Go and Write

03/06/2025

Quite unexpectedly, we have a room available for our 7-night retreat at the gorgeous KIRA - Kingsbrae International Residence for the Arts and Amphitheatre and Kingsbrae Garden. If you've been wanting to join us at one of these very popular retreats in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, one of Canada's loveliest small towns, this might be your opportunity. You'll have a room of your own with a private writing studio for an entire week, and several meals provided for you, along with group readings as well as lots of time for writing and wandering on your own. We hope to fill this spot this evening, so drop us a line via our website: https://goandwrite.ca/st-andrews-by-the-sea-new-brunswick-canada-spring-and-fall-2025/ if you're interested. As all our KIRA retreats for this year have been sold out, we figure this opening will be filled quickly.

NOTE: we are offering a decent discount because of the last-minute nature of this opening, so if you're someone who loves an unexpected adventure, this one's for you.

May 18-25, 2025 — FULL June 4-11, 2025 — FULL September 17-24, 2025 —FULL Cancellations sometimes happen, so contact us to be added to the waitlist. A writing retreat can serve as a springboard to…

28/05/2025

Many of our Go and Write! peeps will recognize most components of this photo. We were at Honeybeans Coffee Tea & Treats just this past weekend catching some creative vibes--we did spot everyone's favourite local journalist, Vicki Hogarth, but everyone's favourite Newfoundland singer, Alan Doyle, wasn't yet there. Both of them were there this morning, though. St. Andrews by-the-Sea is such a magical place, you never know what you'll see or who you'll encounter. We're back again next week to host another full retreat at KIRA - Kingsbrae International Residence for the Arts and Amphitheatre and Kingsbrae Garden, and the forecast calls for sunshine and more warmth than we had last week. And who knows who we'll meet in the fabulous coffee shops and restaurants of St. Andrews.

Send a message to learn more

27/05/2025

There's still space available in my August 16 creative writing workshop at The Lantern in St. John's. Register at: www.gerardcollins.ca, and I'll see you there.

26/05/2025

Update on all that remains:

KIRA - May (done), June, and September - ALL SOLD OUT

Newfoundland in August - SOLD OUT

Ireland in October - 2 spaces remaining

Scotland in Nov.-Dec - 1 space remaining

Cotswolds in December - 1 space remaining

We're working on next year's programming, which is already taking shape.

Thanks so much to everyone in Canada and the U.S. who's shown support this past year and in years past. We are a two-person operation, which helps maintain the quality of our retreats but means it sometimes takes a while to get all our ducks lined up and our penguins in a row. We just hosted our first retreat for 2025, and we're off to a flying start.

~ Gerard and Janie

April update: There are still spaces remaining for this retreat, and we offer flexible payment plans—details are below, and you can contact us to register! Experience Ireland in autumn as the cooling…

26/05/2025

Thanks to WFNB for this post. Apparently, there's no more space available at the workshop in Fredericton this coming Sunday morning. I'm grateful to everyone who has signed up or had intended to do so. For those who didn't make it this time, perhaps there'll be another opportunity in the near future.

26/05/2025

While there aren't many spaces left for our 2025 retreats, there is still one room remaining for our Cotswolds at Christmastime retreat. It's not too late, and it's not too early. Have a look at this peaceful video, see our website www.goandwrite.ca for more details, and drop us a line if you're interested. This is a small-group retreat in our most luxurious venue (a 14th C monastery) at the most wonderful time of the year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nRLy0BgKc0

A taste of our Go and Write! writing retreat coming up in December 2025

26/05/2025

One of the many reasons we love Ireland. 🇮🇪 and, yes, we’ve seen this legendary tree
for ourselves.

In County Clare, along the M18 road near Latoon, stands a solitary hawthorn tree, small, twisted, and seemingly unremarkable. But this is no ordinary tree. Known as a fairy bush, it’s believed to be a meeting place for the Sí, the Irish fairy folk.

In the 1990s, plans to expand the highway meant removing this lone tree. But local folklorist Eddie Lenihan fiercely objected. He claimed that disturbing the bush would bring misfortune, not just from angry fairies, but from centuries of ignored traditions. Despite ridicule, Lenihan’s warnings gained attention.

In an extraordinary move, the road was redesigned to curve around the tree. To this day, the bush remains in place, untouched, in the middle of a modern motorway’s median, honored by engineers and protected by belief.

Since then, workers and travelers have claimed odd events near the tree, sudden fog, strange noises, even cars breaking down mysteriously as they pass. Whether you believe in fairies or not, the Fairy Bush of Latoon reminds us that in Ireland, folklore and reality often grow from the same roots.

26/05/2025

Fun fact.

Did you know Newfoundland and Labrador is one of Canada’s most ginger-rich regions?

Thanks to deep Irish and Scottish roots, an estimated 4–6% of Newfoundlanders have red hair — way above the global average of 1–2%. That’s a lot of fiery locks blowing in the Atlantic breeze! 🍁🔥

While PEI may still claim the redhead crown, Newfoundland isn’t far behind. Must be something in the saltwater. 😉

24/05/2025

Torbay is a village just outside of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Ray Mackey Photography is a very talented photographer with a great eye for nature’s beauty.

Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

24/05/2025

Less than a handful of spaces left -- www.goandwrite.ca. If you're craving a retreat from the world, check out our offerings for 2025.

Writing retreats created by writers, for writers, with a thoughtful balance of touring, networking, and dedicated writing time.