A celebration of childhood, creativity, and community spirit!

Today the Museum of Childhood Ireland / Músaem Óige na hÉireann, took part in the 2025 Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Our 100 strong team walked with the museum’s art/crafts group ‘Tír na nÓg’s, intergenerational, ‘Land and Sea; Celebrate your locality’ (using sustainable materials) workshop group. The theme was chosen by the children participating. ( Lundy Model)

In the lead up to the parade, the children looked closely at what interested them in the locality, and then set about their creative response to that, supported by artists/makers from the museum.

Also joining us was creative inspiration and local legend, musician Leo O’Kelly from group Tír na nÓg. Leo sang a verse of his signature song, Tír na nÓg, as the group paused in front of the dignitaries stand.

All participating enjoyed a fantastic day! Thank you to everyone involved in organising the day and to all who put such effort into the children’s pinwheel, local landmarks and sea creature making workshops in the lead up to the parade. Thank you too to everyone that travelled from around the country and the county to participate. It was really great to see members from each of our museum teams represented in the parade, including: Children’s Advisory, Educational, History, Children’s Rights, Literature & Media, Engagement and Arts. We were also thrilled to welcome children from the Museum of Childhood Ireland’s Art, Craft, Create, Imagine and Play ‘Tír na nÓg’ workshops at the liberties community project.

Thank you to everyone, young and old, for taking part!

Lá fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh.

https://museumofchildhood.ie/tir-na-nog-tir-na-hoige-mci-childrens-art-craft-create-works

“We had a wonderful day! Thank you so much Museum of Childhood Ireland for organising and all of the effort and care that you put into every single part of it. Please pass on our gratitude and thanks to everyone involved. It was a very special, seminal life experience for our kids” . A note from a parent of children who attended the workshops and parade

Museum of Childhood Ireland St Patrick’s Day Parade Project 2025

Introduction

The Museum of Childhood Ireland’s (Músaem Óige na hÉireann) Arts/Craft/Play group ‘Tír na nÓg’ participated in the Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown St Patrick’s Day Parade for 2025, alongside fellow MCI team members, continuing its long-standing commitment to community engagement, children’s participation, creative and cultural celebration.

Rationale

Building on a decade of civic engagement projects, the museum demonstrates its core values of:

• Empowering children’s voices
• Promoting intergenerational collaboration
• Celebrating local heritage
• Encouraging sustainable creative practices

Project Aims

1. Participatory Design: Implement the Lundy Model of Participation to enable children to shape the parade theme and creative direction
2. Cultural Representation: Showcase local identity through artistic interpretation
3. Sustainable Creativity: Develop parade materials using environmentally conscious methods
4. Intergenerational Collaboration: Bring together museum teams, community members, adults and children together
5. Civic Engagement: Continue the museum’s tradition of meaningful community involvement
6. Accessibibility for all. Workshops and parade were accessible for all abilities and ages.

Parade Concept: ‘Land and Sea; Celebrate your Locality’

Key Elements

• Handmade pinwheels representing the museum
• Sea creature designs
• Local landmark representations
• Sustainable materials and accessibility throughout

Team Composition

• Up to 100 participants
• Children, youths, adults
• Adult representatives from the museum’s departments of :
  • Collections
  • History
  • Education
  • Children’s Rights
  • Literature/Media
  • Community Engagement
  • Arts, with
  • Local creative hero, Leo O’Kelly from band ‘Tír na nÓg’

Expected Outcomes

• A vibrant, child-driven and voiced parade representation
• Increased public awareness of the Museum of Childhood Ireland and our Arts/Craft/Play team called Tír na nÓg
• Documentation of arts practices and processes
• Continued development of children’s civic participation skills
• Celebration of local cultural heritage

MCI Context

The project builds on previous civic engagement initiatives including:

• 2018: ‘I Love My Neighbourhood’
• 2021: ‘Our Town Our Future’, Tralee
• 2022: Reimagine Tipperary Town
• 2022: ‘Dundalk Town Centre’s Long Walk project
• 2023: EngageKilkenny
• 2024: ‘FuturePastPresent’ – Drogheda
• 2024: ‘Small Spaces, Local Stories’ – Dúnlaoghaire

A celebration of childhood, creativity, place and community spirit!