Free Spring heritage events announced at Mayo museum at Turlough Park

The National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo has unveiled a lively new programme of free heritage and cultural events to mark the traditional start of spring in the Irish folk calendar on February 1.

The spring schedule offers a wide variety of activities for all ages, ranging from St Brigid’s cross-making workshops and folklore talks to family-friendly Ice Age wildlife events and a colourful new exhibition by a Mayo-based arts collective.

The programme begins on Saturday, January 31, the eve of St Brigid’s Day. Visitors are invited to attend a special talk at 12 noon by Clodagh Doyle, Keeper of the National Folklife Collection, who will explore the many traditions associated with Ireland’s female patron saint. Admission is free, but booking is required via museum.ie or by calling (094) 90 31751.

Visitors can also take part in free St Brigid’s cross-making workshops led by a museum educator at 2pm and 3.30pm. These sessions are suitable for all ages, require no booking and will operate on a first-come, first-served basis during busy periods.

On Saturday, February 7, Emeritus Professor Michael Doherty, former Dean of the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, will deliver a talk from 3pm to 4pm on animal care and folk cures in Ireland. The event is linked to the temporary exhibition Antique Veterinary Objects. Booking is required via museum.ie.

St Valentine’s Day will be marked with another curator’s talk by Clodagh Doyle at 2pm on Saturday, February 14, focusing on traditional Irish matchmaking and marriage customs. While Valentine’s Day is a modern celebration, love and courtship have long played a significant role in Irish society. Booking is required.

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Younger audiences are encouraged to attend a Spring midterm event on Saturday, February 21, titled “They Walked These Hills Before Us: Ice Age Wildlife.” Led by Michael Chambers from Wild Nephin National Park, the session takes place at 3pm and is suitable for children aged seven and over. Participants will learn about the ancient animals that once roamed Mayo’s landscape and how the region has changed since the last Ice Age. Booking is available online.

The museum has also launched a vibrant new exhibition, “Celtic Tales by Warrior’s Hand,” on display in the Courtyard Gallery until March 10. The exhibition was developed by the Luisne Art Project, a nationally recognised initiative supporting artists with disabilities based in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, in collaboration with artist facilitator Noreen Lydon and mentors Michael Gannon and Ruby Staunton.

Throughout the coming months, visitors can also meet the striking Beir Bua, a brown bear featured in the exhibition The Murmur of Bees. The bear, a female specimen from Alaska, stands on her hind legs with outstretched claws and highlights the historical links between bears, bees and honey. Brown bears once roamed Ireland before becoming extinct thousands of years ago.

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

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