Cork lines up day of free creative fun for children and young people this Saturday

A range of activities will take place in Cork city tomorrow for Cruinniú na nÓg, Ireland’s national day of free creative activity for children and young people.

Families are encouraged to take advantage of the programme of free, hands-on creative events designed for children and young people up to the age of 18.

Now in its ninth year, Cruinniú na nÓg will incorporate workshops including origami, clay, puppet making and animation.

The city centre will also be home to Rock the Block festivities, a youth music celebration taking place in Carnegie Courtyard at Cork City Library and featuring performances from The Kabin Studio, Cork Barrack Street and Mahon Community Youth Bands, Cork City Learning Support Services, Foróige Mayfield and CDYS The Hut.

Many events have been designed with children and young people, ensuring their voices, ideas and interests are at the heart of the programme.

Accessible and inclusive

Particular care has been taken to ensure activities are accessible and inclusive, with events welcoming children with disabilities, seldom-heard young people and families from diverse backgrounds.

Speaking ahead of the day, Alex Millea, aged 17, a Cruinniú na nÓg local youth ambassador, encouraged young people to get involved.

She said: “One of the best things about Cruinniú na nÓg is that all the events, workshops and performances are completely free and easy for young people to access. That gives us motivation and confidence to join in and try something new.

“Cruinniú na nÓg also gives young people a chance to share our creativity and talents with our own communities, and I’m really looking forward to performing in drag on the day.”

Events will take place in libraries, parks, and arts and cultural venues across the city, with many drop-in activities available throughout the day. Families are advised to check local listings and social media for full programme details, event times and any booking information, as some workshops may have limited capacity.

Cruinniú na nÓg is an initiative of Creative Ireland, delivered in partnership with local authorities and community organisations nationwide, celebrating the creativity of children and young people in every corner of the country.

The full Cruinniú na nÓg Cork City programme is available at cruinniu.gov.ie and at corkcity.ie/en/cruinniu-na-nog. Follow @CorkCityArts on Facebook and @corkcityart on Instagram for live updates.