Young people are encouraged to unleash their creativity at Clare’s Cruinniú na nÓg on Saturday 15th June

Lots of free creative activities for under 18’s will form part of Cruinniú as part of the Creative Ireland Programme initiative supported by Clare County Council and RTÉ. Now in its second year, Cruinniú na nÓg celebrates and encourages participation by children and young people in creative activities in their local areas. It is led by the Creative Clare Culture Team, with huge support from local artists, arts organisations and creative practitioners. With a strong emphasis on participation, activities are specially designed to spark an interest and encourage the inner creative in children to try something new or fulfil a secret ambition! The Creative Ireland Programme is a five-year all-of-government, culture-based initiative, led by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Participating venues include the library branches of Kilkee, Kilrush, Ennistymon, Scariff and Ennis, glór, Cultúrlann Sweeney in Kilkee, Couthouse Gallery and Studios in Ennistymon, Teach Ceoil in Kilrush, Irish Hand Weaves in Ennistymon, Market Building in Ennis, Scattery Island, Kilmaley Hall and Doonbeg N.S.. Outdoor events will take place at Ennistymon River and at the Flaggy Shore with Newquay N.S.

Library events will take place in five branches – Kilkee, Kilrush, Scariff, Ennistymon and DeValera Public Library in Ennis. Please note that some of the library events take place on Friday, 14 June to include primary schools. Friday’s events include poetry workshops with Lucinda Jacob at Kilkee and Kilrush libraries. Also on Friday, Scariff Library will host a Creative Mindfulness event with Grace Burton. On Saturday, 15 June DeValera Library presents ‘Mother Earth Wish Tree’ with Fiona Cartwright where children can make hand-felted offerings for Mother Earth while Ennistymon Library hosts a performance by the Burren Children’s Choir.

glór will host a programme of events including two shows of Peter and the Wolf, a screening of The Breadwinner, a Piano and Harpsichord workshop and an art exhibition of work created by Shona MacGillivray with the children of St Anne’s School in Ennis. Cultúrlann Sweeney presents a poetry event ‘Writing Home: Children’s Poetry from Corca Baiscinn’ and a Digital Photography Workshop with Ruairí Ó Conchúir for older children.

In the Flaggy Shore, New Quay National School’s Art Appreciation Class, with Ellie Farrell and Cate King, will hold a Rubbish Art Parade followed by an Art Exhibition launch at Linnalla Ice Cream. Doonbeg National School will hold a public display of their artwork created with artist Ruth Wood through the Artists in Schools Scheme (this will be held on Friday 14 June).

Kilrush hosts two events –Storytelling with Ruth Marshall takes place on Scattery Island and includes arts and crafts. Kilrush Comhaltas will host an evening event in Teach Ceoil where children are encouraged to try different instruments and styles of music. Artist Evelyn Sorohan will hold a workshop in Kilmaley Hall on ‘Creating Art out of Plastic’.

Ennistymon will be a hub of activity for the day with four events: Jean Moran of Irish Hand Weaves will host a spinning and storytelling event at Stacks while Ennistymon Library hosts the Burren Children’s Choir. The Courthouse Gallery and Studios will hold a workshop with Vicky Lennie called ‘Bringing Stories to Life: Making and Movement’. This creative workshop will combine simple prop and costume-making with movement skills to produce a short, filmed performance piece. Ennistymon will also hold a River Walk for Children along the Ballymacraven and Inagh Rivers with Ruairí Ó Conchúir where participants can discover the majesty of nature in the fairy glen.

Finally, Ennis will host an evening CD launch in the Market Building by the young musicians of Music Generation and David O’Rourke and Ana Colomer will host an art installation earlier in the day.

Remember all events are free and full details are available at: https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/ #MyCruinniu #CruinniuToCreate

Celebrating the Arts & Creativity as we age at Clare County Library for the 2019 Bealtaine Festival

Age & Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival takes place annually throughout the month of May right across the country and is Ireland’s national celebration of the arts and creativity as we age. The theme for the 2019 Festival is 'Hospitality – Be Our Guest!' so, we invite you to be our guest as we celebrate with a host of events in our branches throughout the county.

We kick off on Friday, 3rd May at 5pm with an evening of entertainment in Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee as singer-songwriter John Spillane presents his popular show Irish Songs We Learned at School. This is a free, but ticketed, event in association with Clare Arts Office. Bookings can be made at the Cultúrlann Sweeney box office or by phoning 065 9060769.

Other events throughout the month will include movie screenings as part of the Bealtaine Film Tour in association with access>CINEMA and the Irish Film Institute. The chosen films for this year’s tour are Finding Your Feet (2018), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and Movie Memories (a 2018 project supported by Creative Ireland, Cork County Council and University College Cork). Branches in Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush, Scariff, Shannon and Sixmilebridge will host screenings. Details of location, date and time for all screenings are available on the library website and social media.

Kilrush and Kilkee libraries are hosting a 6 week Creative Writing Workshop with Breda Shannon spanning dates in April and May. Kilkee Library will also hold an intergenerational knitting circle for seniors and children from Kilkee Primary School on Tuesday 14th May.

There will also be craft displays in Miltown Malbay Library from Tuesday 7th to Saturday 18th May inclusive and in Sixmilebridge Library during the month, with items created by the library adult knitting group, while Ennistymon Library will host an art display by the Stella Maris Day Centre throughout the month.

In Shannon Library the Non Nobis Domine Choir with conductor Clem Garvey will entertain an audience with a varied programme of folk songs, church music and more on Friday, 17th May at 7pm. Storytime with Granny and Grandad will take place on Tuesday, 28th May at 4pm when grannies and grandads are invited to bring their grandchildren along to the library to hear some stories featuring grandparents and the special relationship they have with their grandchildren. Suitable for children aged 3-6 years and grandparents of all ages!

Corofin Library will host a tea/coffee morning with readings by local people on Wednesday 15th May from 10.30am-12 noon. All welcome.

In 2019, the Bealtaine Book Club author is Éilís Ní Dhuibhne and the chosen Bealtaine Book is her memoir Twelve Thousand Days (2018) published by Blackstaff Press. We will run special events based on the book throughout the month, including a competition in branches and on the Library’s Facebook page for three lucky book clubs to win copies of the book, culminating with a review of the book during the monthly book club slot on Clare FM’s Morning Focus programme with Gavin Grace at the end of the month.

Details of all events will be published on the Library Events section of the Clare County Library website at www.clarelibrary.ie and on their social media platforms. All events are free of charge but booking may be required. Details of Bealtaine events nationwide can be viewed on www.bealtaine.com.

Clare County Library Springs Into Storytime

The national Spring into Story-time Initiative is now in its second year with a celebration of reading and stories taking place in all libraries in Ireland during the month of April. Clare County Library branches are busy hosting a range of story-time events for young children with art and crafts and other reading-based play activities featuring in these fun family gatherings.

Another project focusing on family reading came to a close at deValera Library Ennis on the morning of the 11th of April when a special reception for children of 1st class from Holy Family Junior School, Ennis took place. Partnering with the Clare Family Learning Coordinator, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (lcetb), and teachers from the school, the library service provided books and library activities to support the workshops. This all-inclusive initiative brought parents, children, teachers, storytellers and librarians together to improve oral language and communication skills through sharing books and stories.

Over the past six weeks a collection of tried and trusted picture books was made available by Clare County Library to children and their parents. The stories were specifically chosen with the underlying aim of improving children’s communication, social and language skills. The story sessions were facilitated to the delight of the children, by professional storyteller Ruth Marshall who has extensive experience in storytelling in schools and community groups for many years. At each class there was a special emphasis on how parents can use books to help develop oral language.

The final celebratory event at deValera Library Ennis offered all adults involved an opportunity to evaluate and provide feedback on the project with a view to extending it to other schools in the future.

The collaboration between Clare County Library, Clare Family Learning Project, and the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Scheme at Holy Family Junior School Ennis is in keeping with the Government’s Right to Read policy, the primary aim of which is to create an integrated and sustained approach to developing literacy in the local community.

Clare County Library joining forces with Dublin One City One Book to honour Edna O’Brien

Clare County Library is proud to participate in this year’s Dublin One City One Book Festival to honour renowned Clare-born author Edna O’Brien and celebrate her work, The Country Girls Trilogy. The Country Girls Trilogy joins a long list of illustrious titles as this year’s featured book in the Dublin One City One Book Festival, which is a Dublin City Council initiative, led by Dublin City Public Libraries, which encourages everyone to read a book connected with the capital city during the month of April each year.

Published by Faber & Faber, this volume is introduced by Eimear McBride and includes The Country Girls and its sequels The Lonely Girl and Girls in Their Married Bliss, which changed the temperature of Irish literature in the 1960s and inspired generations of readers and writers. The passion, artistry and courage of Edna O’Brien’s vision in these novels continue to resonate into the 21st century.

At the launch of this year’s Festival, Edna O’Brien said: “I worked in Dublin as an apprentice pharmacist from 1948 to 1952, so it’s where I first encountered literature and set out on the very secret and profane matter of writing The Country Girls Trilogy. I never dreamed the Trilogy would last so long or make it to this winning post. I am delighted and hope for new readers who won’t have to hide it under the bed covers as they did in the sixties and onwards….Dublin has given me longevity.”

Clare County Library invites library book clubs, library members, and anyone who is interested, to read The Country Girls Trilogy. The book is available to borrow from libraries and can be downloaded as an eBook from the library’s free Borrowbox app or it can be bought in bookshops. It is available in audio book format and has been produced in Braille by the National Council for the Blind of Ireland.

Clare County Library will present a special book club event in Scariff Public Library on Thursday, 18th April 2019 at 6.30pm, celebrating Edna O'Brien and The Country Girls Trilogy. This free event will be hosted by Dr. Tina O'Toole, a senior lecturer in English and programme director of the MA English at the University of Limerick, who will give a talk with a Q&A afterwards. Everyone is welcome to this event but booking is required as numbers are limited. Phone Scariff Library on 061 922893 for bookings and more information.

In mid-April a number of “Country Girls “ from Clare County Library’s staff will take a day trip to Dublin as special invitees at a Dublin One City One Book event hosted by Rick O’Shea & Rachel English in Pearse Street Library. This is one of a host of events happening across the capital as part of the Festival throughout April. Details of all events can be found at www.dublinonecityonebook.ie.

The Country Girls Trilogy is also the April choice for the monthly library book club slot on Clare FM’s Morning Focus programme and will be discussed with Gavin Grace towards the end of the month.

Creative Ireland Project Awards

Creative Ireland Project Awards were recently allocated by Creative Ireland Clare. The Creative Ireland Clare vision is ‘to ensure the people of Clare discover and have access to cultural expression through creative activity’. Nine projects were granted Project Awards in 2019. These include a coming-of-age drama ‘Radha’ which will be made in Clare with actor/writer/director Sonya O’Donoghue. Other innovative pieces include the “Creating Local Solutions to Climate Change” project with Mary Immaculate Secondary School and the local North Clare community and a folklore and well-being project working with Burren schools and older community members with Eilís Haden-Storrie.

Awards were also given to the Musicale Festival in Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee organised by Music Generation Clare, Cumann Merriman Winter School and Éigse Thomáis Uí Aodha with Oidhreacht an Chláir. An Art Studio project for people with disabilities with courses in painting, ceramics and drama working with Sophie Delaney, Will O’Kane and Pat Looney received funding while Sparks Youth Film Festival in Scariff plan to run secondary school film workshops and primary school animation workshops in the lead-up to the Festival. Finally, a ‘Ploughing Ahead’ project in Mountshannon with Mark Wilson aims to produce a sculptured seating area designed, developed and produced by and with the local community.

World Book Day Events at Clare County Library

Clare County Library branches celebrate Ireland’s World Book Day on Thursday 7th March 2019. Over the last 22 years, World Book Day has become firmly established as Ireland’s biggest annual event promoting the enjoyment of books and reading among children.

Clare County Library promotes the importance of developing a love of reading by organizing a variety of events each year to bring children closer to books and their authors and illustrators.

On the 6th and 7th of March Maeve Devoy will facilitate creative writing workshops for children in Kilrush, Kilkee, Ennistymon and Miltown Malbay libraries. Maeve published her first collection of short stories, The Tell Tale Collection at the age of just 23 and says that in her teenage years, writing helped her find her way in life. As well as writing a second book and completing a Research Masters in Literary Journalism, Maeve regularly hosts creative writing workshops for children and teenagers in Fingal libraries.

Her workshops for World Book Day in Clare libraries will focus on children thinking about reaching their dreams and telling their own stories that they will take away in a special notebook to work on at school and at home.

Dublin author Brian Gallagher’s most recent novels for young people, Pawns and Spies were specially commissioned by The O’Brien Press to mark the centenary of the War of Independence this year. Brian will visit Scariff, Killaloe, Shannon and deValera Library, Ennis on the 6th and 7th of March where he will discuss the importance of our shared past with senior classes in local primary schools, as well as revealing the nuts and bolts of how a historical story for children is created including inspiration, research, plotting and characterization.

In recent times Brian has concentrated on historical fiction for older children, writing the novels Across the Divide, Taking Sides, Secrets and Shadows, Stormclouds, Friend or Foe, Arrivals, Pawns and Spies, and One Good Turn, the Irish entry for World Book Day 2016. His books have been hugely popular with schools.

His recent novel Spies was very favourably reviewed by In Touch Magazine as "a historical fiction that immerses the reader into an Ireland full of Black and Tans, soldiers, rebels, and police informers. In the novel, Ireland’s War of Independence is portrayed from both sides and this book is be a fantastic resource to discuss and debate the dilemmas faced in the throes of war. With its rich vocabulary, unravelling plot and teen friendships it makes a fine class novel for 11-12 year olds of fifth and sixth classes".

Contact participating libraries for further details.

Seachtain na Gaeilge 2019 i Leabharlann Chontae an Chláir

Ré Ó Laighléis chun Labhairt le Daltaí an Dara Leibhéil

Is mór is cúis áthais ag Leabharlann Chontae an Chláir í a fhógairt arís i mbliana go mbeidh an t-údar aitheanta, Ré Ó Laighléis ag tabhairt cuairte ar leabharlanna éagsúla de Leabharlann Chontae an Chláir i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge 2019.

Scríobhann an Laighléiseach idir Ghaeilge agus Bhéarla agus tá ábhar leis ainmnithe ar An Teastas Sóisearach Nua (T1 & T2) do na scoileanna Dara Leibhéal. Ar an ábhar sin do Scoileanna T2 tá na gearrscéalta ‘Punk’ agus ‘Na Bradmharcaigh’, chomh maith leis an dráma ‘Gan Choinne’ (leagan stáitse den scéal ‘Punk’). Táid sin uile ar fáil faoi aon chlúdach amháin sa saothar sainiúil COMHTHÁTHÚ ABÚ! atá foilsithe ag MÓINÍN, agus a bhfuil Nótaí Anailíse ar an ábhar ann atá scríofa ag an údar féin. Anuas air sin, tá a úrscéal móréilimh, ‘Trumptaí Dumptaí agus An Falla Mór’, ainmnithe ar liosta na n-úrscéalta do T2.

Maidir le T1, tá na gearrscéalta ‘Claonfhéachaint’ agus ‘Na Bradmharcaigh’ ainmnithe, chomh maith lena dhráma ‘Coimhlint’ agus an t-úrscéal ‘An Taistealaí’.

Ar ndóigh, tá an t-úrscéal ardaitheanta leis, ‘Gafa’ ar chúrsa Ardleibhéal na hArdteiste i gcónaí.

Is deis iontach í seo ag daltaí agus múinteoirí araon éisteacht le duine de mhórscríbhneoirí na linne ag tabhairt léargais ar a scríbhinní féin agus ceisteanna a chur air ina dtaobh.

Beidh Ré Ó Laighléis i Leabharlann Chill Rois: Dé Máirt 12ú Márta 10.30r.n. go mean lae agus i Leabharlann na Sionna: 1.45 go 3.15i.n. Ar an Aoine 15ú Márta beidh sé i Leabharlann na hInse: 9.30am to 11r.n. agus i Leabharlann Inis Díomáin: 11.50r.n. go 1.10i.n.

Agus do na páistí bunscoile

Tabharfaidh Aidan Courtney Maisitheoir, ceardlann líníochta spraíúil trí Ghaeilge do pháistí ó rang 3, 4, 5 agus 6 ó na scoileanna náisiúnta i leabharlanna éagsúla. I mbliana tabharfaidh Aidan nodanna i bhfoirm léiraidí faoi leabhar ag tabhairt a dteideal i nGaeilge. Beidh neart spraoi ag páistí ag tomhas teideal na leabhar atá roghnaithe ag Aidan a d’fhéadfadh nó nach bhféadfadh a bheith léite ag na páistí. Beidh neart idirghníomhaíocht, caint agus comhrá agus spraoi sa cheardlann dátheangach seo.

Tabharfaidh Séamus Ryan cuairt ar bhrainsí áirithhe ar fud an chontae ag léamh scéalta do pháistí ó ranganna shóisreacha i mbunscoileanna freisin. Beidh neart cúnamh ag teastáil ó Shéamuis óna lucht éisteachta óg sna seisiúin spraíúla, idirghníomhacha seo. Bígí linn i rith na seachtainne.

Seachtain na Gaeilge Celebrations at Clare County Library

It is with great pleasure that Clare County Library again welcomes acclaimed author Ré Ó Laighléis to a number of its branch libraries as part of its Seachtain na Gaeilge 2019 programme.

Ré Ó Laighléis writes in both Irish and English and his material has enjoyed translation into many languages. Several of his works currently feature prominently on the New Junior Cert Irish T1 & T2 programmes for Second Level schools. His stories ‘Punk’ and ‘Na Bradmharcaigh’ feature on the T2 curriculum, as does his play ‘Gan Choinne’, which is the stage version of the story ‘Punk’. Recently, MÓINÍN has published all three of these, along with analytical treatment of the material by the author himself, under the groundbreaking title COMHTHÁTHÚ ABÚ! which is geared at second level students and teachers alike. Ó Laighléis’s hugely successful and increasingly ever-topical novel ‘Trumptaí Dumptaí agus An Falla Mór’ is also listed reading for Junior Cert T2.

His stories ‘Claonfhéachaint’ and ‘Na Bradmharcaigh’, along with his play ‘Coimhlint’ and his novel ‘An Taistealaí’ are listed readings on T1. Of course, his critically acclaimed novel ‘Gafa’ remains as listed reading on Leaving Cert Higher Level. This is a fantastic opportunity for Second Level students and teachers alike not only to hear one of the major writers of our time speak on his works, but also to pose questions they may have.

On Tuesday the 12th of March Ré Ó Laighléis will be in Kilrush Library at 10.30am and in Shannon Library at 1.45pm. On Friday the 15th of March Ré will meet with Secondary School students in deValera Library Ennis at 9.30am and in Ennistymon Library 11.50am. All four interactive sessions will run for an hour and a half.

Primary School children will also have an opportunity to join in the Seachtain na Gaeilge fun at their local libraries. Throughout the festival cartoonist Aidan Courtney will provide illustrated clues to children’s books giving their names in Irish. Children will have lots of fun guessing Aidan’s choice of books that they may or may not have already read. Lots of interaction, caint, comhrá and fun is guaranteed in this bi-lingual workshop.

Seamus Ryan of deValera Library Ennis will also visit branches throughout the county telling stories in Irish to children from junior classes in primary schools. Seamus will be calling on his young audiences for lots of help and ideas to enhance his chosen tales in these fun interactive storytime sessions.

Further details will be available on the library events section of the library website www.clarelibrary.ie or from your local library branch.

Scéal: An Intergenerational Project at Corofin Public Library

Clare County Library along with Limerick/Clare Education and Training Board (lcetb) are set to embark on an exciting intergenerational literacy project involving grandparents and their grandchildren.

The Scéal project begins at Corofin Public Library on March the 8th 2019. Children and grandparents will share memories, stories, current and old photographs, poems and songs led by facilitator and storyteller Ruth Marshall. The objectives and aspirations of the cross-generational learning experience are many including writing, storytelling, poetry recitation and music performances in a casual setting in a community space where older adults and children will come together to share insights into their lives. The programme will also focus on offering all participants an opportunity to develop new interests and increase awareness of the lives and experiences of one another.

The six week project will run on Friday evenings from 4 to 5pm with a family celebratory event and exhibition at Clare Museum, Ennis at the end.

For further information and bookings contact Corofin Library 065 6837219 or 065 6899083

Clare County Library’s Teen Week 2019

Clare County Library partners once again with Ennis Book Club Festival to provide a diverse and stimulating programme of cultural and art events for secondary school students in Ennis and Kilrush libraries during the month of February.This year’s Library Teen Week programme includes travel, mythology, history, and music delivered by authors and presenters with a special interest in and focus on creativity for young adult audiences.

On Monday the 25th of February writer and independent producer Ann Dalton presents Pakistan – A Peep into the Melting Pot in Kilrush Library at 10am and in deValera Library Ennis at 2pm. Ann has travelled regularly with her family to Pakistan over the last 15 years. She travels throughout the country during her visits, from Islamabad the capital city, to Lahore, Faisalabad and to Karachi, a bustling city of approximately 15 million situated on the Arabian Sea. In 2013, she researched and produced a radio documentary ‘From the Punjab to Pana’ in which the Pakistani women of Cork shared their stories of life in Cork at that time. In this audio/visual presentation, Ann will look at the themes of hospitality and tolerance and she will share her experience as an Irish woman travelling in Pakistan. This will be a lively, evocative and informative presentation on Pakistan, the country and its people. Audiences can expect humour, honesty and a lot of bright colours!

Peadar Ó Guilín author of the YA novel, The Call, visits deValera Library, Ennis on the morning of Tuesday the 26th of February and Kilrush Library in the afternoon. His writing workshop based on Irish mythology and inspired by the beautiful northwest of Ireland where he grew up is certain to engage teenage audiences.

A joint event by authors Nessa O’Mahony and Sheena Wilkinson takes place in deValera Library Ennis from 10am to 11.30 on Thursday 28th of February and in Kilrush Library later that afternoon at 2pm. In their talk Every Family has its Own History both writers will discuss exploring family histories and their passion for history as demonstrated in their writing. Nessa O’Mahony was introduced to history at a young age with the stories that her mother told her in the kitchen of their family home in Dublin including accounts of her childhood in Ballinasloe. As she became older the stories her mother now told were about her grandfather and grandmother’s experiences during the War of Independence and the Civil War. Her first novel, The Branchman, is based on her grandfather's real-life experiences in the period of most political and historical change in Ireland’s history. In this workshop she will examine how every family’s history can be used as the trigger for a piece of creative writing. Students are encouraged to find out about their own family histories in advance of the workshop.

Sheena Wilkinson has established herself as one of the most acclaimed Irish writers for young people. At her presentations in Ennis and Kilrush Library she will concentrate on both her first and most recent, widely acclaimed historical novels, Name Upon Name and Star by Star. Growing up in Belfast during the Troubles, with family on both ‘sides’, Sheena was confused about Irish history prompting her to seek out untold stories. Her books Name Upon Name and Star By Star, look at the events of World War One, The Easter Rising, The Spanish Flu and women’s fight for the vote. Name Upon Name was Waterford’s One Community, One Book choice in 2016. Star by Star won the Honour Award for Fiction at the CBI Book of the Year Awards 2018 and was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2017 Children’s Book of the Year. Both authors will demonstrate how our places of birth shape and influence our lives and in this case create a background for some of the best historical fiction available to readers in Ireland today.

John Bowker’s African Drumming Workshop is on offer once again to students at deValera Library Ennis on the 27th of February at 11.15am and in Kilrush Library on Friday the 1st of March at 11am. For the past 25 years Tribal Spirit Drumming has captured the hearts of thousands of people across Ireland, the UK and beyond. John invites teenagers and their teachers from post-primary schools to join him for an unforgettable musical experience. In the library workshops you will be encouraged to learn the basic techniques of playing the hand drum and to contribute to an arrangement that may be typically based on a traditional piece of music from a village in Ghana or the Congo!

The Ireland Professor of Poetry Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin will read from her acclaimed work to teenagers in Clare at her visit to glór at 11.30am on the 1st of March during the Ennis Book Club Festival 2019. Eiléan is the author of many collections including The Girl Who Married a Reindeer (2001), to The Sun-fish (2010). Senior Cycle Students are invited to experience the wonderful poetry of Eiléan first hand and to acknowledge the power of poetry in appreciating the world around us.

All events are free of charge but participating venues must be contacted for advance booking.

Women in Politics and Public Life, from 1918 to 2018

'Women in Politics and Public Life, from 1918 to 2018' – a Pop-Up Museum, exploring 100 years of women's participation in politics and public life.

This exciting exhibition shines a spotlight on the stories of very familiar and less well known women, who have contributed significantly to Irish political and public life over the past century – on the challenges they faced and the obstacles they overcame. It is a feminization of the historical narrative containing unseen family photographs, films, interviews, objects, clothes and even music that evokes each era of women in public life - it features all the female TDs, Senators and MEPs. It is laid out in a chronology from 1920s to 2000s. Key elements include clothing of women in politics and public life, objects showing the working life of women from election literature, to items belonging to them, an early apple Mac to a briefcase as well as films and inter-actives including one where you can review the lives of the 19 women elected 1918-2018.

In opening the exhibition, Minister Madigan said: “One of the great legacies of the Decade of Centenaries is a greater understanding and appreciation for the important role of women in shaping Ireland's history. Throughout the Decade, the State has shone a light, often for the first time, on women's experiences and influence in the significant historical events that shaped our journey towards independence and self-determination. These remarkable and capable women were defiant, strong and united in their belief for a better Ireland that would accept male and female as equal. They continued the journey towards equality and empowerment, paving the way for all future generations of women to take on the world as equal partners.”

The exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to encourage people of all ages to reflect upon the journey that this country has taken, particularly over the past 100 years. The exhibition, reflecting upon and celebrating all that has been achieved over the past 100 years but with an awareness of the considerable work remaining to be done, will encourage discussion, debate and analysis in ongoing exploration of our history. The exhibition is on display in Istabraq Hall, Merchant's Quay, Limerick from 18th February to 1st April 2019, Monday to Friday 10am-5pm.

Curated by the historian, Sinéad McCoole, and supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as part of the Decade of Centenaries programme.