Exciting lineup of events at Kilkenny libraries for Bealtaine Festival

A wide-ranging programme of activities and events celebrating creativity is under way, hosted by Kilkenny Library Service, as part of the Bealtaine Festival.

The name ‘Bealtaine’ comes from the ancient Celtic festival of that name celebrating springtime, freshness and renewal.
The National Bealtaine Festival running throughout May celebrates the arts and creativity as we age. The festival is coordinated by ‘Age & Opportunity’, which promotes active and engaged living as people get older.

.@BealtaineFest kicks off today! Our first event at @kilkennylibrary is Card-making Classes in Urlingford Library. Download our full programme here: https://t.co/ZKdFkfEnrf pic.twitter.com/1j72qyfBAJ

— Kilkenny Library (@kilkennylibrary) May 1, 2018

‘Be Our Guest’ is this year’s theme, so libraries are the perfect setting for social engagement and personal development in a welcoming space.

Kilkenny Library Service has developed a programme of over 60 free events to encourage people to come together socially and develop their creative side, and try something new with friends.

This year, the service has incorporated a new strand of outreach activities, to include events in day care centres and nursing homes so that the programme is inclusive of everyone.

Highlights of the programme include ‘Melodies, Music and Memories’, singalongs, lunchtime guitar recitals, 2D needle felting classes, cards and crosswords mornings, colouring for adults, making a will, and ‘Where Old Ghosts Meet — Patrick Kavanagh through poetry, prose and song’.

Kilkenny Age Friendly Seniors Forum also presents a ‘Seisiùn Special’ with Pat Shortis.

“Bealtaine is a truly unique festival,” says county librarian, Josephine Coyne.

“It provides a rich and varied programme of events and workshops specifically designed to reach out to and focus on all of us as we grow older. Its popularity in recent years is a testament to the demand for such an inclusive a festival, as Bealtaine.

“County Kilkenny is a designated ‘Age Friendly County’, which aims to improve the lives of all older people in Kilkenny. Bealtaine is just one of these actions which allow people to develop, learn and support each other in a creative way.”

To find out more information about this year’s Bealtaine Festival, call into any of your local libraries and pick up a brochure.

Further details are available on Kilkenny County Council Library Service’s website, or Facebook and Twitter.