
Carlow schoolkids make their own radio shows for Cruinniú na nÓg
RTÉjr Radio have teamed up with a creative collective in Carlow to bring the drama for Cruinniú na nÓg this Saturday.
Cruinniú na nÓg 2025, Ireland's national day of free creativity for children and young people takes place on Saturday, June 7.
Muine Bheag Arts worked with students from St Brigid's NS, Muine Bheag in Carlow to develop, produce and record two radio plays, The Portal (2024) and The Curse of CountVlas (2025). Over the past two years they've led a series of hands-on workshops as part of Cruinniú na nÓg in which the students wrote the material for the plays, acted out the roles of all the characters, created foley sounds and learned how to use recording equipment.
The Portal (2024)
The Portal recounts the tale of the Murphy twins, Mince and Marmalade, along with their associate Benice, who travel through the portal in Dublin to New York on a mission to save Ireland from darkness.
The Portal will play out on RTÉjr Radio at 10am this Saturday, with a repeat at 2pm.
The Curse of Count Vlas (2025)
The Curse of Count Vlas tells the story of four 6th class friends who embark on a spooky adventure to rescue their town from a greedy property developer, Count Vlas, who has put a strange curse on Grandad Noel's farm.
The Curse of Count Vlas will play at 11am with a repeat at 3pm.
DJ For A Day
Plus, be sure to tune in at 4pm to hear the team behind Count Vlas select some of their favourite tunes to celebrate Cruinniú na nÓg on DJ for a Day.
Muine Bheag Arts is an artist-run organisation based in Carlow that engages with the local context to present projects in the public realm. The programme includes exhibitions, workshops, events, residencies, publishing and radio broadcasts. The organisation adopts a collaborative, welcoming and experimental approach and aims to foster dialogue between artists, audiences, community and place.
Find our more here - www.muinebheagarts.com
This project is supported by Cruinniú na nÓg, Carlow Arts Office and Creative Ireland Carlow.
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Irish Independent
8 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Over 50 free events to take place across Wexford for Cruinniú na nÓg
This year's programme boasts over 50 free events for children taking place on the day across Wexford's five libraries. Additionally, the county's iconic cultural venues, from the National Opera House to the Wexford Arts Centre, will be alive with activities ranging from animation and coding workshops to creative writing, mural painting, printmaking, and much, much more. Also announced in the programme, teenagers from Belfast and Wexford will present a unique virtual reality performance, while a special night time event has been announced for Enniscorthy's Vinegar Hill. Speaking at the programme launch Elizabeth Howard, the creative communities Engagement officer, invited the young people of Wexford to come and be inspired. 'It's a fantastic free day for young people to try something new, show off their skills, or discover a hidden talent. The theme of this year's programme is inclusion and connection and we would encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to join celebrations.' 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Young musicians can also participate in the 'music and movement for little ones' workshop. Additionally, theatre maker Alison Ni Mhairtin will conduct an Irish Sign Language drama storytelling workshop specifically designed for children with additional needs. At Gorey Library, renowned painter Lillian O'Sullivan will conduct introductory oil painting classes for children. Young people can explore bookbinding and illustration, or participate in a bilingual singing workshop. Elizabeth Flynn will lead a weaving workshop using seasonal plants, and there will be an opportunity for aspiring computer scientists to learn coding through bracelet-making. Additionally, neurodiverse children, or those who may feel overwhelmed, will benefit from the Sensory Hour facilitated by Cathy Coughlan. At Enniscorthy Library the award-winning designer and upcycling advocate Lynn Haughton will lead a workshop where children can decorate large puzzle pieces with upcycled materials. The Wexford Youth Theatre WACT will offer acting lessons, while NCAD graduate Millie Case will conduct workshops in wet wool felting. Additionally, children can take part in stop motion animation workshops or engage in a sensory activity where they will 'Create their own calm down bottle'. Over at Bunclody Library there will be storytelling through LEGO games and musician Laura Hyland will be leading a workshop in singing and voice work. At New Ross Library artist Celeste Shimora Goedert will lead workshops in 'print making with natural materials' and there will be workshops in drama and music. There are also many other activities geared towards teenagers, and fans of The Banshees of Inisherin. At the Taghmon Family Resource Centre, filmmaker Leah O'Toole, known for her work on The Banshees of Inisherin, will be leading a filmmaking workshop. Additionally, the Red Moon Theatre Company will offer workshops for children. Director Tony McLeane-Fay from Barecheek Theatre Company will conduct acting workshops at The National Opera House and at the Gorey Family Resource Centre there will also be workshops led by mixed media artist Elaine Tobin from the Gorey Arts Collective. Teenagers can look forward to mural painting demonstrations at the Presentation Arts Centre in Enniscorthy, as well as at the Wexford Arts Centre. Facilitated by The Walls Project, Wexford Arts Centre will also host coding workshops presented by Anyone4Science. The Stella Maris Centre in Kilmore Quay will host 'Yola and Our Stories', an engaging theatre workshop for children focusing on heritage, history, and storytelling, facilitated by Chris Moran. This year, teenagers from Wexford and Belfast will come together as part of an innovative 'Shared Island' project that aims to spark critical discussions about misinformation surrounding the topics of climate change and health. 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The day will end with a bang on top of Vinegar Hill featuring 'The Night Belongs to Youth,' a collaborative project with Creative Places Enniscorthy. The sunset event on Vinegar Hill will be open to the public and will feature a movement piece led by young people of Enniscorthy to the summit of the hill. The full schedule with details can be accessed on the website.


RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Carlow schoolkids make their own radio shows for Cruinniú na nÓg
RTÉjr Radio have teamed up with a creative collective in Carlow to bring the drama for Cruinniú na nÓg this Saturday. Cruinniú na nÓg 2025, Ireland's national day of free creativity for children and young people takes place on Saturday, June 7. Muine Bheag Arts worked with students from St Brigid's NS, Muine Bheag in Carlow to develop, produce and record two radio plays, The Portal (2024) and The Curse of CountVlas (2025). Over the past two years they've led a series of hands-on workshops as part of Cruinniú na nÓg in which the students wrote the material for the plays, acted out the roles of all the characters, created foley sounds and learned how to use recording equipment. The Portal (2024) The Portal recounts the tale of the Murphy twins, Mince and Marmalade, along with their associate Benice, who travel through the portal in Dublin to New York on a mission to save Ireland from darkness. The Portal will play out on RTÉjr Radio at 10am this Saturday, with a repeat at 2pm. The Curse of Count Vlas (2025) The Curse of Count Vlas tells the story of four 6th class friends who embark on a spooky adventure to rescue their town from a greedy property developer, Count Vlas, who has put a strange curse on Grandad Noel's farm. The Curse of Count Vlas will play at 11am with a repeat at 3pm. DJ For A Day Plus, be sure to tune in at 4pm to hear the team behind Count Vlas select some of their favourite tunes to celebrate Cruinniú na nÓg on DJ for a Day. Muine Bheag Arts is an artist-run organisation based in Carlow that engages with the local context to present projects in the public realm. The programme includes exhibitions, workshops, events, residencies, publishing and radio broadcasts. The organisation adopts a collaborative, welcoming and experimental approach and aims to foster dialogue between artists, audiences, community and place. Find our more here - This project is supported by Cruinniú na nÓg, Carlow Arts Office and Creative Ireland Carlow.


Irish Independent
2 days ago
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Louth Youth Ambassador for Cruinniú na nÓg named as details of 2025 events revealed
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