The Dawn Chorus is Back for 2023, only we are
extending it with a Dusk Chorus!

This Event is ONSITE & ONLINE

Event Description:

It’s that time again – The Dusk & Dawn Chorus with The Sanctuary is back on Saturday April 22nd & Sunday April 23rd 2023.

Let’s all come together as a community to raise much needed funds towards the work of the Sanctuary and to enjoy Nature’s Ultimate Soundbath!

The Sanctuary is inviting you to join us from your own home OR onsite in Ards Friary & Retreat Centre in County Donegal, as we celebrate the wonderful birdsong of the Dusk & Dawn Chorus in a special mindful way.

This year, we are shaking things up a bit. We have decided to broadcast a Dusk Chorus on the evening of Saturday, April 22nd, in which we will say goodnight to the day with the birds through meditation and bird song. We will then welcome the new day in the same way, for the Sanctuary’s annual Dawn Chorus.

We have also decided to broadcast the event from Ards Friary & Retreat Centre within its 200 acres of biodiversity forest and Atlantic coastline. For those who would like to attend in person, the Sanctuary’s Managing Director, Jane Negrych, will lead a retreat which will begin at 12.30pm on Saturday the 22nd and end at 2pm on Sunday the 23rd. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.

For those joining us online, The Dusk Chorus will be broadcast out live on Saturday evening, April 22nd, starting around 7.30pm (time TBC closer to the date). The Dawn Chorus broadcast will begin on Sunday morning, April 23rd, around 4.15 am 

Outline of Online events:

Saturday April 22nd:

6.00pm- Welcome & Introduction and Logistics…

6.30pm/7pm Talk with Sean O’Gaoithin of Glenveagh National park on Declaring Peace with Nature

7pm/7.30pm- Dusk Chorus and Meditation with Jane Negrych

8.15pm- Closing poem by Tony Bates

Into silence for those who choose….

Sunday April 23rd

4.15am- Opening poem by Sr. Stan

4.30am- 5.15am Dawn Chorus and Meditation with Jane Negrych

5.15am- 5.45am- Talk with Brother Ade of Ards on Biodiversity/ Spiritual Ecology and Earth communities

Outline of Onsite events:

Saturday Afternoon

12.30pm: Arrival to Ards-  welcome and getting settled into individual rooms

13.00pm- 14:00pm: Lunch

14:00- 16:30pm: Sitting meditation session with Jane and Walking meditation of Ards grounds

16:30pm- 18:30pm: Dinner Break

18:30pm: Dusk Chorus event (see Outline for Online event)

Sunday Morning

4:15am: Dawn Chorus (see Outline for Online event)

6am- 9am: Rest and Breakfast

9am- 10.30am: Practice Session with Mary

10.30am- 11:00am: Tea Break

11am- 12.30pm: Practice session with Jane

12.30pm- 14:00pm: Check out and Lunch

Day & Date: Saturday April 22nd & Sunday April 23rd 2023

Time: Dusk – 7.30pm / Dawn – 4.15am

Price: €160.00 – Onsite (All bookings include single room accommodation with shared washroom facilities. All meals included.)

€50 – Online

I am Br Ade, and am a member of the Capuchin Franciscan Order and currently resident at Ards Friary in Co Donegal. I joined the Capuchin Franciscans in 2015 having spent the previous 10 years or so working in Mental Health services in Bristol, where I had wandered from my home town of Plymouth, Devon.
I came to Ards Friary around two years ago and have spent this time diving deeply into Ecology and Environmental movements like Deep Ecology, Permaculture, and Regenerative Forestry. My day-to-day work has been to begin the process of transitioning Ards Friary to an ecologically sound land management. My particular passion being the care and support of our 100 acres of woodland. I have had the wonderful blessing of living closely with nature and this has changed me.

In these last two years I have seen in myself the fruition of a longer conversion process towards a deeper understanding of the place of humanity in the Ecology of Creation, and as part of an Earth Community. My hope is that I will be able to live out an authentically Franciscan spirituality of community building, contemplation, and service, with my feet firmly earthed.

Please Follow These Important Tips To Achieve Seamless Booking Experience

• To make sure that our booking system records all course participants, each order form is restricted to booking one course space at a time. If you are looking to book multiple spaces, please reach out to us on enquiries@sanctuary.ie or call on +353 (0)1 670 5419.

• Please add events@sanctuary.ie to your email contacts and check your spam, promotions or junk email folders for emails from the Sanctuary.

• Please note: our courses will close for booking 48hrs prior to start date. Zoom details etc are sent out once the booking has closed to ensure our community members have everything they need in advance of their course beginning.

• If you have any issues at all, please contact enquiries@sanctuary.ie. We are happy to help.

Email Us

enquiries@sanctuary.ie