Aside from the full-time fine arts degree course, there are also five-day courses during the summer months for those at the more hobbyist end of the artistic spectrum. Limited to groups of no more than 10, the summer programmes offer an intimacy and level of hands-on support from tutors Cora Collins and Majella O’Neill that students describe as “art heaven”.
This tiny island is also home to an amazing number of painters, sculptors, potters, photographers, jewellers, leather workers and clothes designers, all producing beautiful original pieces inspired by the ever-changing nature of the surroundings. Many of the locally produced works are available in the Island Craft Shop on Baltimore Pier.
The island buzzes, especially in the summer, with the Sherkin Family Regatta, held on the last Sunday of August, being the highlight of the social calendar. The ruins of the 15th Century Franciscan Abbey play host to photography exhibitions and the three beaches of silver sand make great secluded swimming spots.