Harristown Language School now in operation
The school has been set up by Noella Beaumont, who has lived at Harristown for 25 years with her husband Hubert and their children. Previously the home to the La Touche family, founders of the Bank of Ireland, Harristown and its 750 acres of farmland has been in the ownership of the Beaumonts since 1946 when Hubert’s father Michael and his wife Doreen bought it.
Hubert and Noella put it on the market in 2016 with a view to retiring, but didn't get a suitable offer. Today, Noella believes that was a blessing. "We had thoughts of moving to France, but now I know that wouldn't have suited us," she says as she prepares for her first group of students next month.
She did, though, spend a year in France with her daughter Isabella, and during that time took on some English language teaching work with young students, an area in which she is professionally qualified.
"It was around then that I began looking at the idea of setting up this school at Harristown. I used to live in Italy, and I had contacts there, and in Spain. The more I looked at it, the more I thought we had something special to offer here."
It certainly is special. Harristown House itself is a late 19th century home, with walks and and a walled garden restored by Hubert's parents and the house today maintained by himself and Noella — "I farm the land so we can maintain the house," he has said many times.
Noella says Hubert has been incredibly supportive of her language school idea, and over the winter a section of the former coach-yard buildings has been converted into a classroom and games room for the pupils. Failte Ireland has also been enthusiastic and has provided practical advice.
"We can comfortably accommodate 12 students at a time, aged from 10-15, to come for a minimum of a week but usually two weeks," Noella says. "The mornings will be intensive language work in the classrooms, while the afternoons will provide a variety of activities including yoga in the main hall of the house, drama under the direction of local teacher Rani Grennell, tennis coaching, and outings to places of interest in the local area. These can range from experiences at the nearby Kalbarri Cookery School to trips to the medieval city of Kilkenny, Glendalough and much more.
"The beauty of this region is that there is absolutely no shortage of places of interest to visit. We also emphasise the fact that the school is on a farm, and that the students get a family experience in a house with a history."
The operation is being managed by Noella and Isabella, with input from other qualified people as required. In addition to bringing in students from France, Italy and Spain, there are courses available for au pairs living here who need to prepare for English exams, and for adults also.
"We are also going to provide French language courses for Irish people, which can be tailored to individual needs and current ability. Since we have the facility in place now, it can be used in a variety of ways."
Sending their children to Ireland to learn English in the summer has long been a common practice amongst families in the relevant countries. But much of the accommodation and teaching is based in schools and similar facilities otherwise closed for the summer. "It means the students have a lot of opportunity to gather together and speak in their own languages, which rather defeats the purpose. At the other extreme, they can be boarded with individual families, but that can be a sometimes lonely experience."
At Harristown, the students will always be a small group, from mixed countries, and the experience is guaranteed to be special and safe. In cost terms it is at the upper end of the language teaching business, at €1,050 a week, a second week discounted by 20pc. But from the response already, it seems there's a ready market for the enterprise.
Of local interest, there'll also be opportunity for children aged 11-14 to take part in summer French and Activity camps, at €175 for a week. Yes, a little more than the usual summer camp costs, but again promising a very special experience.
If things go like it looks they will, there's plenty of more space in that coach-yard's buildings. More information from harristownhouse.ie/language-school.
This article was first published on the Kilcullen Page of The Kildare Nationalist.
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