Hi people, my husband and I are planning to attend Wilie Clancy’s summer school next year, if possible. The thing is that I’m no good at any instrument really, so I would like to ask if any of you know how the classes are made up? Are there beginner’s classes or do you have to be great at your instrument? I can play a tune or two on tin whistle and English concertina (but not full speed), and I am a little above beginner level on the fiddle (but I wouldn’t yet count myself as intermediate). Is there any hope for me at Willie Clancy’s? I do have about a year to practice on whatever instrument may be possible.. What would you suggest?
For godsake, this year’s isn’t completely over yet 
No beginner’s classes except for pipes, no English concertinas but you’ll have another year to practice the whistle and will fit in a suitable level class without a problem. Mind you you’ll probably be surrounded by a rake of seven year olds that all lift a tune at first hearing and play rings round you 
But yes, there’s hope yet.
Dang, so now I have to get uillean pipes as well?
Don’t adults play the whistle? Hey, I think I’d feel quite low around little kids who pick up everything at once, I know how it’s like around young teenage fiddlers in Sweden, they’re not even half my age but can play the fiddle as if they had never done anything else in their lives.
What about the fiddle classes? There should be lots of fiddlers of different levels who would like to participate?
Not that I mind the whistle, but it would be nice to be around folks at least over 15! 
No English concertinas? What discrimination!!! Hail the EC!!!
yes plenty of fiddlers, fiddleclasses are usually quite full. You’ll do fien there too.
They do, but maybe not all of them need classes? Whislte is THE beginner instrument and like the concertina you just get an awful lot of youngsters attending the classes. The concertinaclasses were populated by a large under 14 majority this year.
Unless they’ve changed things in the last three years, there will be a few adult-only beginner classes, and they’ll all be people like yourself who have picked up the whistle after their teens.
Yes, there were over 30 fiddle classes in 2003, accommodating all levels. As long as you can play a few Irish Jigs you’ll find a class for your ability.
Well, they do call it the English concertina for a reason You’ll find many workshops in England that cater for the English concertina, but in Ireland the Anglo rules.
Great news!! I think I’ve decided to go with the fiddle since I’m already on my way there, I already know some Swedish trad and a few oldtime tunes on the fiddle and I’m trying to teach myself Irish music even if I haven’t focused much on it lately (have practiced mostly on Swedish music to be able to join in on all the Swedish fiddle events that take place in the summer), I can play a few jigs really badly, and some polkas quite ok. But I’ll definitely bring the whistle as well! Is it possible to attend classes for more than one instrument?
Even if it’s theoretically possible (?), I wouldn’t advise this. Concentrate on getting reasonably good at one thing, it’s much more rewarding than dabbling.