Olive Keogh takes a quick look at some of the interesting courses on offer.
Time running for IMI management course
March is the cut-off point for those interested in applying for a place on the Henley Management College's diploma in management run here by the Irish Management Institute (IMI). The IMI has been running the programme for the past 11 years. It is a two-year, part-time programme aimed at those already in management who want to move up the career ladder. One of the advantages of this programme is that students may be able to use it as a stepping stone to the Henley MBA. To be eligible for this course, potential students should be more than 27 years of age and have at least two year's relevant work experience. The course content is split into six main areas. These cover the foundations of management, followed by modules in managing marketing, people, financial resources, information and performance. Modules take approximately three months to complete. The programme is already running at centres in Dublin and Cork and it is also possible to have the programme run in-house or at a particular location if there is sufficient demand. For more information, contact the programme director, Julie Ryan, at FreeFone 1800 223388 or e-mail julie.ryan@imi.ie
Meditation time at Burren yoga centre
If you live west of the Shannon (or would like an excuse to travel in that direction), the Burren Yoga and Meditation Centre, which is based at Cappaghmore, Kinvara, Co Galway, offers a range of courses aimed at improving one's wellbeing, whether this be through yoga, chanting and movement, eating a vegetarian diet or following a detoxing regime to revitalise the body. The centre runs a busy programme of events year round and it also offers courses in yoga in Kinvara, Galway city and Renmore. The centre's excellent website gives full details of all the courses on offer and you can access this by logging on to www.burrenyoga.com. If you prefer, you can telephone (091) 637680 for a brochure or e-mail burrenyoga@yahoo.com
All you need to know about goats' cheese
Today's traffic jams are enough to make most people long for the quiet life in an idyllic pastoral setting. But what could you do to make a living if you waved the city's bright lights goodbye? Make goat cheese, perhaps? The Organic Centre in Co Leitrim is behind a course on cheese making which will take place on May 25 and 26th at the farm of Gaby and Hans Wieland in Sligo.
The couple make a range of organic goat cheeses and the course will cover all aspects of the process from milking to the finished product.
On day one, participants will be taken through the full production cycle of a hard cheese. On day two, the focus will be on the production of yoghurt and soft cheeses, including quark, fresh herb cheeses and cheese in oil. For those who feel they might like to get to grips with keeping goats before they start making cheese, there is a day-long goatkeeping workshop taking place on April 27th at the Organic Centre itself. Experts Rosemary Kerrigan and Hans Wieland will be there to cover the general care of goats and to deal with issues such as grazing, feeding, housing, fencing, breeding and milking. There will also be a brief session on how to make cheese. The Organic Centre runs a huge selection of courses in Leitrim and also now offers outreach courses in Dublin and Belfast. For details contact the Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim on (072) 54338, e-mail organiccentre@eircom.net or check out www.theorganiccentre.ie/
