If you're looking for something genuinely lovely to do with the kids over the next few weeks, the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park in Castlebar has announced a brilliant lineup of free heritage events. And when I say free, I mean actually free. No hidden booking fees, no "suggested donations". Just pure, accessible Irish culture.
The programme kicks off this weekend to mark the traditional start of spring in the Irish folk calendar, which falls on 1 February, St Brigid's Day. There's a real mix of activities planned, from hands-on crafts to fascinating talks, so whether you've got curious seven-year-olds or you're secretly the one most interested in ancient Ireland (no judgment), there's something here.
St Brigid's Day celebrations
Things get going on Saturday 31 January with a special talk by Clodagh Doyle, Keeper of the National Folklife Collection, at noon. She'll be exploring the many traditions associated with Ireland's female patron saint, which is perfect timing given that St Brigid's Day has become such a meaningful date in the calendar again. You'll need to book for this one through museum.ie or by calling (094) 90 31751.
Clodagh Doyle
Later that same day, at 2pm and 3.30pm, there are St Brigid's cross-making workshops led by museum educators. These are drop-in sessions suitable for all ages, though they work on a first-come, first-served basis when it's busy. Honestly, these workshops are such a lovely way to connect kids with tradition without it feeling like a school trip.
A hands-on crafting workshop teaches traditional grass weaving techniques.
Bears, bees and ancient Ireland
If you're visiting over the coming weeks anyway, make sure to check out Beir Bua, a female brown bear from Alaska who's currently on display as part of The Murmur of Bees exhibition. She's standing on her hind legs with claws outstretched, which is genuinely impressive in person. The bear is there to highlight the connection between bears and honey (the ancient Irish word for bear was milchobur, meaning honey-lover) and to remind us that brown bears once roamed Ireland before becoming extinct here thousands of years ago.
On Saturday 7 February from 3pm to 4pm, Professor Michael Doherty, former Dean of UCD's School of Veterinary Medicine, will give a talk exploring animal care and folk cures in Ireland. It's running alongside an exhibition of antique veterinary objects, which sounds absolutely fascinating if you're into that intersection of folklore and practical history. Booking is required through museum.ie.
Love, matchmaking and Ice Age animals
For Valentine's Day on 14 February at 2pm, Clodagh Doyle returns with another curator's talk, this time looking at matchmaking and marriage traditions in Ireland. While the modern St Valentine's Day is fairly recent, love and marriage customs have always been central to Irish society, so expect some brilliant stories. Again, free but you'll need to book.
Then during the spring midterm break, on Saturday 21 February at 3pm, there's a special event for kids aged seven and up called 'They Walked These Hills Before Us: Ice Age Wildlife'. Michael Chambers from Wild Nephin National Park will lead this one, teaching children about the ancient animals that once lived in our valleys and how the landscape has changed since the last Ice Age. It's the kind of thing that sounds educational but is actually just really cool, particularly for kids who are into dinosaurs and extinct creatures.
Celtic art in the Courtyard Gallery
There's also a new exhibition worth seeing called 'Celtic Tales by Warrior's Hand', running until 10 March in the Courtyard Gallery next to the café. It's been developed by the Luisne Art Project, a highly successful arts initiative for people with disabilities based in Ballinrobe. The participating artists worked with facilitator Noreen Lydon and mentors Michael Gannon and Ruby Staunton to explore Celtic stories, symbols and mythology.
Celtic Tales by Warriors Hand by artist Collette Moran
The artwork is vibrant and colourful, and it's wonderful to see such an inclusive creative project getting proper exhibition space.
Practical details
The National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday to Monday from 1pm to 5pm. Admission is completely free, as are all the events mentioned (though some require booking). There's a museum shop and café on site too, which is handy when you inevitably need to bribe someone with a treat.
Full details of all spring events are available at museum.ie. It's genuinely one of those rare things where you can have a brilliant family day out, learn something new, and not spend a fortune doing it.
