Song of the Sea:
A Women’s Singing Retreat in Ireland
The Song House, Donegal
July 14-20, 2026
Join us for a 7-day singing immersion where the mountains meet the sea, at the spectacular Song House in Donegal, Ireland
The Song House lies in the heart of the ‘Donegal Gaeltacht’ – an area where the native Irish language is commonly spoken. Sandwiched between wild and expansive Atlantic sandy beaches on one side, and the ‘Seven Sisters’ mountain range on the other, the drama and beauty of the local landscape will take your breath away.
Donegal is a special place where traditional music is alive and well, where local myths and legends have been passed down for generations, and where the wildness of the landscape is inseparable from the songs and stories of its people.
This week-long retreat will be limited to an intimate group of 13 participants. With a blend and balance of heart-opening group singing, workshop style classes, traditional Irish guest instructors, and plenty of free time to enjoy the beauty and magic of the area.
About The Song House
Set in the heart of the traditional Gaeltacht area of Donegal, The Song House (“Teach na nAmhrán” in Irish) lies on the Wild Atlantic Way. Originally named The Poets’ House, The Song House was an international centre of literary activity for over two decades, hosting leading lights of Irish poetry such as Seamus Heaney. Under its present musical ownership, the house continues to be full of character, and to inspire creativity and learning.
The Song House sits at the foot of the majestic Muckish Mountain, with its organic garden blending beautifully into the views. Surrounded by rugged elemental nature – the wild Atlantic Ocean, expansive sandy beaches, hidden caves and wells, mountains and bogland, this area of Donegal represents the best of a county voted the “coolest place on the planet” by National Geographic in 2017 and “4th best region in the world” by Lonely Planet.
Recently restored to a high environmental standard, the house is warm and comfortable, with beautiful views across the local countryside. The Song House will be our home base for this week-long retreat, with a beautiful workshop room, comfortable accommodations, a communal dining room, and a fantastic organic garden with flowers, herbs and fruits. The Song House is less than five minutes drive from the town of Falcarragh, and two miles from the sea.
To learn more about The Song House, visit their website by clicking here.
Schedule of our Retreat Days
Tuesday, July 14th:
4:00 pm: Arrive at the Song House, settle in, and drink some tea
5:30 pm: Land Orientation with Retreat Centre Staff
6:00 pm: Welcome & Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Opening Circle & Evening Session
Wednesday - Sunday:
8:30 am - 9:30 am: Breakfast
10:00 am - 12:00 pm: Morning Singing Session
12:30 - 1:30 pm: Lunch
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Optional Group Activities & Free Time
6:00 pm: Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Evening Session
Monday:
8:30 am - 9:30 am: Breakfast
10:00: Pack up & Departures
Our Itinerary
After breakfast each day, we’ll begin with a morning singing session with Mila, in the beautiful workshop room at The Song House. On some mornings, we may choose to sing outside in the garden, with spectacular views of Mukish mountain to the east.
Our afternoons will be free time for optional group activities, rest, relaxation, or personal exploring in the area. You can see a selection of optional group activities below.
Our evenings will include a mixture of group singing with Mila, and special events for our group that will include:
An evening song workshop with authentic Donegal Irish seán-nos singers (an old Irish traditional way of singing)
Fireside storytelling of local Irish myths and legends, with Donegal storyteller
A lively evening at a local “Ceilidh” with traditional Irish music and dance. Expect lots of fiddling!
Optional Afternoon Group Activities include:
A boat trip to spectacular islands of the Donegal coast, only ten minutes away
A hike to the summit of Muckish mountain, for a panorama of the whole of northwest Ireland
Swim, surf, or soak up the sun at Drumnatinney beach, that stretches for three miles along the wild Atlantic coastline, just 2 miles from The Song House
A lively afternoon at a local Ceilidh with traditional Irish music and dance
Walk on the old Burtonport to Derry Railway path, just 10 minutes from The Song House. Bogland, mountain, heather and rowan
Spend an afternoon at Glenveagh National Park, visit the Castle and the exceptional Italian Garden on the estate that is now the home of a thousand red deer
Visit the ruins of Ray Church beside the Ray river, sacked by Cromwell 400 years ago but still standing, with a 24-foot cross made out of a single stone that is the largest in Ireland
For a more detailed ‘Sample Itinerary’, you can click here.
What’s included in this retreat…
Singing with Mila: Expect to sing a lot! There will be a mixture of song circles and workshop-style classes. Singing will be spread across five morning sessions and two evening sessions.
Special Events: There are three group activities included: An evening of song with authentic Donegal Irish seán-nos singers; Fireside storytelling of local Irish legends and myths with Donegal storyteller; Lively afternoon at a local “Ceilidh” with traditional Irish music and dance. Taxis for the activities are included in your booking.
Accommodation: Your accommodations are included in the price. All rooms at the Song House are double occupancy, except for one triple room. There is a single room premium for two people who wish to stay at a local AirBnB, a short walk from the Song House.
Meals: Our meals will be prepared by the wonderful Louise Ozbey, The Song House Cook. They will be mostly vegetarian, and will include locally grown organic salads and local free-range eggs. Louise is able to accommodate most dietary restrictions, including gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
Local Transport from Falcarragh: The Song House can provide transportation from the local town of Falcarragh, for those who are arriving by bus from Dublin or Belfast.
Bedding and Towels: Bedding and towels are provided for all who are staying at The Song House and nearby AirBnB.
What’s not included in this retreat…
Flight to Ireland, and Transport to Falcarragh: You will need to book your own flight to Ireland, and transport to Falcarragh, which is the closest town to The Song House. For those without a car, we can arrange transportation from Falcarragh to The Song House.
Travel insurance: Please remember to purchase your own travel insurance for this retreat, including medical and trip cancellation insurance.
Optional Group Activities: Some of these activities are free, and some of them have costs. Free activities include: A hike to the summit of Muckish mountain; Swim or soak up the sun at Drumnatinney beach; Walk on the old Burtonport to Derry Railway path; Visit the ruins of Ray Church beside the Ray river. Paid activities include: A boat trip to spectacular islands of the Donegal coast; A visit to Glenveagh National Park; Local live music in the evenings.
*All local transportation expenses for optional group activities will be covered by guests. For those without a car, taxis in the area are quite affordable. The Song House staff will be glad to assist guests with information about local activities.
Meet Your Trainer
Mila Redwood is a Community Song Leader, Mother, certified Full Voice Coach, and the Founder of Sing for Joy in Toronto. Mila uses song as a tool for building community, for restoring our sense of belonging and connection in a fragmented world. She is passionate about singing together in the oral tradition, in the simple yet powerful ways that people have done for time immemorial. As the Founder of Sing for Joy, Mila pioneered a Community Singing movement in Ontario that has grown exponentially over the past decade. To read more about Mila, including her personal singing story, click here.
Booking & Registration
This training is currently full with a Waitlist. To add yourself to the Waitlist, click here.
Price per person: $1080 *Canadian dollars.
This price includes:
All training sessions during the 4-day immersion
Shared (double) room accommodations at the Shadow Lake Centre
3 delicious, home-cooked meals/day, coffee, tea, and snacks
A robust ‘basket’ of songs to get you started on your song-leading journey
The ultimate Community Singing textbook: Song Carrier Toolkit by Liz Rog
A private WhatsApp group for those who’ve completed the training
A post-training (Online) Integration Session with your cohort
A community of practitioners to learn and grow with
An opportunity to join the Song Leader Training Alumni program, for continued mentorship and peer-led support
Optional: Private (single) room upgrade at the Shadow Lake Centre ($120)
Payment Options:
There are two payment options for this training:
Pay in full at time of booking
Payment plan of three instalments, with a deposit of $360 to secure your booking (second and third payments due on July 15th and August 15th)
Payment can be made by e-transfer or credit card
Scholarships:
There are two partial scholarship spots for this training. To learn more and apply for one of these spots, you can click here.
Cancellation & Refund Policy:
A refund will be issued if notice is received by August 15th, minus a $50 admin fee. After August 15th, your registration is non-refundable, but it is transferable. This means that you can transfer your spot to another person, and be reimbursed for your investment. If we do not have a waiting list, it is the responsibility of the participant to find someone with whom you can transfer your spot.
For those who are travelling from out of town for this training, please note that we are not able to cover any costs incurred by participants for transportation or accommodations. As such, please organize your travel and travel insurance with this in mind.
If the training is cancelled by the host, you will receive a full refund.
Health & Wellness Agreements
In an effort to keep everyone healthy, we ask that you stay home if you are sick, or have tested positive for covid in the five days before, or have had an exposure with someone who has tested positive in the past five days.
Masking is optional and welcome. For the purpose of creating an impactful training experience, Mila will not be wearing a mask.
As we continue to navigate these post-pandemic times, I warmly encourage everyone to check in with each other before hugging, hand shakes, and even close-talking. We all come with different comfort levels, and I trust that we can navigate this terrain together throughout our training.
Words from past participants…
“Mila embodies the spirit of this work—that music isn't just something we perform, but a shared language that helps us connect to ourselves and each other. Through thoughtful exercises, reflection, and practice, Mila showed us how to cultivate sacred moments of collective resonance. This wasn't a technical exercise, but a deeper experiential learning process that revealed the transformative power of Community Singing as a practice of presence, joy and human connection.” - Mary Tangelder, Toronto, Ontario
“Mila's Song Leader training was an absolute delight! As someone completely new to song leading, I felt welcomed and supported. Mila made it possible for me to learn at my own pace while benefiting from not only her wisdom, but from the wisdom of the other more experienced leaders in the group. I was exposed to a variety of song leading styles, tips and tricks, but what I really took away from the course was a greater sense of confidence in my own unique offerings and a group supporting me to step into my full Self as a leader of the circle. Thank you Mila and thank you to the other amazing song carriers who all helped to make this training something I will always treasure!” - Robin Breger, Ottawa, Ontario
“Thank you so much for creating and holding a container for the beautiful, gentle, and powerful training last weekend. Your way of guiding the group allowed me to believe in myself and take a small step at a time, to step into my power. I believe this magical space was possible because of how you modelled self-compassion and deep listening. I am learning so much from your leadership, and I am comforted to know that I have a community of Song Leaders whom I can continue learning from and collaborating with! So much gratitude for you and what you offer to the world.” - Rieko Asaba, Toronto, Ontario
“I came to this training with a love of Community Singing and an understanding of the great need to "normalize" the gift of song medicine in our everyday lives. After 3+ days of communal learning, both from Mila and from and with the other inspirational folx in the group - all of us questioning, practicing, imagining - I came away with everything I need to begin leading Song Circles in my own community, with "connection, not perfection" at the centre. No excuses now!” - Lisa Donahue, Boulder, Colorado
“Mila created the warmest and most welcoming atmosphere to leap into the world of song leading. She is supportive, full of wisdom and deeply passionate about this work. She makes you feel so safe to take risks, leap into creativity and let your spirit soar.” - Courtney Evans, Erin, Ontario
I respectfully acknowledge that this training will take place on the traditional territory of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Anishinaabe First Nations. I also acknowledge the presence of the Chippewas of Georgina Island to the north of Stouffville, and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island to the east of Stouffville. I strive to learn to recognize my part in the ongoing history of colonization, and to understand how our community can work towards reconciliation, repair, and uplifting indigenous values and traditions.