shares the magic of beadmaking. Indeed, an unforgettable retreat like no other! Mulranny is a small village on the west coast of Ireland on Clew Bay in Co. Mayo. It will be hard not to be both distracted and inspired by our location.

WHAT WILL YOU MAKE?
Your retreat is designed to ignite your beadmaking skills! Yes, I meant that pun. We will dig deeply into the art of making a twisted cane, which is our priority! Once you have a collection of canes to choose from, it’s time to make beads! We will make round beads with twists and large-hole beads with twists. Yes, you will learn the secret to matching the cane ends! We will be exploring grinding and polishing our beads. Beads are ground and polished to increase the definition or change the shape of the bead. We will wrap it all up by with tumbling the beads for that fabulous matte finish and feel.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR RETREAT?

  • 8 Days, 7 Nights Hosted Retreat - arriving on July 13, 2026 departing July 20th.

  • Fee includes 5 in-house dinners, 5 lunches. One lunch and two dinners, while on tour or taken in local restaurants, are not included. Students can purchase alcohol at a local shop.

  • Fee includes Private Shuttle Transport from and to Westport Train Station.

  • Fee includes one full-day guided tour AND one half-day guided tour plus one evening’s entertainment.

FULL-DAY TOUR INCLUDED!
The full-day tour will include a guided tour of Achill Island, following the Wild Atlantic Way route. Achill boasts the highest sea cliffs in Western Europe, iconic beaches, soaring mountains, peaceful lakes, and ancient boglands, all under the vast Atlantic skies. You’ll also discover intriguing historical sites along the way, with a delicious lunch at the BeeHive Restaurant.

HALF-DAY TOUR INCLUDED!
The half-day tour will include a visit to Burrishoole Abbey, Graine Uaile’s Castle - the Pirate Queen of Ireland’s West Coast, Furnace Lake, the Old Irish Goat Visitor Center in Mulranny, a viewing of the famous Harry Clarke stained glass windows, and a trip to the bustling market town of Westport. Here, you’ll have time to explore and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant or café.

COST

  • $3270.00. The initial $1,000 non-refundable deposit will secure your spot in the retreat. I will send you an invoice for the balance of $2270 due March 1, 2026

  • To register for the class please send me an email. beads@heathertrimlett.com

  • Our retreat is limited to 10 students.

  • To have the best experience during this retreat, students need a strong background in glass beadmaking. 

  • If you need to cancel your reservation before March 1, 2026, I’m happy to send you a refund minus a $100 processing fee. After March 1st, I will refund if I can fill your spot.

WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS

  • Energy! You are going to need it; there is so much to absorb in this fantastic experience.

  • Questions! Start working on your questions now; we will have a wealth of knowledge in our group.

  • The studio will have all the basic tools. Please bring: 

    • You don’t need to bring all your tools. How about your top three that you can’t live without? I am happy to check with the school to see if they have your favorites so you don’t have to carry that special tool.

    • Heather’s Twister Tool Set and Round-up tool. Contact me if you don’t have these tools.

    • Large Hole mandrels. ¼” and ½”. You can bring larger mandrels, but each increase in size exponentially increases the intensity and difficulty level!

TRAVEL INFORMATION

  • An overnight in Dublin helps before you arrive, as it is a long journey otherwise. We suggest the Ashling Hotel by the train station as it is the most convenient. The next day, July 13th, you will take the 12:45 train from Dublin to Westport in Co. Mayo, arriving at 4 pm.

  • You want the 12:45 train to Westport on July 13th.  Book your tickets about 3 or 4 weeks beforehand. Tickets are about $20 each way, which is very good considering this is across the entire country from one side to the other! Your return ticket is for the 9:45 am train from Westport on Monday, 20th July. Get rail information at www.IrishRail.ie.

  • All students will be picked up at the Westport train station. Beth and I will plan to meet you at the train station.  

  • Everyone will need a night in Dublin before they go back to the USA, as most flights leave in the AM and we cannot get you there in time from Co. Mayo.  That will be the night of the 20th July for departure on the 21st.  You can use the Ashling Hotel again, so on return, you can leave your luggage there and have another day in Dublin to explore as you arrive at 1 pm.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

  • Airfare

  • Travel insurance STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. We encourage you to purchase trip insurance immediately upon registering, with “Cancel for Any Reason” to cover you for unexpected circumstances – buy trip insurance WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR TRIP if you wish to have this extra coverage.

  • Passport fees, photos, and processing where applicable.

  • Additional nights lodging

All accommodations are located in rented houses, conveniently situated within walking distance of the facilities. Modern rooms of various sizes are available, with some featuring sea views. Guests may request a private room and shared rooms are also available. Half of the rooms are equipped with ensuite facilities, while the remaining half share a bathroom. Wi-Fi is available throughout the facilities, and hairdryers are available upon request. Laundry facilities are limited, with wash and dry cycles costing €5. It is recommended that guests bring their own plug adapters for their electronics, and converters are not required. There are adequate rooms for both group gatherings and private spaces. A shared kitchen and fridge are available for guests to store their food, and should guests require any essentials, a small village shop with an ATM and alcohol is in the village.
Please Note: Due to limited accommodation facilities, students’ spouses or partners are not encouraged; however, if required, an additional fee of 50% of the student fee will be charged.

Preview this STUNNING part of the world!