The Willie Clancy Summer School (Irish: ) in Ireland is the world's largest traditional music summer school, held annually since 1973 in memory of the uilleann piper Willie Clancy. During the week, nearly a thousand students from all over the world attend daily classes taught by experts in Irish music and dance. In addition, a full programme of lectures, recitals, céilí dances, and exhibitions are run by the school.
The school
Clancy discussed the idea of a summer school with his friends in 1972, months before he died. The event was founded by a committee of local people after the death of Clancy, aged 54, in January 1973. After the death of Clancy, Muiris Ó Rócháin built on this idea with Séamus Mac Mathúna, Martin Talty, Junior Crehan and Paddy Joe McMahon.