Grow your creativity with Westmeath Libraries in 2024 with our Sustainability Horizons programme of events. From felt-making to author talks, from gardening to upcycling, there is something for everyone at your local library.
Funded by Creative Ireland & Westmeath County Council
| Date | Venue | Event | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th April at 6.30pm | Mullingar Library | Meet the author: Anne Griffin The Mullingar Library Book Club is excited to host the author of this month’s book, Anne Griffin, for a discussion about her novel “When All Is Said.” | complete |
| 21st May at 6.15pm | Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | Introduction to Crochet Do you want to try crochet to see if you like it? Come along to this introduction to Crochet where you will get to try it out and see if you enjoy it! This crochet session is free but booking is essential. Attendees will need to bring a crochet hook (4mm) and double knitting yarn (wool) in any colour except white or very dark for better stitch visualisation. | complete |
| 23rd May at 5.30pm | Castlepollard Library | Jam Jar flower arranging Join Anna Browne in Castlepollard Library to learn how to turn your old jam jars into a colourful display for your flowers! | complete |
| 28th May | Kilbeggan Library | Memories and Melodies with Jean Farrell Jean Farrell writes a weekly column in The Westmeath Independent. In MEMORIES AND MELODIES Jean reads some of her most popular articles. Her sister sings well-known songs linked to these. | complete |
| 30th May at 6pm | Mullingar Library | Cooking Demonstration with Fiona Egan For her cooking demo, Fiona will focus on cooking for 1 or 2 people & freezer friendly recipes as well as cooking and preparing food with limited mobility. She will also focus on salt and sugar reduction, ideas for anyone trying to watch their fluid intake, and recipes to promote independent and social living without compromising on nutritional values and above all, enjoyment! | complete |
| 17th May & 24th May at 11.30am | Moate Library | Felt Jewellery Making with Maggie Dolan Join us for two workshops and learn how to create felt jewellery of your very own. Spaces are limited so booking is require, please make sure you can attend both workshops. | complete |
| 5th July at 10.30am | Castlepollard Library | Art box workshop with Varvara Vorobei An Arts and Crafts workshop for 7-12 year olds | complete |
| 5th July at 12.30pm | Mullingar Library | Art box workshop with Varvara Vorobei An Arts and Crafts workshop for 7-12 year oldsfocusing on Monochromatic Paper Applique With Art Box - Monochromatic art is one created using only one color or hue. It can use different shades of one color but by definition should contain only one base color. | complete |
| 19th July at 11.30am | Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | Arts & Crafts workshops by Art Box "The Colour Monster" book based art suitable for ages 4-6 | complete |
| 19th July at 2pm | Moate Library | Arts & Crafts workshops by Art Box "Invisible String" book based art suitable for ages 4-6 | complete |
| 30th July at 12 noon | Castlepollard Library | Kind Kids Club Orla from Kind Kids Club will be in Moate Library to introduce you to the world of wellbeing and mindfulness. She’ll show children how to relax their minds and to understand and express their thoughts and feelings through a wide range of fun activities. For ages 7 - 11. | complete |
| 30th July at 2pm | Mullingar Library | Kind Kids Club Orla from Kind Kids Club will be in Moate Library to introduce you to the world of wellbeing and mindfulness. She’ll show children how to relax their minds and to understand and express their thoughts and feelings through a wide range of fun activities. For ages 7 - 11. | complete |
| 9th August at 10.30am | Moate Library | Kind Kids Club Orla from Kind Kids Club will be in Moate Library to introduce you to the world of wellbeing and mindfulness. She’ll show children how to relax their minds and to understand and express their thoughts and feelings through a wide range of fun activities. For ages 7 - 11. | complete |
| 9th August at 1.30pm | Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | Kind Kids Club Orla from Kind Kids Club will be in Moate Library to introduce you to the world of wellbeing and mindfulness. She’ll show children how to relax their minds and to understand and express their thoughts and feelings through a wide range of fun activities. For ages 7 - 11. | complete |
| 21st August at 11am | Online via Zoom | Back to school lunch ideas Join Deirdre from The Cool Food School, multi award winning food educator and children's cook book author for a webinar all about the dreaded back to school lunch boxes! Deirdre will demo some simple recipes, share her many tips and tricks from discussing this topic for many years and give her top hack for dealing with school lunches! | complete |
| 20th September at 6pm | Moate Library | Folk Lure performance Join us in Moate Library to celebrate Culture Night 2024 on Friday 20th September from 6pm-7pm. This year we have local musicians 'Folk Lure' who will perform some traditional Irish tunes Promises to be a great night's entertainment! | complete |
| 24th September at 11am | Castlepollard Library | Food Waste with Anna Browne Participants will learn effective strategies for meal planning, and creative ways to repurpose leftovers, all aimed at minimizing waste. We will taste some delicious results. By fostering a collaborative environment, we hope to inspire and equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to make a tangible difference. Together, we can create a more sustainable future, one meal at a time | complete |
| 24th September at 6.30pm | Mullingar Library | SDG 12 and You! Join Sustainability Educator Eibhlin Fitzpatrick as she explains practical steps we can all take to be more responsible consumers - at home, work and on the go. | Complete |
| 27th September | Moate Library | Introduction to Growing Your Own Food with Kate Egan Have you ever wanted to try your hand at growing your own food but had no clue where to begin? Join Kate Egan from An Ghrian Glas Farm, on this is a workshop for absolute beginners. Come and start at the very beginning and learn about how to sow seeds, learn what compost is, how often to water, where to source your seeds and how to plan a simple vegetable garden for the Irish climate and soils. Today it is an incredible luxury to pick fresh food from your garden and turn it into nutritious and delicious meals. Start your journey today, be careful it can be addictive 😉 | complete |
| 2nd October at 10am | Mullingar Library | My Brat Bhríde Rita O'Loughlin will demonstrate how to make a Brat Bhríde and you will also have the chance to make your own. Please bring one of your own scarfs which you will decorate yourself. There is no skill set required to come along - but please book in advance | complete |
| 2nd October at 2pm | Castlepollard Library | My Brat Bhríde Rita O'Loughlin will demonstrate how to make a Brat Bhríde and you will also have the chance to make your own. Please bring one of your own scarfs which you will decorate yourself. There is no skill set required to come along - but please book in advance | complete |
| 4th October | Moate Library & Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | Storyteller visits with Niall de Burca - Class event | complete |
| 4th October | Mullingar Library | Author visit with Nicola Pierce - Class event | complete |
| 4th October | TBC | Author visit with Dolores Keaveney - Class event | complete |
| 7th October | Castlepollard Library | Illustrator visit with Aidan Courtney - class event | complete |
| starting 8th October at 6pm | Mullingar Library | Creative Writing with Lorraine Murphy This 6 week course is suitable for anyone who has ever felt compelled to write a story. Over six weeks we will explore creative fiction focusing on story structure, character development, pacing, dialogue and setting. This is an interactive course delivered in a relaxed setting with practical exercises in every session. The course will take place on Tuesdays - October 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th, November 5th & 12th | event full |
| 18th October at 11am | Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | Sensory Play Sessions - Parent/Carer & Baby Session Eleanor Glennon is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, specialising in Play Therapy. She will be running free parent/carer and baby/toddler classes where you will have an opportunity to engage in sensory play with your little one. They will be playful, musical and creative sessions to enjoy together with your child. There will be messy play, so please dress accordingly! | event is full |
| 18th October at 12.45pm | Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | Sensory Play Sessions - Parent/Carer & Toddler Session Eleanor Glennon is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, specialising in Play Therapy. She will be running free parent/carer and baby/toddler classes where you will have an opportunity to engage in sensory play with your little one. They will be playful, musical and creative sessions to enjoy together with your child. There will be messy play, so please dress accordingly! | event is full |
| 19th October at 10.30am | Castlepollard Library | Sustainable mornings - Taking a Leaf Join Anna Browne of Big Sky Flowers and Teresa Doyle, Westmeath artist for a creative and sustainable morning. We will discuss carbon footprint, biodiversity, water use, and recycling. Teresa will show some examples, and the you’ll be free to craft a response to the discussion using recycled materials, with lots of support from Teresa and Anna. | Book online |
| 23rd October at 10am | Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | My Brat Bhríde Rita O'Loughlin will demonstrate how to make a Brat Bhríde and you will also have the chance to make your own. Please bring one of your own scarfs which you will decorate yourself. There is no skill set required to come along - but please book in advance | Book Online |
| 23rd October at 2pm | Moate Library | My Brat Bhríde Rita O'Loughlin will demonstrate how to make a Brat Bhríde and you will also have the chance to make your own. Please bring one of your own scarfs which you will decorate yourself. There is no skill set required to come along - but please book in advance | Book Online |
| 2nd November at 10.30am | Castlepollard Library | Sustainable mornings - Let's go bananas Join Anna Browne of Big Sky Flowers and Bertille de Lestrade of Studio Bleu to explore composting, food waste, the dangers of mono-cultures and genetic loss through the lens of the slightly comical banana. Bertille will then guide participants in crafting a response to the discussion using recycled materials. There may even be some Banana bread to taste! All materials will be provided, and finished work will be part of a Sustainability Horizons Show on November 21st in Castlepollard Library. | Book Online |
| 7th November at 11am | Mullingar Library | Sensory Play Sessions - Parent/Carer & Baby Session Eleanor Glennon is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, specialising in Play Therapy. She will be running free parent/carer and baby/toddler classes where you will have an opportunity to engage in sensory play with your little one. They will be playful, musical and creative sessions to enjoy together with your child. There will be messy play, so please dress accordingly! | Book Online |
| 7th November at 12.45pm | Mullingar Library | Sensory Play Sessions - Parent/Carer & Toddler Session Eleanor Glennon is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, specialising in Play Therapy. She will be running free parent/carer and baby/toddler classes where you will have an opportunity to engage in sensory play with your little one. They will be playful, musical and creative sessions to enjoy together with your child. There will be messy play, so please dress accordingly! | Book Online |
| 9th November at 10.30am | Castlepollard Library | Sustainable mornings - Flower Power Join Anna Browne of Big Sky Flowers and Bertille de Lestrade of Studio to explore pollinators, the global flower industry, carbon footprints and growing your own cut flowers through the lens of a locally grown fragrant flower. Bertille will then guide participants in crafting a response to the discussion using recycled materials. There may even be some flower seeds to take home. All materials will be provided, and finished work will be part of a Sustainability Horizons Show on November 21st in Castlepollard Library. | Book Online |
| 21st November at 6om | Mullingar Library | Change Clothes - Making seasonal decorations from scrap materials workshop This is a hands-on workshop that encourages creativity and sustainability by transforming fabric scraps into unique festive decorations. Participants will learn how to repurpose discarded textiles, creating eco-friendly ornaments for seasonal celebrations. The workshop fosters resourcefulness, showing how even the smallest fabric pieces can be upcycled into charming decorations such as bunting, wreaths, or tree ornaments. By focusing on sustainability, this workshop not only promotes environmental consciousness but also highlights the joy of handmade crafts, allowing participants to explore their creativity while reducing textile waste. Perfect for all skill levels! | Event is full |
| 28th November at 6.30pm | Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone | Change Clothes - Adding texture: Applique, beading, studs and buttons This is a creative workshop designed to breathe new life into pre-loved garments. Participants will explore techniques like appliqué, button embellishment, and beading to add depth, texture, and personal flair to their clothing. By using these decorative elements, attendees can transform ordinary garments into unique statement pieces, extending their lifespan and reducing textile waste. This hands-on session encourages self-expression through sustainable fashion, making it ideal for anyone looking to personalise their wardrobe while embracing eco-friendly practices. No prior experience is required, making it accessible and fun for all skill levels. | Book Online |
| December | Family Time at your library events with Art Box details to be confirmed |
Check back as we will be adding more events all the time.
This article was published on: 11th April, 2024
Filed under: Creative Ireland, Library News
Tags: Creative Ireland, library events, Sustainability Horizons