Titanic by Gabriel, Newry, age 6.
Connections, routes and networks that link our communities. Heritage Week 2024 with the Museum of Childhood Ireland, Músaem Óige na hÉireann and Sticky Fingers Arts, Newry.
Celebrating Wild Child Day & Water Heritage Day, on the 24th and 25th of August in SICCDA, Dublin, and at Sticky Fingers Arts in Newry. Bringing Heritage Week to children all across our shared Island in workshops over two days. On Saturday we will focus on getting outside to observe, play, learn about, and forage for materials. On Sunday we will make, sail our boats and learn about the rich tradition of our water heritage near us and further afield.
The Dublin events are fully booked on both days, and Newry on Saturday but there are still a few places available on Sunday in Newry – see below. Sticky Fingers Arts, Sunday 25th August 12-2pm. Update-All places fully booked now https://www.stickyfingersarts.co.uk Contact: info@stickyfingersarts.co.uk
All families, schools can take part in this activity if they live near a body of water, and if not basins of water or puddles after rainfall make great alternatives for outdoors fun wherever you live. And the walks can happen anywhere too and at any time!
#SeachtainOidhreachta2024 #HeritageWeek2024
Water Heritage Day
The history and heritage of our shared island have been shaped by the sea and the great Irish rivers, lakes and wetlands. Water Heritage Day celebrates water throughout Ireland, its history and heritage and our connections with it.
Wild Child Day encourages children to look at the world around them differently, to open their eyes to the diverse beauty of the landscape in their area and to get out and explore their locality or even farther afield.
Museum of Childhood Ireland, Músaem Óige na hÉireann and Sticky Fingers Arts, Newry, are delighted to continue our work together for all children across the island of Ireland on Wild Child and Water Heritage Day.
Tús maith leath na hoibre ( A good start is half the work)
A good beginning with an arts and crafts boat making project ( use biodegradable, recycled materials, and take a photo of your boat)
Boat Making
Here is one that Tomaz made …
Sailing boat by Tomaz, age 9, Dublin
Everyone worked hard on making boats before we headed outside. Thanks to Faber Castell for the wonderful materials.
Materials used: Recycled card and paper, a reused, washed chopstick, crayons, paint, markers, and a paste of water, flour and paint ( to place the mast for the sail in)
…while learning about different types of boats including currachs and coracles, historic timelines for boats and ships through the ages, and even the work that used to be undertaken by children on boats, such as cabin-boy, midshipman, and powder monkey…
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/boat/390719
Willie Roche, cabin-boy. Born May 10th 1869 in Wicklow town, went to see as a child. From ‘A Swords Family Chronicle‘ by John Goggins, Chair of the Genealogical Society of Ireland. Also below see Edwards Swords, from the same family, who went to sea aged 12.
Were there sailors/mariners in your family, or people who made their living from the sea?
Find some useful links here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coracle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currach
https://www.scafom-rux.com/en/scaffolding-blog/the-beginnings-of-shipbuilding
Currach by Anna age 5, Dublin
Launching your boat
Then launch your boat/s. We will launch on Newry’s historic canal, and on Dublin’s Liffey, and we hope in Achill ( Atlantic Ocean) and Dúnlaoghaire ( Irish Sea) too!
Where will you launch your boat?
I made a big strong boat to go a very long distance, and I liked learning about children on boats. The blue man is me! He isn’t biodegradable though so I can’t put him in the water. Seán, age 9
MICK’S fishing Boat, Jamie, age 10
I made this motor boat because it is like my granddad Mick’s one. I don’t do painting very often. I painted it red and the paint didn’t work out well on the plastic container. I made the outboard motor from a single-use plastic soap soap dispenser. The fishing net is made out of old material and I made grandad from a toilet roll tube, and some newspaper. His trademark blue hat is a painted plastic takeaway sauce holder and his green scarf is a ribbon from a chocolate box. I was not able to put my boat on the water as too much of it is made from plastic and that would not be good for our seas or marine life. I realise how much plastic we still use. My grandad comes from a long line of Wicklow fishermen, and when he was young he used to catch lots of fish off Wicklow head. Now there aren’t as many fish due to over-fishing by big trawlers. He often finds fish with plastic in them which is very bad for all of us. Making my boat for Heritage Week made me really think about all of this, and about how much I love the water and how we should protect it.
A fishing related seanfhocail: Cuir an breac san eangach sula gcuire tú sa phota é (Put the trout in the net before you put it in the pot)
What do you think is meant by this?
The sailing flotilla before departure!
A tiny rowing boat, decorated with a waves pattern, and with a rope to tie it up. Suki, age 13
Nature saving boat, Ella age 5. We can travel by boat instead of on a plane to help the environment.
Pond boat from two leaves and a stick. You can hardly see it as it is so well camouflaged! I’m 17 now and this reminded me that I used to spend hours doing this when I was young. I felt a bit sad actually. I should do this more often. It really helped me relax, think, connect with nature and myself – and daydream. I honestly travelled the seven seas* in my imagination. Thanks Museum of Childhood. Senan, age 17
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Seas
We made two very resilient wee boats, and they floated for ages on the canal. The weather was really good, no rain and the square cardboard boxes were strong. It took us only about two minutes to make them and they looked good. We played with them for quite a few days which surprised us. We think we will do this again and make films about what we make, maybe write a story… Carri and Clara, age 13
The sailing boat was so easy to make that I made 12 of them. I used paper, sticky notes and little sticks. I didn’t decorate it as it looked so pretty as it was. Some people I made boats for painted theirs. I can imagine being in this boat by myself in the harbour in Dúnlaoghaire. Making paper crafts also connects me and my sister to my dad’s Japanese heritage and boats to my mum’s Kerry heritage. Mai, age 10
Walking in Nature during Heritage Week 2024, Alex, age 16
Walking in Nature by the Sea during Heritage Week 2024, Alex, age 16
Outdoors – walking in Nature and near Water
Does your boat float? Sink? Are there many waves? Big or small ones? Does the current make them move fast? What direction are they heading? Do you spot anything unusual? Which way is the wind blowing? How do you know?
Look at the history of the canal/river/sea. What body of water is near you?
How used it connect people in the olden days? Which olden days? Can you remember the dates? Does it still connect people now? How?
What do you notice when you look around near, or in the water? Walls, paths, buildings, mud, sand, insects, fish, animals, birds, vegetation?
Look further away. Do you see hills, mountains, forests, fields, stone walls, hedges, trees, flowers, the sky…Can you name the trees, plants, stones?
Notice today’s weather…
What do you smell? Do you like the scent? Does it remind you of anything?
What textures can you feel? How many different textures can you feel?
What sounds do you hear?
Is the water salty, fresh water, rain water, or from the tap?
Nature is everything- flowers, stars, sun, wind, rain. I like being outdoors every day. I kept my boat but I made you a picture of what I saw on my walk. Shannon, age 4.
https://www.treecouncil.ie/native-irish-trees
You might enjoy a project the museum did a few years ago with the Heritage Council on Dundalk Town’s historic Long Walk Trees:
https://museumofchildhood.ie/dundalk-town-centres-historic-long-walk-trees/
Next make an Ephemeral* boat
Look around your outdoor area again. Can you partner with someone and work together to make a picture on the ground of your favourite boat, out of found things in nature like twigs, leaves, mud, seaweed etc? Take a photo of your nature creation but remember to put everything back where you found it when you are done!
*Ephemeral meaning: Lasting only for a short time.
The artist Hannah Bullen-Ryner creates incredible ephemeral land art, especially of animals. See her work here for inspiration:
Hannah Bullen-Ryner.
Our boat is on a stormy sea, Tom, age 8 and Millie age 2, granny Irene, age 75. Shells, leaves, twigs, stalks, a feather and flower seeds.
Our boat is an ancient Roman cargo ship with sails and oars, carrying precious cargo from far away. We made it from scallop shells, small shells, a decorated stone, an ice lolly stick, two bits of brick and a a broken bit of a fuchsia plant for the jewels. We loved hearing all about different boats. We made coracles to float on the water too but the photo was blurry. Noah, age 7, Nora, age 5, dad age 41, mum age 43.
Boat making is serious business!
An island nation – Nature and Water have shaped our history, culture and heritage
Have you visited Ireland‘s Maritime Museum in Dúnlaoghaire? There is so much to see and do there:
https://www.facebook.com/NMMIreland
The meaning of Maritime:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/maritime
Trasna na dTonnta
Báidín Fheilimí
Wild Child Day
Wild Child Day encourages children and everyone to look again at the world around them differently, to open their eyes to the diverse beauty of the landscape in their area and to get out and explore their locality.
Nóininí bána ar imeall na habhainn Rachaidh mé síos agus piocfaidh mé ceann Bheadh siad go hálainn ar bharr mo chinn Agus mise i mo Banríon Ar imeall na habhann
Nóininí bána / Daisies, photo from the Museum of Childhood Ireland’s Killarney event, 2021
Variations on the theme for your DAY
On your walk, and/or to sail your boat, look for all the colours you notice and and see how close of a match you can get with something in your paint box?
Walk around the canal/river bank or seashore. (or garden, local park or nearby trail). Gently move weeds/wildflowers aside, lift up (then replace) seaweed, sticks, rocks, dry leaves, fallen branches. Do you see any insects? (hint: try cool, damp places)
Look for shapes in nature and be amazed at the connections you can make.
Despite the wildness and perfect imperfection of nature, it’s incredible how many things have symmetry. An acorn, a leaf, a blade of grass, a flower, an insect, a shell. Where will you find symmetry next?
On your nature walk, pause frequently. Each time you stop, listen to the different sounds around you and see how many you can identify.
Blow a grass trumpet: Put a piece of long grass between your thumbs and blow. Can you make a trumpet sound?
Find a dandelion and tell the time! One o’clock, two o’clock…
Dandelion, photo from the Museum of Childhood Ireland’s Wild Child Day Event, Tipperary 2022
https://www.wildflowersofireland.net/plant_detail.php?id_flower=86
Listen to “surface sounds”: Listen to the sounds you make as you walk on different surfaces: grass, dirt, mud, water, gravel, forest floor… Which surface was the quietest? The noisiest?
Can you identify the different songs of Irish birds?
Watch Ornithologist, Seán Ronayne’s inspiring documentary for RTE here: