New SWARM art piece and St. Patrick's Day traditions among happenings at Mayo museum
VIEW a vibrant new art installation created by 450 school children and their teachers, on display now in the Courtyard Gallery (next to the café) at the National Museum in Turlough Park.
‘SWARM’ is the outcome of a 10-month collaboration between the museum and Mayo-based artist Cas McCarthy, developed in association with the temporary exhibition The Murmur of Bees.
School children from 25 schools across Mayo, Galway and Sligo visited the exhibition to learn about Ireland’s bees. They then constructed and painted insects, bringing them to life through an exploration of colours, patterns and design.
The insects have been put together into a final installation which is on display now in the Courtyard Gallery.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY TRADITIONS
With March 17 fast approaching, learn about the many ways in which our rural ancestors celebrated Ireland’s best-known patron saint on his feast day in times gone by.
There is a display on St. Patrick’s Day customs and traditions in the Life in the Community exhibition on Level C of the main museum galleries. Customs included St. Patrick’s Day crosses and badges, ‘St. Patrick’s pot’, and St. Patrick’s Day prayers and greetings cards.
Admission to the museum is free.
ST. PATRICK’S CROSSES
St. Patrick's Crosses or badges were traditionally made and worn by children to honour our patron saint on his feast day on March 17. There are lots of examples of these colourful badges in the Irish Folklife Collection, which is held at Turlough Park.
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the museum’s curatorial team have selected eight of these badges to come out of storage and go on temporary display on Level A of the exhibition galleries.
The display is available until March 17.
After you view the selection of badges from the Irish Folklife Collection, have a go at making your own traditional St. Patrick's badge, using upcycled and recycled materials!
This self-guided activity is available from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, with resources supplied in the craft room on Level C in the Museum galleries.
Suitable for adults and children, no booking is required.
SEACHTAIN NA GAEILGE
Breathnaigh thart ar Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann i gCo. Mhaigh Eo trí chamchuairt spraíúil an mhúsaeim as Gaeilge le linn Sheachtain seo na Gaeilge. Téigh sa tóir ar Pheadar an Dallóg Fraoigh atá i bhfolach sna gailearaithe taispeántais; cuir dúshlán Rian na nAinmhithe romhat féin; nó faigh an Rud Is Fearr Leat.
Pioc suas do bhileog riain, d’fháisc-chlár agus do pheann luaidhe ag an gcairt ghníomhaíochta in aice le fáiltiú an mhúsaeim.
TOURS
Join a free museum, house and gardens tour at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays throughout the month of March.
Tours are led by an experienced museum guide and feature key stories and objects from Ireland’s National Folklife Collection on display at Turlough Park. The tours also examine the life of the Fitzgerald family and the history and architectural style of Turlough Park House and Gardens.
No booking is required.
EXHIBITIONS
Visit the ongoing exhibition The Murmur of Bees, to embark on a journey into the fascinating world of Irish bees.
Learn about more than 100 different bee species in Ireland through a fascinating selection of entomology specimens from the National Museum’s Natural History Collections. Discover why bees were so important throughout Irish history, they even have their own patron saint.
Learn more about the history and work of community midwives through Mary Anne Fanning: Remembering Our Community Midwives - a temporary exhibition on Level B of the main exhibition galleries.
OPENING HOURS
Admission to the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park House & Gardens is free. The exhibition galleries are open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday to Monday from 1 to 5 p.m.