Laois School of Music recently launched the Laois Cruinniú na nÓg festival, which will take place on Saturday, June 7.
Cruinniú na nÓg is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme’s Creative Youth Plan to enable the creative potential of children and young people.
Supported by Creative Ireland Laois and Laois County Council, Cruinniú na nÓg is a day of creativity for children and young people under 18.
As part of this national event, Creative Ireland Laois will host a range of events throughout the county.
Events begin with Ta Tum Tum Brazilian Drumming in Stradbally Library from 11.15am to 12.15pm.
Ta Tum Tum is an interactive project designed for children to explore Brazilian culture through live music, creative movement and storytelling.
It also explores body awareness and different rhythms used in Brazilian music. Ta Tum Tum is an onomatopoeia inspired by the sounds of drums and percussion.
Brazilian rhythms have its roots in Africa and are one of the most recognisable rhythms in the world. Samba is enacted most spectacularly in the Brazilian Carnaval celebrations, which have captured the global imagination in its pulsating rhythms, its decadent revelry, its extroverted performativity and its extravagant exhibitionism.
From 2pm to 3.30pm, Abbeyleix Library will host Abbeyleix 250 – a celebration of the town’s quarter-millennium history.
Approximately 140 children from both national schools in Abbeyleix, Scoil Mhuire and the South National School, will research the history and folklore stories related to the town from 1775 to 2025.
The children will work as part of a research team, that will, with encouragement from artist Aileen Donovan, create a piece of original art, using their own initiative and inspiration. Their work will then be incorporated on story trees, which are being created by the Men’s Shed in Abbeyleix.
The finished projects will be exhibited for public viewing in Abbeyleix Library on the day of Cruinniú na nÓg, for all to view and enjoy. This exhibition will also include a video diary which will show the entire process of the children’s work.
The curtain will come down on the event at Laois School of Music host the Laois le Cheile Festival on Church Avenue, Portlaoise, from 1pm to 6pm.
Laois le Chéile is an all-inclusive, multi-cultural, inter-generational community arts festival, taking place on the grounds of Laois Music Centre in the heart of Portlaoise town.
Activities on the day include music and craft workshops, open mic, musical performances by Laois Community Choir and Music Generation Laois Primary School Singers, with special guest, Sean Keane, children from After-Schools Clubs (DP Centres), Bass Brothers (LTAG), Malva Ukrainian Choir, Bells Children’s Choir, Ta Ta Dum, Inisowiacy Music – culminating in a Céilí Mór for all ages.
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