Christmas at the Museum of Country Life
There is a fantastic programme of festive events at the Museum of Country Life in Turlough this Christmas.
The National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park, Castlebar, is inviting people to escape the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations with a series of three festive afternoons on Sunday, December 8th, 15th and 22nd.
From storytelling and cosy crafts to a Christmas market and festive carols, there is something for all ages to explore. The National Museum is hoping people will enjoy an opportunity to reflect on traditions of Christmases past, spend time together and reconnect with nature in the beautiful grounds.
The programme starts on Sunday, December 8th, with a 'Christmas Crafternoon'.
Isolde Dingerkus will be making 'Cosy Christmas Crafts' at 2pm and 3pm and Lindsay McConnell is delivering a wreath-making workshop at 2pm and 3pm. All workshops are suitable for family audiences. Admission is free but booking is required for each session.
The following weekend, on Sunday, December 15th, there will be a Christmas market in the Courtyard of Turlough Park House from 1pm to 5pm as well as a live crib with Kiltimagh Pet Farm and some festive storytelling sessions.
The Christmas market will feature a range of beautiful crafts from local and regional makers and artists, including candles, calligraphy, art, cards, textiles and more.
The live crib display with Kiltimagh Pet Farm is a fun opportunity to meet some of the farm animals featured in the nativity and other Christmas traditions and stories.
Three festive storytelling sessions are taking place in the exhibition galleries with Fiona Dowling at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. The storytelling sessions are suitable for families with children aged five years plus and no booking is required.
On Sunday, December 22nd, visitors can enjoy an atmospheric afternoon of Christmas carols in the galleries; the return of the live crib with Kiltimagh Pet Farm; and a traditional toys demonstration with a museum curator.
The annual choral performances have become a firm festive favourite with Museum goers over the last number of years. The Cill Aodain Choral Society will perform at 2.15pm under the direction of Finola Higgins-Cosgrove. The Mayo Male Voice Choir will perform at 3pm under the direction of Deirdre Lee. No booking is required.
Kiltimagh Pet Farm are back with the live crib display in the Courtyard from 1pm to 5pm.
Curator Tiernan Gaffney will be in the exhibition galleries from 1pm to 3pm with a pop-up display on homemade toys in the Irish Folklife Collection. Learn how children, with the help of their parents, used materials like wood, rushes and recycled materials to make their own toys, and have a go at playing with some of the toys from the museum’s handling collection.
Artist Carmel Balfe is delivering a 'Christmas Tree Crafts' workshop at 2pm and 3pm. These are free workshops, suitable for families, but places are limited so booking is required.
Throughout December, there is a fun 'Decoration Hunt' activity in the museum galleries. This is a self-guided trail - meaning visitors can pick up an activity sheet at any time during Museum opening hours and enjoy the trail at your own pace. Young visitors can use the clues to explore three floors of exhibition galleries and find 12 decorations hanging in the displays.
For an outdoor activity, there is also a winter nature walk worksheet available from museum reception. There is a North Pole post box for that all important letter of the year and be sure to go to Turlough Park House during your visit to get some nice family selfies in front of the Christmas tree in the formal hall.
Further details on all events and activities are available from www.museum.ie.
For bookings, email BookingsCountryLife@museum.ie or telephone 094-9031751.
Admission to the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park is free. The exhibition galleries are open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday to Monday from 1pm to 5pm.
The Museum is open as normal throughout the holiday period with the exception of Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day (closed both days).
