Busy September sees plenty of events and activities at Mayo museum

Talk on corncrake conservation

The corncrake is one of Ireland's rarest and most iconic farmland birds, known for its distinctive rasping call. Once common across the countryside, it now survives mainly in parts of the west and northwest of Ireland. Join Liam Loftus, Mayo Field Officer with Natura Communities Farmlands Birds, for a special talk at 2pm on Sunday, 20 September, to learn about the important conservation work underway to protect the corncrake for future generations. The event will feature discussion on traditional farming methods and how modern farming methods can be adapted for corncrake conservation. Places are free but booking is required. Visit museum.ie for booking details; email [email protected]; or telephone (094) 90 31751.

Boats and Barns by Hugh Barr

See a beautiful new exhibition of paintings by Hugh Barr, on display in the Courtyard Gallery until 18 October 2026. Boats and Barns reflects on the connections between memory, craft, and the built environment. Drawing on personal experience, the artist reflects on time spent at sea as a crew member on a Galway hooker and on brief service with the RNLI - experiences that fostered a lasting appreciation for maritime tradition and the skill of boat-building. Alongside these works are those shaped by childhood memories of rural life, particularly the familiarity of farm buildings and hay barns.

Mayo Genealogy Group

Get some help to research your family tree at the next meeting of the Mayo Genealogy Group from 11.30 to 1pm on Saturday, 12 September. This is a voluntary group brought together by a common interest in genealogy. Find out how to get started, or get some tips and advice on taking the next steps with an existing project. Members enjoy sharing their successes and pitfalls, collective experience and detective work to give other researchers a guiding hand. New researchers are welcome.

Culture Night

Enjoy a special afterhours visit to the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, for Oíche Chultúir/Culture Night on Friday, 18 September. The main museum galleries will be open late in the evening from 6pm until 9pm. Admission, as always, is free. This is the last chance to visit the popular temporary exhibition The Murmur of Bees (closing Monday September 21). Visitors can also explore various themes from the National Folklife Collection including trades and crafts, life in the home, life in the community, clothing, textiles, farming and fishing. Culture Night is an annual, all-island initiative celebrating the richness and diversity of culture in Ireland today and connecting people to cultural activities. See culturenight.ie for full details.

Knitting circle

Learn a new skill for life with the Museum Knitting and Crochet Circle. Join a drop-in session from 11am to 1pm on Friday, September 18, to exchange tips, patterns, ideas and a chat. Beginners are welcome. This is a friendly meeting of talented craft workers with a keen interest in all things woolly. No booking required. Suitable for adults and children aged seven years plus (children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the session).

Soapbox Dreams in 1950s Ireland

See an engaging new display exploring the popularity of soapbox derbies during the 1950s, when thousands of spectators gathered to watch young competitors race homemade ‘gravity cars’. A brightly coloured red soapbox racer, which was made and raced at local and national derbies in the 1950s, is on public display for the first time this summer. This exhibit tells the story of an exciting chapter in Ireland's sporting and social history when success at the national derby offered the chance to win a coveted trip to America and compete on the world stage. Ready, Steady, Go! Soapbox Dreams in 1950s Ireland is on display now on Level B of the exhibition galleries.

Museum opening hours

Admission to the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park House & Gardens is free. The exhibition galleries are open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday to Monday from 1pm to 5pm.