Can you find ‘Stingy Jack’ in woods of Turlough Park this Halloween?
THE National Museum of Ireland - Country Life is launching a new spooky scarecrow trail through the woodlands of Turlough Park for Halloween this year.
The scarecrow trail is based on the story of a stingy old blacksmith called Jack, from Irish folklore, who inspired the Halloween tradition of carving Jack O’Lanterns.
Visitors are invited to pick up a map at museum reception and track down eight ‘Stingy Jack’ scarecrows in the woods, which have been created by Mayo Artsquad.
The Stingy Jack scarecrow trail runs from Saturday, October 28, to November 5. No booking is required for this self-guided outdoor trail.
Other Halloween activities to enjoy over the midterm break include mask making workshops with artist Cas McCarthy on Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29. The workshops are inspired by homemade masks in the Irish Folklife Collection. No booking is required. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
In the exhibition galleries, a selection of Halloween masks from the museum's collection are being taken out of storage and put on temporary display.
Visitors can also explore the Irish origins of some other modern day Halloween celebrations in the Samhain display on Level C. This display includes the museum’s famous ‘ghost turnip’, which is featured regularly in media articles around the world at this time of the year because of its links to the modern day tradition of pumpkin carving at Halloween.
There is also a self-guided indoor trail running throughout the midterm break in the main museum building. Young visitors have to find a series of scary objects hidden in the exhibitions across three levels.
The midterm programme finishes with a seasonal guided nature walk, taking place at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, November 4 and 5. No booking is required. Place will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
For further details about midterm at the museum, visit https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Country-Life.