Longford participants in the 1916 Easter Rising

John Mimnagh and Robert Belton tell us about their relations' involvement in the 1916 Rising.

Time Travel Day Out

Seamus Clarke of Outtake Community Media also filmed our Time Travel Day Out to 1916 recently.
Thanks to everyone who came along and helped out on the day. Here's a small snippet of the day:


We really enjoyed getting to see the car Kitty Kiernan once travelled in with Michael Collins and want to thank Eamon Creamer for bringing it along. Thanks to the 1916/2016 Longford Committee for their support all year and for attending the event. Special thanks to Heritage Officer, Mairead Ní Chonghaile for coming along in character as Brigid Lyons Thornton, Martin Smyth who agreed to be Padraig Pearse for us and everyone else who put effort into their costumes and brought some along for others. Thanks also to John Mimnagh and Robert Belton for telling us about their Longford relations who were involved in the Rising. We had fun researching the art and entertainment from the era during the year and put a compilation of video from and about 1916 together for the day. The list of what was shown is below, most can be found on YouTube. We are also very grateful to Gaelscoil Longfoirt for lending us their wonderful 1916 projects for display on the day.

Our fairy trail

Thanks Seamus Clarke of Outtake Community Media for capturing our fairies on film recently. They are very shy and only reveal themselves occasionally to special visitors.

Would you like to showcase your school's 1916 project?

Creative Ardagh are having a Time Travel Day Out to 1916 on Saturday 21st May at 3.00pm as part of the County Longford 1916 centenary programme. This will be a fun day out for all with a special family focus.

We are very aware that all of the local schools have been working hard for the commemorations and have great displays and videos completed. We would be delighted to showcase these 1916 projects at our family day. If you are interested in participating by showcasing your class work please contact us on (086) 3027602 (Annette) or 0872326553 (Ann) or email us on creativeardagh@gmail.com.

 

1916 School Programme
Our new Reliving History workshop is becoming a great success. This new School Programme is to commemorate 1916 and we have designed it in conjunction with the Ireland 1916/2016 (Longford) committee. We focus on the role of the Arts in inspiring the Rising, and offer hands-on experiences of what life was like 100 years ago. As well as a guided tour of our dedicated 1916 room an art workshop is included. Call us  to book your class a place on one of our fun-filled educational sessions. Don't forget you can now book two workshops on the one day for €7 per pupil. See full details of all available school programmes here.

Special Offer
Due to several requests we now have our 1916 posters available in A4 size @ €15 including P&P or €12.50 in our shop. The pack includes 9 posters which cover areas like the Visual Arts at the time, Longford participants in the Rising, Toys and entertainment etc.

Lots happening in Creative Ardagh this March

There will be lots of family fun taking place in Ardagh Heritage and Creativity Centre in March starting with the Design the Future family workshop for Engineer's Week on Saturday 5th March at 3pm (€5 per person). Come along and meet an engineer or two, be inspired by some engineering feats of the past and design and make your vision for the future. This workshop is available for schools from 29th February to 4th March, but hurry as most slots are now booked.

Our third annual Craft Fair take place on Saturday 12th March from 12pm with wonderful crafts by Flutterby Crafts, Hazelrocks, Jacinta Baxter Design, Just Jules, Mosaic Bizarre, Niki Jewellery and more to be confirmed. We will also be hosting a number of workshops on the day and finishing the day off with our very popular Leprechaun and Fairy Hunt event from 3 to 5pm (€8 per child). Create a Patrick's Day/Spring artwork/craft, listen to some stories and maybe tell some of your own, find the Leprechaun's pot of gold and have a wander through the Fairy Trail in the forest.
Tea and Coffee will be on sale on the day.
https://m.facebook.com/flutterby1crafts/
https://m.facebook.com/HazelrockBeads/
https://m.facebook.com/Jacinta-Baxter-Designs-130831763767…/
https://www.facebook.com/Just-Jules-149718508442216/ 
https://m.facebook.com/mosaicbizarre/
https://m.facebook.com/nikihandmadejewelleryireland/
 
We finish off the month with the exciting White Rabbit's Egg Hunt over the Easter Bank holiday weekend at 3pm, Saturday 26th, Sunday 27th and Monday 28th.
Come and join in the fun, with a special themed art workshop. Then follow the White Rabbit down the tunnel, take part in the Mad Hatter's tea party, help paint some roses red or try not to get lost in the Wonderland woods before you search for Easter eggs.
Tickets €8 per child, €5 per adult or €24 for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children)
Bookings now being taken for all events.

Watch out for lots more later in 2016 including A Time Travelling Day Out to 1916 in May.

Reliving History workshop for 2016

We are delighted to be able to offer a new workshop for schools and other interested groups throughout 2016 in association with the 1916/2016 Longford Committee. We will also host a special family day on Saturday 21st May (watch out for more details).

Travel back in time with us and experience what life was like for children in Longford 100 years ago.
Answer these questions and more in our interactive tour:
What games did they play?
What were their homes like?
Did they go to school?
What Longford people took part in the Easter Rising?
How did the arts inspire change at the time?
All participants will get a chance to make their own art piece to take with them (options include printing, collage, clay and fabric and fibre).

This is just one of several workshop options available for schools and other groups of all ages from toddlers to adults. See more here and here.
€5 per person for groups less than 10, €4 per person for groups greater than 10.
Email: creativeardagh@gmail.com or call Annette on  086 3027602 or Ann on 087 2326553 to book your tour or find out more.

Thank you Elizabeth Rose Murray!

We were honoured to have E.R. Murray visit us during Ardagh Fright Fest to give a three-hour writing workshop for 11 to 14 year olds. Her novel The Book of Learning has been chosen for the Citywide Reading Campaign for Children 2016 (A campaign is run by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and Dublin City Council Public Libraries, in partnership with Mercier Press). The participants in her workshop keep asking us when she will return and it seems that she was inspired by us too, which is always great to hear: "Sometimes we forget that input is as important as output, and that inspiration and energy can come from working in creative places and spaces set up exactly for that purpose ... the enthusiasm of the teens in my writing group was infectious – the centre was clearly a hub for the community, a safe space to create"
Elizabeth has now written a wonderful article about us which you can read here:
www.writing.ie/guest-blogs/explore-be-inspired-create-in-ardagh/