Fingal County Council celebrates Cruinniú na nÓg, a Day of Free Creativity for Children & Young People

Fingal County Council is delighted to announce an exciting and varied programme for Cruinniú na nÓg which takes place on Saturday, 15th June 2024. Cruinniú na nÓg, Creative Ireland’s annual day of free creative activity for children and young people, has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2018. This event is unique to Ireland and is the flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme’s Creative Youth Plan, which aims to enable the creative potential of children and young people.

This year, having embraced invaluable insights from the Voice of the Child Survey, Creative Fingal has tailored its programming to resonate with the passions and interests of young people living in Fingal. We are delighted to feature events run by young artists and musicians from Fingal. We are also proud to introduce our Local Ambassador, Christian Campbell, our creative hero, who proudly advocates for a selection of events and the participation of children and young people in creative activities.

Our ten library branches will host author and illustrator visits, music recitals, arts and crafts workshops, coding classes, and much more. All events are free to attend, and details about each event can be found in the Cruinniú na nÓg 2024 brochure available at your local Fingal Library or on the Fingal County Council website - https://www.fingal.ie/fingallibraries.

Experience the inaugural Night-Time Economy event, hosted by Fingal Libraries and Garageland Galaxyz, exclusively tailored for teenagers at Millennium Park, Blanchardstown. Featuring live performances by young talents on both the main and busking stages, alongside music industry workshops throughout the day, it is a unique opportunity for teenage creativity to shine.

Fingal Arts Office, in collaboration with the Irish School Orchestra, have created the Orchestral Odyssey. This event sees three schools in Swords host a 33-piece orchestra in their halls. It culminates on June 15th with children and their families invited to partake in an immersive experience in the newly renovated Carnegie Library on North Street, Swords.

There will be something for everyone this June 15th, make sure to book your place!

Here is a taster of what’s in store across Fingal on Saturday, 15th June:

Events at your local Fingal Library

• The Cruinniú Creation Station: A Creative Extravaganza with Author/Illustrators Niamh Sharkey and Mary Murphy in Blanchardstown library
• Interactive workshop with author Shane Hegarty at Skerries and Donabate Libraries
• An immersive and interactive Role-Play Village with Messy Adventures in Balbriggan Library
• Make a Movie on Your Mobile with Create School at Rush and Balbriggan Libraries
• Music workshops with the Bits and Bobs Orchestra and Musical Tots at Blanchardstown, Baldoyle and Howth Libraries
• A live musical recital at Malahide Library
• Graffiti workshop with Street Art Ink at Rush Library
• Creative writing workshop with author Conor Kostick at Blanchardstown Library
• Crochet Workshops with Aoibhe Churcher at Swords and Skerries Libraries
• Creative workshops from the Fingal Makerspace at Blanchardstown Library
• Art workshops with author/illustrators Úna Woods and Eve McDonnell at Balbriggan, Malahide and Swords Libraries
• Code LED lights to create digital art with Coding Ireland at Donabate and Malahide Libraries
• Create a mini comic with Cartoonist Aidan Courtney of Coimicí Gael in Howth and Baldoyle Libraries

Live Youth Music Festival with Garageland Galaxyz at Millennium Park, Blanchardstown

• Live music performances by some of Fingal’s best young and upcoming musicians
• Special guest performances
• A separate ‘busking stage’ for any extra young performers who would like to busk as part of the day’s event
• Music industry workshops
• All filmed and broadcast live on Garageland Galaxyz HUB TV

Fingal Arts office

Presented by Fingal Arts Office, The Irish School Orchestra, and Creative Ireland; Orchestral Odyssey invites you to be swept away by the enchanting world of orchestral music. Join us at the historic Carnegie Library Swords. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and sing along as we embark on a thrilling journey through the rhythm and harmony of orchestral instruments. Shake a maraca, tap a tambourine, and get ready to unleash your inner maestro as we join forces with the sensational Irish School Orchestra for an interactive musical extravaganza.

Orchestral Odyssey brings the magic of a full orchestra directly to children in school settings and to families in the newly refurbished Carnegie Library throughout May and June 2024.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Adrian Henchy commented, “For all the young people across the county of Fingal, this year's programme of events for Cruinniú na nÓg is guaranteed to arouse curiosity and ignite the imagination.  With over 30 events running across a variety of venues including Millennium Park, Fingal Libraries, and the newly renovated Carnegie Library in Swords, I encourage families and young people to explore the programme of events. The Cruinniú programme is an important part of the services offered to young people by Fingal and allows for access to creative activities in an inclusive and accessible way.”

Creative Ireland Co-Ordinator for Fingal, Lilian Whelan added, “Cruinniú na nÓg is the annual day of free creativity for children and young people and has become an important fixture in the Fingal calendar. The Voice of the Child has featured strongly in our planning and on foot of consultation with children and young people across Fingal, we now present an inclusive, free and varied programme.  This year our inaugural youth music event in Millennium Park, Garageland Galaxyz, will showcase young talent from across Fingal. Our library programme ensures that everyone across Fingal will be able to access a free creative event in their local library and our Arts Office have commissioned an Orchestral Odyssey to reach schools and young people in Fingal and allow them access to the music of a full orchestra.”

Working in partnership with the 31 Local Authorities and supported by RTÉ, Creative Ireland works tirelessly to create a day where families and young people can participate in a wide range of fun, creative activities that are all free.

Fingal County Council’s Cruinniú na nÓg programme has been collaboratively developed by the Culture and Creativity Team which is made up of cross-departmental representatives with skills in many different areas of expertise.

Download Cruinniú na nÓg Brochure