CHILDREN and young people across County Wicklow are invited to get creative and take part in Cruinnú na nÓg 2022 which takes place on Saturday, June 11.
ruinniú na nÓg celebrates and encourages participation by children and young people in creative activities. It is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme’s Creative Youth Plan to enable the creative potential of children and young people.
Young Wicklow bands and performers are to be given a stage for their talents in a unique partnership between Wicklow County Council, Garageland and Creative Ireland, and supported by RTÉ.
Taking place at the North Beach Skate Park, this event is part of Cruinniú na nÓg 2022.
Garageland Galaxyz Wicklow, which supports the performance and creativity of young musicians while putting them on stage alongside experienced artists in the environment of a festival, will take place in eight separate locations around the country at the same place on the same day, all broadcasting live on multiple platforms.
The Wicklow event will be taking place at the North Beach Skate Park in Arklow from 12 noon to 5.30 p.m.
In a first of its kind, this ambitious project seeks to connect hundreds of young artists and performers in a way that has never been seen before in Ireland, with live stages in Arklow, Castleblaney, Kerry, Tipperary, Waterford, Donegal, Meath and Dublin.
Wicklow’s line-up of young artists includes Florence Road, Fionn Vigors, Róisín Vigors, Ewan Macadam, Kingdom, Bobby Dowling and Aoife Reilly with more to be announced. In addition, there will be workshops with The Beardfire Project and special guests Crispr Kid.
Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Shay Cullen, said he was happy that Arklow will be hosting such an ambitious festival for children and young people.
He said: “This event will give our young artists first-hand experience of performing live in front of an in-person and online audience which helps to showcase the immense talent within County Wicklow. “
Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Mr Brian Gleeson, also stated that he is excited to see such range in musical ability and styles.
“For the first time, young Wicklow artists will feature alongside seven other counties in this national strategic project thanks to the support of Creative Ireland.”
This event is free to the public, and tickets for the Wicklow event are available on eventbrite.ie by searching for: garageland galayxz Wicklow
A host of other events are also taking place throughout the Garden County.
Join Lauren O’Hara for two storytelling and arts and crafts workshops at Greystones Library on Saturday, June 11 from 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Writer Natalia O’Hara and illustrator Lauren O’Hara are sisters who create children’s books together. They have delighted us all with books such as Hortense and the Shadow, The Bandit Queen, Frindleswylde and Once Upon a Fairytale.
In this very special workshop, Lauren will kick off the session with storytelling followed by arts and crafts activities highlighting their beautiful work, which make their books unique and sought-after.
Places are limited so booking is essential. To book please email grey-lib@wicklowcoco.ie.
Candle maker Karen Allison of craft studio Crafty Craic will hold a number of workshops in the relaxed surroundings of Tearmann Community Garden, Baltinglass. Kicking off with a short history of candle making, Karen will guide you in making your very own individually designed candle to take home. Suitable for young people aged 5 and up, this supervised workshop includes all materials needed to make your candle: wick, wax, moulds, blue tack and more.
Book by ringing 087 2750873.
You can also pay a visit to Greystones Library on Saturday from 1030 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and partake in Luke’s Deadly Dinosaurs, which is a workshop using models, replicas and real fossils that brings the wonder of these awesome creatures to the modern day.
See how big an Apatosaurus could get, hold the largest dinosaur claw ever discovered and finally come face-to-face with Reggie, the baby Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Luke’s Deadly Dinosaurs also visits Ballywaltrim Library from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Join celebrity chef and Wicklow native Catherine Fulvio for a fun-filled, interactive cookery demonstration at Tearmann Community Garden, Parish Grounds in Baltinglass, from 2 p.m. to 2.45 p.m.
Catherine will demonstrate a delicious, new pasta dish specially designed for this event. Perfect for families who want to come together and learn an easy recipe using seasonal ingredients. Places are limited so booking is essential.
You can get crafty with the Cardboard Collectif at Blessington Library from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Participants will make a cardboard Polaroid camera and collaged photographs. All materials will be supplied, you just need to come along to Blessington Library and be ready to enjoy working with glue, cardboard and paper.
Killruddery House, in collaboration with the Historic Houses of Ireland, will host ‘I See You’ which is a weekend of art, culture and heritage for children.
Children can take part in a visual celebration of young people in old spaces, and develop new skills through workshops of technical and creative play, with Aduantas Aerial, Me & The Moon and three individual circus performers and tutors – Ben Carpenter, Bróna Howard and Stephen McGinley.
There will be three 45 minute workshops per day with Artist in Residence at Killruddery, Aduantas Aerial, where participants will learn skills in rope, silks, trapeze, dance trapeze and hammock.
Aerial and circus skills can also be enjoyed with three fantastic independent circus performers and tutors. Each of the three one hour workshops will begin and end with a short show from their circus tutors.
Throughout the day Me & The Moon will support participants in creating technical and creative drawings, capturing play all around Killruddery’s 17th Century Gardens, on a drop-in basis from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. These pieces will then be collaged together to form a giant wall of drawing that will be exhibited in The Orangery of Killruddery House.
The launch of the Lonely Beast Story Trail takes place at Tearmann Community Garden, Baltinglass from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. Written and illustrated by Chris Judge, The Lonely Beast is about a very rare beast determined to overcome his loneliness by undertaking a daring and dangerous quest to find others like him.
Story Trails are an outdoor story walk that everyone can enjoy. Get fresh air and exercise while enjoying a story from beginning to end.
Also taking place in the beautiful setting of the Tearmann Community Garden, Siobhan will host an afternoon of wild woodland fun and creativity from 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.. Kicking off with some warm-up and animal-themed games, this action-packed workshop will feature foraging for berries to make ink and collecting items to make wild brushes with.
You can make a movie with your mobile phone at the RDA Hall in Rathdrum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Createschool will bring participants on a movie-making journey from idea to video in this hands-on cinema workshop, covering the basics skills, tips and tricks to help kids make or improve their own movies using just a mobile phone or tablet.
Want to juggle but don’t know how? Come try it out with Dublin Circus Project. Children and adults are invited to give it a go at their own pace at this free event in Memorial Park in Rathdrum from 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m..
You’ll get help to get you started from one of our talented tutors, then you’ll be free to practice by yourself.
Join children’s author Carmel Uí Cheallaigh and Catherine Wright, Archivist at Wicklow County Archives and Genealogy Service located in Wicklow Town Library, for a book reading and archive tour from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m..
Carmel will kick off with a reading of Kevin Barry: an Irish Hero for Children, which tells the story of the first and youngest person hanged during the Irish War of Independence.
This will be followed by a tour of the archive where Catherine will introduce original sources and local history, showcasing a range of archive materials including photographs, local newspapers as well as some of the oldest items in storage dating from the 1660s.
You can explore movement patterns to music to activate your brain and body with a free Brain Grooves class with brain-fit dance instructor Zoe Patterson taking place at the Wicklow Community Re-source Centre in Wicklow town, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
In the Courthouse Arts Centre garden under an orange tent, you will create your very own Polaroid camera to capture portraits and create collage photos.
Two one-hour workshop will be junk model-making sessions to explore Polaroid cameras and collaged photographs, which can be hand-pushed out of the card-board camera.
A POUND workshop takes place at Baltinglass Parish Centre from 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., and involves a drumming-inspired rock out workout that fuses movement and music to improve focus, coordination, physical fitness and teamwork skills.
A POUND workshop will also take place in the RDA Hall in Rathdrum from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Making Waves Youth Theatre will be hosting two taster drama workshops for teen-agers interested in meeting some of its members and to get an introductory session on the different elements of actor training and theatre making.
The taster workshops will incorporate drama games, movement and vocal exercises and an introduction to improvisation under the guidance of one of our experienced Youth Theatre facilitators. The workshops take place from 10 a.m. to 3.15 p.m. at Coolnagreina, Greystones.
You can try out drama at Mr. Sands Youth Theatre, Bray’s local youth theatre located at the Civic Offices on Main Street, Bray, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You’ll get to meet existing members, see the things we’ve made and play drama games to see exactly how we do things. It’s a great chance to have fun, make theatre, and make new friends.
Gather at the main entrance to BirdWatch Ireland’s East Coast Nature Reserve and then delve into the wonders of nature. Guided tours take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can follow a guide along paths and over boardwalks, watching and learning about the birds and other wildlife that make their home within the various grass-lands and woodlands found within the reserve.
Come along to Dunlavin Library to see two of Julie-Rose McCormick’s puppet shows from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
First up is The Dragon and The Princess, which tells the tale of a naughty witch and what will happen when she wakes up the dragon. This will be followed by Leprechaun Tales where you’ll meet Seanie O’ the leprechaun who has lost his magic, but he has a plan to get it back.
The same puppet show will also be taking place at Blessington Library from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Join Arran Murphy from the Rediscovery Centre in Baltinglass Parish Centre from 2 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. as he introduces the use of upcycling to create a new fashion look. This workshop will examine how clothing can be deconstructed and how this fabric can be used to make a new item of clothing.
You will also learn about the Relove Fashion competition, a joint initiative between the Rediscovery Centre and local authorities, and have an opportunity to start thinking about an entry for the competition.
A hands-on junk modelling workshop provided by Cardboard Colectif at Dunlavin Library from 11 a.m. to 12 noon will help you make Polaroid cameras and collaged photographs out of cardboard and paper.
Come and hear some wonderful harp music by harper Rachel Duffy at Arklow Library from 3 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.. Try out our new harps and many other instruments. You will be shown how they work, what they sound like and you get to have a look at the fantastic range of musical instruments they offer out on loan.
Aileen Lambert will hold singing workshops for children aged 10 and 12 at Arklow Library from 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. You will be introduced to a broad range of traditional songs – love songs, local songs, songs of war and songs of complete non-sense. She will also be hosting workshops for children aged 6 to 8 from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Join artist and folklorist Michael Fortune for a masterclass in digital storytelling in Wicklow Town Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Learn how to make use of your smartphone to film narrative and non-narrative films and documentaries as well as blogs and other content. Discover how to use your phone to its full potential (video settings, manual focus etc) and DIY tips to make tri-pods and accessories for shooting.
BrickFlicks will teach kids how to make their very own stop motion animated film based on the Legends of Wicklow at the Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. All you need to bring is your favourite Lego character to cast as the star of your film.
With plenty of hands-on learning and demonstrations by the team at Createschool, you will work in small groups and learn the basics of stop motion animation as well as some cool tips and tricks to make your own Lego movie using simple materials and an iPad.
Meanwhile, one event takes place today, Wednesday, June 8. Arran Murphy from the Rediscovery Centre will be based in the RDA Hall in Rathdrum from 10 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. as he introduces the use of upcycling to create a new fashion look. This work-shop will examine how clothing can be deconstructed and how this fabric can be used to make a new item of clothing.
Taking place on Wednesday 8 June from 10am–11.30am, you will also learn about the Relove Fashion competition, a joint initiative between the Rediscovery Centre and local authorities, and have an opportunity to start thinking about an entry for the 2022/23 competition.
