← All events
arts · Friday 4 September 2026 · Various 
Art Portfolio Prep for 5th and 6th Year Students
At The Linenhall Arts Centre · Linenhall Street, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 AN24
At The Linenhall Arts Centre · Linenhall Street, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 AN24
This is a six-session Friday course at the Linenhall for fifth and sixth year students working on the Leaving Cert art booklet, run by the artist Joanne Hopkins. It covers portfolio booklet preparation and art history side by side, so students are building the practical work and the written knowledge at the same time rather than treating them as separate subjects.
Each session introduces new mediums aligned with the requirements of the booklet, and the work students produce can be photographed for college portfolio submissions later on, which matters for anyone applying to art colleges. The course also includes online art history lessons and printed notes issued every week, so the material does not disappear when the session ends. Materials are provided and students bring their own sketchbook. Numbers are deliberately capped to keep the standard of attention high, so places go quickly. It costs €20 per session, booked through the Linenhall’s Ticketsolve system, and the six dates run from early September through to just before the mid-term break.
The Linenhall is on Linenhall Street in the centre of Castlebar, close to The Mall and the main square, which makes it straightforward for students coming from school by bus or on foot. By road, the N5 comes west from Dublin, the N84 north from Galway, the N60 from Claremorris and Roscommon and the N58 from Ballina and Foxford. Local and Bus Eireann services run into Castlebar from Westport, Ballina, Claremorris and the surrounding towns. Irish Rail serves Castlebar from Dublin Heuston via Manulla Junction. Street parking around Linenhall Street is pay-and-display, with larger car parks a short walk away for drop-off and collection.
Heading to The Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar? Mayo has plenty more to see. Read the Castlebar area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.