Cruinniú na nÓg is a special day celebrating creativity for children and young people with a host of events created for young people across the country on Saturday the 13^th June. Galway County Council Creative Ireland team invite you to join in the celebrations with some wonderfully innovative events and workshop happening online this year for young people to express their creativity.

See our Facebook page for details on how to book: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeIrelandGalwayCounty

Events aimed at young people aged 9-12 include a special presentation online by Brú Theatre, who have gathered children’s real-life stories from lockdown and brought them to life. Galway Dance Project presents a series of fun, free workshops where you can learn how to move in silly and creative ways using a webcam or a smart phone via a series of videos. Artist Jojo Hynes invites children who love art, stories, team work to ‘Collaborate and Create’ with her  on stories inspired by water and who might live beneath the surface to create a mixed media artworks based on those stories.

There is plenty too for the 5-8 year olds. Did you know there are lots of musical instruments hidden in your house? You just have to find them.  In ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’;  Music Generation Galway City will show you how to easily make some small percussion instruments from household items. Workshops will be screened live on Facebook at 10:30am, 11:45am, 1:30pm, 2:45pm on Sat 13^th June.

Over 13’s can take part in the Speedy Songwriting Workshop also by Music Generation Galway City. Musician, poet, songwriter Donal McConnon (My Fellow Sponges, The Curly Organ) will change everything you thought you knew about writing a song. Explore different approaches to expressing yourself creatively by working with words and melody. Maximum 8 participants per workshop, early booking advised. Workshops will be delivered online via Zoom on Sat 13^th June at 1pm & 3pm.

An exciting event for all ages is ‘The Science of Ice Cream Making’ with Anyone4Science.  This science workshop will explore how ice cream was enjoyed 2000 years ago by the Romans long before electricity was discovered! You’ll learn how to make your own freezer then test it by making and tasting our very own batch of ice cream.

Muintearas Teo present ‘Harvesting & Foraging (Ag Saothrú & Ag Seilg) for all ages where you can learn all about foraging, harvesting and preparing edible plants and seaweeds that can be found all along the Connemara coast.

Pop-Up Poetry for Lil’ Peeps’ is a multi-platform poetry project by Branar Téatar for children up to 6 years old. Produced in association with Children’s Books Ireland and Poetry Ireland, Branar have commissioned Irish writers and artists Inni-k, Mary Murphy, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin and Liz Weir to create new poems and nursery rhymes in Irish and English. It will feature beautiful illustrations by Niamh Sharkey and new animations by artist Maeve Clancy and will feature on RTE Jnr TV on the day.

Forum Connemara Adolescent Support Project present a COVID Connemara Young People Art Exhibition for ages 9-12 and over 13s. They urge young people of Connemara to create an art piece, it can be a portrait, scenic, abstract in any media such as oils, sketching, acrylic, etc. All pieces to be completed by Monday the 8^th of June.

Cruinniú na nÓg is supported by the Galway County Arts Office as part of the Galway County Council Creative Ireland Programme.  “We are delighted to present this completely online programme for Cruinniú na nÓg in County Galway this year”, said Arts Officer, Sharon O’Grady.  “We have worked hard to present a diverse and high quality programme which can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. There are a wide variety of artists and experts involved this year, who work in theatre, dance, storytelling, visual art and science making up a fun, interactive and imaginative programme for children and young people to enjoy safely online.”

For more details and a full list of events visit https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/

or visit our Facebook page for details on how to book https://www.facebook.com/CreativeIrelandGalwayCounty