Turlough Park museum to host three festive Christmas afternoons in December

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 Sunday afternoons in December.

The programme starts on Sunday, 8 December 8, with a ‘Christmas Crafternoon’ with Isolde Dingerkus making ‘Cosy Christmas Crafts’ and Lindsay McConnell 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 15, 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.

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 22, 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 Cill Aodain Choral Society will perform at 2.15pm under the direction of Finola Higgins-Cosgrove followed at 3pm by The Mayo Male Voice Choir under the direction of Deirdre Lee.

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.

‘Christmas Tree Crafts’ will be delivered by Carmel Balfe at 2pm and 3pm. These are free workshops suitable for families, but places are limited so booking is required.

Throughout the month of 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.

Further details on all events and activities are available from www.museum.ie.

For bookings, email BookingsCountryLife@museum.ie or telephone (094) 90 31751.

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.