September is full of amazing events to help you explore Ireland’s vibrant cultural and educational scene. From Culture Night to adventures across Ireland’s museums, galleries and libraries, we have an exceptional list of free events in Ireland for Families during September 2024.
Cork
Circus Factory Fun Workshop
Date: 20th September
Time: 4 – 5pm
Venue: Cork City Library, Grand Parade, Cork
Circus is suitable for ages 7 – 11 years and encourages kids to try fun circus activities such as juggling, hula-hoop, acrobatics, tightwire, and aerial arts in a safe and non-competitive environment.
Email libraries@corkcity.ie for more details or check out the event link at Culture Night here.
Dublin
Baby Music Group at IKEA
Date: 3rd September
Times: 10am – 11am and 11am – 12pm
Location: IKEA Ballymun, Dublin, D11 FW18
Join us in store for a fun way to interact and inspire your child through play. Places are limited and Free to IKEA Family members.
Our event will take place at the back of our customer restaurant and our classes are:
10am – 11am for Toddler Music Group
11am – 12pm for Baby Music Group
High Expectation Interactive Exhibit
Date: Running throughout September
Location: Hugh Lane Gallery, Charlemont House, Parnell Square North, D01 F2X9
High Expectations is an interactive display for very young children created by artist Helen Barry and children from Ozanam House Early Learning Centre. This exhibition has arisen from an artist-in-residence programme undertaken by the artist at Ozanam House Early Learning Centre at Mountjoy Square.
For more details, call +353 (0)1 2225564, email info.hughlane@dublincity.ie, or visit our website.
Explore what life was like in Prehistoric Ireland
Dates of Tours: 7th and 21st September
Time: 12pm
Location: Archaeology, Kildare St., Dublin 2, D02 FH48
Come to the Museum and explore what life was like in Prehistoric Ireland on this family tour. Discover Mesolithic fish traps, food of Neolithic Ireland, wonderful gold objects of the Irish Bronze Age, and artefacts from Iron Age Ireland. This tour, inspired by the SESE Primary History Curriculum, weaves through the changes and continuity of prehistoric Ireland by using key objects from the Museum’s collection to inform us about the people and changes of each period.
No booking required, places allocated on a first come first served basis. Meet in the Reception, on the ground floor. Families with children 7+. More details here.
Family Walk & Walk Tours
Dates: 6th September
Time: 3:15pm – 4:15pm
Location: Ground Floor Gallery, Draíocht, The Blanchardstown Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Explore Eleanor McCaughey’s mixed media exhibition in a relaxed way with us. Enjoy learing what your children might think of the gallery exhibition and about the different textures and colours – and maybe we can have a peek backstage too, at the stage and dressing rooms!
Spaces are limited, 20 people per session. Booking through Box Office 01-8852622. Perfect for families with children aged 5 – 9 years. See our event page for further details.
Qigong in the Dubh Linn Garden
Date: 7th September
Time: 12pm
Location: Chester Beatty, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, D02 AD92
Qigong is a tradidional Chinese form of meditation coordination slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing and a calm state of mind. Join us for a gentle outdoors practice in the Dubn Linn Garden (weather permitting) or indoors with a view of the Chester Beatty’s roof garden.
Free, no booking required. Suitable for all ages. Limited to 20 participants. Please check out our website for further details.
Viking Ireland Family Tours
Date: 14th and 28th September
Time: 2pm
Location: Archaeology, Kildare St., Dublin 2, D02 FH48
Join a family tour of the Viking Ireland exhibition at the Museum to learn all about the Vikings in Ireland. See a replica fishing boat, examine the beautiful oval broaches worn by Scandinavian women, and discover ice skates make of bone! Discover what life was like in Viking Dublin, and see the wider impact that the Vikings had on Ireland. This tour is for families and covers topics that appear in the SESE Primary History Curriculum, but all ages are welcome to join!
For more Viking activities, check out our Museum page for further details.
Punch Lion Kids Comedy
Date: 15th September
Times: 12pm – 5pm
Location: Farmleigh House and Estate, Dublin 15, D15 TD50
Farmleigh House welcomes you for a big giggle this September. The event will present stand-up comedy shows, workshops, amusing store-telling, silly circus performers, DJ and games on the green. This runs alongside our Food & Craft Market (10am – 5pm) on the same day.
Phone 018155914 or check out the Farmleigh Estate page for further details.
Crafting Eco-friendly Clay Pots at The Ark
Dates: 20th September
Times: 4pm, 5pm and 6pm
Location: The Ark, 11A Eustace St., Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 A590
Making a Carnival Mask
Dates: 20th September
Time: 4:30 – 5:15pm
Location: Second Floor Creative Space, Chester Beatty, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, D02 AD92
Get ready for one of the biggest cultural celebrations of the year with Culture Night! Join us for a fun and creative workshop making your own carnival mask. Choose your favourite colours and add decorations to your design.
Free, no booking required. Limited to 20 participants. Further details listed on our website.
3D Collage Cards
Dates: 20th September
Time: 5:15pm – 6pm
Location: 3rd Floor Lobby, Chester Beatty, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, D02 AD92
Join us for a card-making extravaganza! Bursting with colour, shapes, and joy, this workshop invites you to create your own 3D cards, featuring animals, fruits, hearts, or anything your imagination desires! Perfect for all ages, this activity offers a fantastic way for families to celebrate Culture Night together.
Free, no booking required. Limited to 20 participants. Please note that children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Further details listed on our website.
Music at the Museum, Concert with Contóirí
Dates: 20th September
Times: 7:15pm and 8pm
Location: Atrium, Chester Beatty, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, D02 AD92
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the harmonious blend of voices and the rich tapestry of sound that Cantóirí brings to Culture Night. A mixed-voice Dublin choir with an international membership, their largely a cappella repertoire spans centuries and styles, from the late-medieval periods to the present. Led by their musical director, Ben Barnes, Cantóirí specialises in folk music from around the glove and is dedicated to singing each song in its original language.
Free, no booking required. Further details listed on our website.
An Evening of Creativity & Exploration at Brown Bag Films Animation Studio
Dates: 20th September
Times: Family friendly session from 4pm – 6pm, and advance sessions for ages 12+ from 6pm – 8pm
Location: Brown Bag Films, Smithfield, Dublin 7
Brown Bag Films welcomes visitors to their Seomra Glas space in their Dublin studio for an evening of creativity and exploration. Get an insight into the animation process and discover the artistry and craft involved in various roles with some of the studio’s team members.
The evening will be split into two sessions, with a family-friendly portion and a more advanced session for ages 12+. Children must be accompanied by a guardian at all times. Tea and coffee making facilities, a vending machine, and water cooler are available.
Booking required, please make your booking using this link.
Free Family Workshop: Paper & Bark Origami
Dates: 22nd September
Times: 2pm – 4pm
Location: Collins Barracks, Benburb St., Dublin 7, D07 XKV4
Origami is the art of paper folding which originated in Japan, and is often seen as child’s play but the dizzying heights that modern artists have taken it to is truly mind-blowing! Join artist Hugh McElveen to discover how to create animal shapes and your own models out of a flat square of paper using origami techniques.
This drop-in family workshop will take place in the Learning Resource Room off Clarke Square. It is suitable for ages 8+. All materials wil be supplied.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. No booking is required. For more information about this event, contact bookings@museum.ie or visit our site here.
Galway
The Grand Parade on the last night of the Clifden Arts Festival
Date: 28th September
Time: 8pm
Location: The Square, Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
Bringing the Clifden Arts Week to a close is The Grand Parade which follows a week full of activities to suit the whole family.
LUXE, a renowned procession and landscape theatre group, present a spectacular parade of lights through the town. LUXE brings fire and light to the meeting point of land, sea, and sky. Working exclusively outdoors and often with small communities, they collaborate with a dedicated group of artists to bring their visual world to life. In addition, the return of Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre to Clifden will see them take to the skies to tell stories that appeal to everyone!
This will be followed by fireworks (weather permitting) and Rob Strong on the Gig Rig.
Traffic restrictions will be in operation. Check out the Clifden Arts Festival website for further details.
Kerry
Guido Fanzini’s Thunderous Entertainment Spectacular
Date: 20 September
Time: 5pm – 6pm
Location: Killarney House & Gardens, Muckross Road, Demesne, Killarney, Co. Kerry
For Culture Night, Guido Fanzini’s Thunderous Entertainment Spectacular will delight the whole family with fantastic comedy and pure fun in this spoof danger, comedy circus show.
No booking required. Additional details here.
‘Storyshop’ Workshops for Children, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Date: 20 September
Time: 4pm – 8pm
Location: Collis Sandes House, Killeen, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Join Me and The Moon this Culture Night at Collis Sandes House!
Using drawing tools, each child will develop their own story character, which when finished will be added to a large group mural. Over the course of Culture Night, a story begins to emerge as our mural develops.
Children will be led by demonstration and will have lots of fun in the making. Timetabled workshops are suitable for primary school children of all ages (5-12 years). Parent and child workshop (no drop-offs) and adults are encouraged to join in the fun. Use this link to book your place.
‘Storyshop’ Workshops for Children, Muckross, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Date: 20 September
Time: 3pm – 8pm
Location: Muckross Garden Restaurant at Muckross House, Co. Kerry
Join Me and The Moon this Culture Night at Muckross House!
Using drawing tools, each child will develop their own story character, which when finished will be added to a large group mural. Over the course of Culture Night, a story begins to emerge as our mural develops.
Children will be led by demonstration and will have lots of fun in the making. Timetabled workshops are suitable for primary school children of all ages (5-12 years). Parent and child workshop (no drop-offs) and adults are encouraged to join in the fun. Use this link to book your place.
Limerick
Cycle the 5 Sections of the Limerick Greenway
Dates: Year round
Location: Limerick Greenway Trail
The Limerick Greenway Trail was developed along a stretch of the 85km Limerick to Tralee railway line, which operated for nearly one hundred years – opening in the late 1880’s and closing in the 1970’s.
There are five distinct sections of the Limerick Greenway, all marked using the Greenway symbol and a white directional travel arrow. The sections are suitable for people with moderate levels of fitness, whether you’re walking or cycling. Make sure to bring a helmet, bike, mobile phone, snacks, fluids and waterproofs for your adventure!
Parent and Toddler Morning
Dates: 20th September
Time: 10:30am to 12pm
Location: Watch House Cross Community Library, Watch House Cross Shopping Centre, Moyross, Limerick
Parents, grandparents, caregivers, and your little ones, join us on Friday, 20th September, from 10:30am to 12pm at Watch House Cross Library for songs, stories and rhymes.
No booking required. Get in touch by phone +353 61 557726 or via email watchhousecrosslibrary@limerick.ie
Free Events for Children in Limerick’s Watch House Cross Community Library
Dates: Throughout September
Location: Watch House Cross Community Library, Watch House Cross Shopping Centre, Moyross, Limerick
The Watch House Cross Community Library has a brilliant variety of free events for children and families year round.
- Story Time for young children, Thursdays at 4pm.
- Parent and Toddler Morning, Fridays at 10:30am – 12pm.
- Arts and Crafts for children, Saturdays at 11am – 4pm
- Parenting While Separated, free lectre for parents on Thursday, 26 Sep at 6:30pm
Get in touch by phone +353 61 557726 or via email watchhousecrosslibrary@limerick.ie for further details and events.
Mayo
Fun, Biodiversity & Art Afternoon
Dates: 21st September
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Location: Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 HY31
An afternoon of Fun, Biodiversity and Art awaits you at Turlough Park. Join Freya Bartels, Ecologist, and Cas McCarthy, Artist, as they explore the grounds and create art in response to the Murmur of Bees exhibition.
As part of this event, you will get to explore these example on a guided walk through areas with flourishing native species, some of which are being preserved for wildlife through the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. From the abundance of wild Irish species to sacred geometry in flora and fauna, we are able to discover repeating patterns in nature that have continuously inspired artists and will hopefully inspire you too!
A range of age groups will be catered to on the tour, and a broad range of topics will be covered to keep the younger and older generations entertained.
Following the tour, Cas McCarthy will guide you through various art techniques and processes to create your own insect inspired by what you have seen or been inspired by.
This is a free event, suitable for adults and children. Booking required. Email BookingsCountryLife@museum.ie or telephone the Bookings Office on +353 94 90 31751 to book your place.
Monahan
Canvas Creations with Masterapiece
Dates: 20th September
Time: 5pm – 6:45pm
Location: Monaghan Town Library
During these workshops, aspiring young artists will create a seasonal wild foliage print on a canvas board.
- Workshop 1 (4 – 7 years) 5pm – 5:45pm
- Workshop 2 (8 – 12 years) 6pm – 6:45pm
No experience needed. Materials required for the workshop will be provided. Booking email address: monaghanlibrary@monaghancoco.ie Further details can be found here.
Nationwide
Join the Big Beach Clean
Dates: 20th – 21st September
Location: Nationwide
The Big Beach Clean is an annual call to action as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). This call to action invites communities and volunteers around the country to remove litter from around the Irish coast after the end of the bathing season.
This initiative is also an opportunity for volunteers to get involved in a worldwide citizen science project, which entails collecting the amount of types of litter on Irish beaches and filling in Clean Coasts’ Marine Litter Data Cards. This will help heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter serving as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem and help shape future policies and campaigns.
Last year, in an extraordinary display of environmental stewardship and community spirit, 7,700 Clean Coasts volunteers rolled up their sleeves and removed a staggering 46 tonnes of litter all across the country as part of the Big Beach Clean. This is the equivalent of 12 hippos! This is a great event for your school or sports team too!
Colouring & Drawing Competition
Dates: 6th September
Location: Nationwide
To celebrate European Organic Day, the Irish Organic Association are organising a Colouring and Drawing Competition (closing date is 6th September). European Organic Day is an annual event that takes place on 23 September to celebrate organic producers and enterprises in Ireland and Europe and raise awareness about organic food and farming.
Follow this link for further details about how to enter.
Deadline for the Colouring and Drawing Competition submission is 5pm, Friday 6th September 2024
Wexford
Mini Masters Session for Children 8-12
Dates: 20th September
Time: 4pm – 5pm
Location: Enniscorthy Library
Join Joanne for a Culture Night Mini Masters session – a craft activity for young people aged 8 – 12.
Enjoy a creative afternoon in Enniscorthy library creating your very own unique wall hanging using all natural materials with inspiration from the great artists from the 20th century.
Family friendly event. Booking essential and booking will open on 30th August. Please note that children must be supervised at all times. Further details here.
Please use the booking link here or contact the Enniscorthy Library via email at enniscorthylibrary@wexfordcoco.ie.
Wicklow
Culture Kaleidoscope
Dates: 20th September
Time: 5pm – 7pm
Location: The Colour Club, Vale Road, Ballyraine Middle, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Y14 KN53
The Colour Club will host two workshops on Culture Night. The first will be for children ages 4-10, and the second will be for ages 14+ and adults. These are in-person free events, and booking is required via Eventbrite.
Culture Kaleidoscope, 5pm – 6pm, Ages 4-10 years
The Colour Club invites children ages 4-10 on a colourful journey exploring cultural patterns and designs from different parts of the world. Participants will create their own kaleidoscopes and explore how simple shapes and colours can form intricate patterns inspired by global cultures. All material will be provided.
Customising Clothes with Colour, 6pm – 7pm, Ages 14+ and adults
Participants will be invited to bring along an old item of clothing that we will breathe new colourful life into during this hand-on workshop. We will use acrylic paints to add colour and texture to the items of clothing to create unique one of a kind designs to take home. Paint and paper are provided – please bring an item of clothing along, suggestions would be denim jeans, jackets, skirts, or heavy-weight cotton clothes.
For any queries please contact Rachel on rachel@thecolourclub.ie, or you can follow this link for more details.
About the Author: Joan Addley
