Historic Houses of Ireland: FREE day of Children’s Creativity this Saturday

Birr Castle Demesne Birr Castle Demesne’s 120 acres of parkland and gardens are home to a rare collection of over 5,000 species of trees and plants, as well as wonderful wildlife. This makes it the perfect setting for HHI’s Heritage and Habitat’s programme for Cruinniú na nÓg. Birr’s workshops will not only introduce children to this abundant natural in a creative and participatory way but also to the astronomical heritage of the Parsons family who have lived at Birr Castle for over 400 years. The Demesne is also home to the Great Telescope, The Leviathan, completed 1845. The Astronomical Heritage Workshops are aimed at children aged 8 to 13 years, while the Wildlife & Plants Heritage Workshop  are suitable for age 5-13 years.  All are tailored for families so parents can join their children in the fun of the workshops. For further information and booking details: www.birrcastle.com/events/ Enniscoe House The Enniscoe Estate will celebrate Cruinniú na nÓg 2022 with an exciting programme of music, singing, storytelling, art, drama, 3D construction, digital photography, willow weaving, and horticulture, culminating in an exhibition of the work produced and a concert on the night of June 11^th. Located at the foot of Nephin Mountain in North Mayo, late 18th-century Enniscoe has been described as one of the last ‘Great Houses of Ireland’. Comprising 180 acres of biodiversity-rich pasture and forestry, Enniscoe Estate has been home to the Kellett family since the 1650s. It has a Victorian walled garden, an organic walled garden and 19^th century pleasure grounds running down to the shores of Lough Conn. It has been awarded both the Green Flag and the Heritage Flag by An Taisce. The North Mayo Heritage Centre, which runs a diverse annual cultural programme, is housed in its repurposed agricultural buildings. For further information and booking details: www.NorthMayoGenealogy.com Kilmokea Country Manor Foraging & Forest School fun is guaranteed by Kilmokea Country Manor’s Gardens for Cruinniú na nÓg on June 11^th. Children love the great outdoors and what better way to explore habitats in a heritage environment than foraging for magical elderflowers and dandelions with Emma Hewlett, owner of the 18th-century Georgian rectory and its seven acres of heritage garden. Better still, they will get to transform them into refreshing delicious dandelion gummy bears and thirst-quenching elderflower cordial. Exciting adventure, joy and wonder are guaranteed too by den building and cooking over an open fire from Wildtime leader Johanna Brown in Kilmokea’s beautiful woodland gardens. Kids will also love exploring the maze in the kitchen garden before heading into the woodland. For further information and booking details: https://www.kilmokea.com/ Killruddery House Taking place around Killruddery House’s Orangery and 17th-century formal gardens on the 11^th and 12^th June, ‘I See You’ is a weekend of immersion in art, culture and heritage for children from diverse backgrounds. Aduantas Aerial will lead the children through rope, silks, trapeze, dance trapeze and hammock skills, and independent circus performers will also get the kids juggling, hoola hooping, practising object manipulation over three one-hour workshops per day. Me & the Moon’s process-driven workshops will encourage kids to make technical and creative drawings inspired by the aerial and circus performances. These will then be collaged together to form a giant wall of drawing in the Orangery at Killruddery House which is surrounded by an 800-acre estate spanning flowering woodland, a high-hedge sylvan theatre, long ponds and a walled garden. For further information and booking details: https://killruddery.com