CHILDREN'S SUMMER CAMPS: THE GROUP OF young people are sitting in the magnificent hall of Rockwell College, ready to speak to The Irish Times. Lunch is just over and afternoon activities haven't yet begun for this bunch of Spanish, Italian, French, American and Irish residential and day campers who seem relaxed and happy in the pastoral landscape of this renowned co-educational secondary school.

Camp Rockwell has been going now for more than 40 years and children and teenagers come here every year from as far away as Russia and the United States, as well as many European countries. Children from Tipperary and the surrounding counties also come to the camp by bus each day to join the visitors for the day activities. Each week in July, there were between 100 and 150 residential campers and between 60 and 80 day campers.

The children and teenagers, ranging in age from five to 17, have a mind-boggling range of activities to choose from. A typical week at the camp will include canoeing, rafting, archery, fencing and climbing. There are also specialist camps where the campers can opt to do rugby, pony riding, golf, tennis or quad-biking in the mornings and join in the other activities in the afternoons.

The campers can also take drama or language classes in English, French and Spanish.

So how are these year’s camper’s getting on? Victor (12) is here for the second consecutive year from Paris. “There’s a lot of noise and pollution where I live but here’s it’s clean,” says Victor, who is doing the tennis camp as well as brushing up on his English.

Ben (12), from Dungarvan, Co Waterford, is here for the sixth year. “My Dad introduced me to this camp. He went to school here. The facilities and instructors are pretty good.” Federica (17) is here for two weeks from Rome. “I went to camp at Clongowes for three years and then came to Rockwell for a change this year. I like the people here.”

The camps at Rockwell College were taken over a few years ago by Westport-based adventure camp specialists, Horizon Ireland, which also runs camps in Clongowes College in Co Kildare and in Westport, Co Mayo.

Daniela (15), from Rome, says “It’s my first time here. I like staying with people from other countries. I like the swimming and climbing best and I’m also learning some Spanish.”

While at the camp, the residential campers visit local attractions on Wednesday afternoons and travel to visit places like the National Museum and Trinity College Dublin on Saturdays.

“They love their free time as well,” says Margaret Ann Cooney, director of Camp Rockwell for the past four years.

So, have any of the campers opted out of the extensive programme of activities?

“Yes, I sat out canoeing after falling into the lake with only my bikini on!” says Maeve (14), who’s here for four weeks from Washington DC. “My mother’s from Drogheda and my dad’s from New York, so I came here because I wanted to meet people from different countries.”

Over the four weeks, Maeve did one week of French, two weeks of pony camp and one week of the multi-activity camp.

“I’ve done similar camps in the United States but what I like about this one is that the camp spirit isn’t forced. It’s really natural and there’s more variety of people here.”

Camp Rockwell is over for this year, but see horizonireland.com for next year’s camps in Westport, Clongowes College and Rockwell College. Tel: 098-35844