Cruinniú na nÓg turns kitchens and living rooms into hive of activity

Wednesday June 17, 2020
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Cruinniú na nÓg turned kitchens and living rooms into a hive of activity for the national day of youthful creativity last weekend.

Cruinniú na nÓg, the flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme’s Creative Youth plan, took place last Saturday (13 June) in living rooms and kitchens throughout Donegal and across Ireland.

Children and young people had the opportunity to participate in a whole range of online activities including online workshops, a mini youth music festival, a short film release and tutorials.

The national day of youthful creativity is now in its third year of delivering creative events to young people in their own locality.

In Donegal, the Cruinniú na nÓg programme is administered by Donegal County Council’s Culture and Creativity Team.

This year with public health advice, it required a creative approach. Karen Sheehy from Donegal County Council’s Cruinniú na nÓg team said they were delighted with how well it was received.

“Children from all corners of Donegal and beyond were able to access quality creative workshops with experienced professionals in creative writing, song writing, coding and broadcasting, without having to leave the house,” she said.

Some of the events required some input prior to the big day and are widely available online. Budding young chefs contributed to a dedicated e-book, Recipes for Disaster.

The Alone Together Mini Music Festival organised by the Regional Cultural Centre in collaboration with The Loft Letterkenny, offered young musicians and music fans the opportunity to put together their very own festival.

A Short Film Gathering of the Force, which premiered on social media on Saturday, was also a huge hit. The film represents the resilience of young people throughout this pandemic and showcases the breathtaking scenery at Donegal’s Banba’s Crown.

RELIVE the Alone Together Mini Music Festival, READ the Recipes for Disaster ebook and WATCH the Gathering of the Force video.

One of the greatest strengths of Cruinniú 2020 was that families had equal access to over 500 free to attend virtual events and activities for those aged 0 – 18 years across the country and could enjoy events hosted by venues such as the dedicated children’s cultural centre, The Ark, and the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, without having to make a trip.

The Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny is proudly funded by Donegal County Council and Arts Council Ireland.