Date/Time
Date(s) - Monday 10 May - Friday 14 May, 2027
All Day
Location
Moniack Mhor, Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire, IV4 7HT
Explore language and place through poetry
Join Pàdraig MacAoidh/Peter Mackay and Hanan Issa for a rare cross-nation poetry course hosted at Tŷ Newydd (November 2026) and Moniack Mhor (May 2027). Through this groundbreaking partnership, the Welsh and Scottish National Writing Centres look to bridge identities, communities and landscapes through poetry.
The two national poets will continue building on Gaelic, Welsh, English and Arabic traditions and explore how we move and live in the landscapes around and within us. We will explore the interconnected natural and cultural histories of places on visits to local sites, and question what it is that gives any place ‘value’ – be it in terms of resources, diversity or historic resonance. A particular focus of the week will be on the Gaelic tradition found in this part of the Scottish Highlands and its close links to the local wildlife, people and environment.
Through group workshops and one-to-one tutorials, we will explore how to write about belonging and connection as temporary visitors. The course is ideally suited for poets working with the multiplicity of language in their writing who want to investigate the political and cultural impact of words.
Bursary
As part of our equalities work, we earmarked one fully funded space on this course for a writer living in Scotland who may experience any barriers to attending or is proportionally under-represented in the sector. This may include members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people of colour, disabled writers, people with lived experience of the care system in Scotland, writers under the age of 25, writers on low income and/or people who have faced discrimination.
If you would like to be considered, please fill out this form. The deadline to apply is 10 June 2026 and the successful applicant will be notified shortly after.
Tutors
Pàdraig MacAoidh/Peter Mackay
Hanan Issa
Guest reader
TBA
Fees
Please note that this course finished on Friday – a day early compared to our standard courses.
The full fee for this course is £675. This includes your accommodation in a single room with shared bathroom, all meals, hot drinks and snacks from Monday afternoon until Friday morning, and your tuition. For more information about the format and practicalities of our courses, tutored courses, and retreats, please visit our About the Residential Courses & Retreats page.
A limited number of en-suite rooms are available, which can be booked in advance for a £50 surcharge. We will also reserve an en-suite room for anyone who may need it due to a medical condition. This will be offered out as an upgrade nearer the course start date if it is not needed.
A small single room with a skylight is available at a discounted price of £650. Please note this room does not have an ordinary window, only a small skylight.
A deposit is required to secure your place, which is non-refundable after a 14-day cooling-off period. The remainder of the course fee is due six weeks before the course begins. Please read our Terms & Conditions for full details about our cancellation policy. If you would like to pay the full amount in advance, please email info@moniackmhor.org.uk.
Bursaries are always available, and you also have the option to pay in instalments. If you have any problems paying online, or wish to discuss paying in instalments or applying for financial help, or would simply like assistance, please contact us by emailing info@moniackmhor.org.uk.
Access
Please let us know in your booking form if you have any access requirements, for example a ground floor bedroom and/or access to a step-free accessible shower room. We also reserve one en-suite bedroom per course for anyone who may need this due to a medical condition.
We have a limited number of twin rooms available on site. If you need to book a twin room for access reasons, please book a standard single room and mention in the comments box that you will need a twin room.
For more information about access to our courses, please visit our Access page.
Terms and Conditions
Please read our Terms & Conditions before booking.