Over 50 Mayo children's books to be showcased at Cruinniú na nÓg
Led by Mayo County Library and Mayo County Council's Culture and Creativity Team, with the support of local authors, illustrators, publishers, and booksellers, the map aims to celebrate the unique literary landscape of Mayo and inspire children to visit their local libraries, discover new books, and explore the places that inspired these books.
Local artist Melanie Whelan was commissioned to design and illustrate the Children's Books of Mayo Map.
The launch of the map will include an exhibition called 'Islands of Imagination' showcasing the characters created by children during a series of workshops held across Mayo in the lead-up to the launch.
Ms Whelan, who led the workshops, described the Children's Books of Mayo Map as 'a dream project'.
Austin Vaughan, County Librarian and Creative Ireland Coordinator, Mayo County Council, described the project as 'a great way to celebrate the stories inspired by Mayo, and talent from Mayo'.
Cruinniú na nÓg is a national day celebrating the creativity of young people, with events taking place around the country.
A range of other creative activities and book readings will take place at in the National Museum of Ireland at 11.30am to 4pm to coincide with the launch of The Children's Books of Mayo Map.
The Children's Books of Mayo Map features a diverse selection of books, ranging from illustrated storybooks to graphic novels, available in both English and Irish. A complete list of the featured books is provided on the back of the map.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
05-08-2025
- Irish Independent
283 derelict sites in Mayo: Councillors demand action amid shortage of cost-rental and affordable homes
The issue was raised by Cllr Ger Deere, who highlighted a derelict property on Ellison Street that had recently been repainted by a private individual. While praising the refurbishment of the former Ryan House, which he said now 'looks fabulous', Cllr Deere noted that only 20 yards away, there are council-owned properties that 'look despicable'. Cllr Deere informed the municipal meeting that Ellison Street was featured in a recent TG4 programme covering the launch of the Castlebar Gaeltacht Service Town Irish Language Plan. Calling the street the 'worst street in the town', he urged Mayo County Council to make improvements to their buildings, similar to the works that have been completed on the former Ryan House. Cllr Deere also referred to Hill House on Mountain View Road, owned by the HSE, describing its condition as deplorable and said it was 'letting down the whole town.' These comments were supported by Cllr Gavin who called Hill House an absolute disgrace and stated that 'the HSE should be ashamed of themselves.' He asked his colleague, Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, Vice Chair of the Regional Health Forum West, to raise the issue at the next meeting. Cllr Kilcoyne, joking that he might paint the building himself, shifted focus to the broader issue of dereliction across the town. He pointed out that while a section of Mayo County Council inspects private rental properties to ensure they meet standards, 'the same council, same organisation, owns the most derelict buildings in the town. Ultimately, the book stops with the Chief Executive, he's the man responsible.' In the council's 2025 annual budget, Chief Executive Kevin Kelly stated that the council would 'actively address dereliction across the county through the Derelict Sites process.' Mr Kelly estimated a total expenditure of €139,522 for derelict sites in 2025. Cllr Harry Barrett also criticized the council's approach, saying it is 'not taking the issue of derelict houses seriously.' Referring to a long-vacant property on Newport Road as 'the Taj Mahal of dereliction in Castlebar,' he highlighted the lack of cost-rental and affordable housing in the town. 'Working families are struggling to pay rent, people who are retired are struggling to pay rent. We have to move on these properties. To have a major site like that vacant in our town is just not right,' he said. Currently, 283 derelict sites are listed on the official register in Mayo. Of these, 41 are located within the Castlebar Municipal District, 39 in the Westport and Belmullet area, 113 in the Claremorris and Swinford district, and 90 in the Ballina area.
RTÉ News
05-08-2025
- RTÉ News
National Museum of Ireland refurbishment a 'huge amount' of work
The Keeper of Natural History at the National Museum of Ireland, Paolo Viscardi, has said the refurbishment of the museum's site in Dublin city centre will be slow going. The museum has been closed since September of last year in order to facilitate major refurbishment works. The Natural History Museum was built in 1856 and is often referred to as a 'museum in a museum'. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Viscardi said they have not got the building's plans as they may have been destroyed in the Customs House fire in during the War of Independence. The building, situated on Merrion Street, is almost 170 years old and needs "a huge amount" of work to make it fit for purpose into the future. "There's a huge amount that has to be done because it's never had any kind of major refurbishment before," Mr Viscardi said. He added: "It's a big job, doing the planning and understanding what we can do and what needs to be done, what the building requires because we don't know enough about it because we just don't have the information. "We're just about to undertake investigative works in the space so that'll be starting next week. "At the moment, it's not a great space for a museum. It's a wonderful, beautiful building, we love it, and historically it has huge, huge significance and we don't want to lose that," he said. While the Dead Zoo is undergoing the refurbishment, the Natural History Museum will be opening a 'Dead Zoo Lab' at the National Museum, at Collins Barracks. Mr Viscardi said the museum will be "experimenting" with its exhibits to see what appeals to visitors before the move back to Merrion Street. "We tried to get a good selection of the really popular objects from Merrion Street," he said. "So we have things like Spoticus the giraffe, we've got out giant Irish deer and we've even been able to get out some specimens that haven't been on display for quite some time."
Irish Examiner
03-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Portrait of last Battle of Britain pilot handed over at National Museum
A portrait of the last Battle of Britain pilot, John "Paddy" Hemingway, was handed over at the National Museum of Ireland on Thursday. Group Captain Hemingway, originally from Dublin, was the final surviving member of "The Few", who took to the skies in 1940 to defend the British against Luftwaffe attacks in what became a pivotal moment of the Second World War. He died in March this year, at the age of 105. His portrait will find a permanent home at the Irish National Gallery. The portrait, unveiled by Mr Hemingway at the British Embassy in Dublin last year marking his 105th birthday, was painted by Welsh artist Dan Llywelyn Hall, 44. He was the last living pilot from the Battle of Britain and would have been 106 on July 17. Mr Llywelyn Hall is known for numerous portraits, such as the British Queen, Shane MacGowan, Amy Winehouse and other public figures. Mr Llywelyn Hall said: "I am pleased for the portrait of the Last of the Few, John Hemingway, to be a legacy for the public in John's native Ireland. "It's especially meaningful this portrait will live in Dublin as it was John's home and held in great affection. "This portrait serves as both a record of remarkable life and a testament to the rich personality beyond the uniform." Brenda Malone, curator of Irish Military History, said: "We are delighted to accept this generous gift from Dan, and are particularly happy to record John Hemingway's story, through his portrait, with us. "The National Museum collects and preserves the history of Irishmen and women's experience of military service around the world, especially in times of conflict. "John's story stands as a representation for the many Irish people who served in the Royal Air Force during WWII. "His portrait and history will form a valuable part of our collections which we hold in trust for the Irish people." Read More AI helps find formula for paint to keep buildings cooler
