Turning To A Life Of Rhyme

Get on your feet and jump around…

his year’s annual Creative Ireland day of free arts for kids has miraculously managed to make headlines around the world.

And it’s all thanks to the bouncing, boisterous young whipper-rappers of Rhyme Island, and their self-anointed banger, The Spark.

A youth initiative in the Knocknaheeny suburb of Cork and headed up by director Alex (aka GMCBeats) and The Kabin Studio, we may have finally found a worthy successor to St Laurence’s 2020 wibby, wobbly wonder Moncaí Damhsa.

Currently playing on a phone near you, The Spark first appeared in a rather more laidback form in 2023, as Rhyme Island helped launch 2023’s Cruinniú na nÓg, but a remix for 2024 has turned viral.

And given that it’s a blast of youthful energy, attitude and mischief, rightly so.

It is indeed, as young Sophie says, a feckin’ banger. And you can get on your feet and jump around by playing it below.

In the meantime, here’s the official word on this year’s big free arts day for kids in Wicklow…

Cruinniú na nÓg, the National Day of Creativity for children and young people, returns to County Wicklow on Saturday, 15th June 2024.

A flagship initiative of Creative Ireland’s Creative Youth Plan, Cruinniú na nÓg aims to enable, celebrate, and encourage the creative potential of children and young people through creative activities.

This year’s programme features a diverse and extensive line-up of events, activities, and workshops designed to inspire and delight. All events and activities for free.

This year’s theme is Performance and Participation! Expect a range of opportunities to see children and young people in performance and also when they can get ‘hands on’ and try creative workshops countywide.

Over 40 events, activities, performances and workshops will take place in twelve locations across the county, including:

⦿ Me and The Moon will host a Walled Garden Mural workshop at The Fruit Room, within the enchanting walled gardens of Killruddery House. Children and young people will explore the garden using their ‘artist’s eye’ and then return to the studio to create a mural using blot printing, painting, drawing, and collage. They will also have the pleasure of enjoying intricate instrumental arrangements by The Hot Dots.

⦿ The Mermaid Arts Centre, in Bray, will facilitate an interactive building game designed by Rotterdam-based studio Collective Paper Aesthetics. Artist Elida Maiques will assist the children in drawing, colouring, folding and connecting paper building blocks to create beautiful structures.

⦿ Arklow Music and Arts will present AMA Criunniú na nÓG in the Arklow Library, an event to promote and introduce different aspects of the Arts for young people, including Song, Music, Dance and Drama.

⦿ Ballywaltrim Library will host two Comic Book workshops themed Far Out in Space and Fantasy Island Adventure. The themes will be presented as stories and the children will develop them into short comic books with the assistance of local artist Nicola Sedgwick.

⦿ Wicklow Library will host Wicklow Gaol Creative Writing and Illustration Workshop, where the children can learn about writing and drawing a book for young readers like themselves.

⦿ The Courthouse Arts Centre will facilitate three art-themed workshops; two will take place in the Resource Centre, Tinahely, and one in The Pavilion in Aughrim. Cressida Knapp will be inviting kids to join her for a cake-themed workshop. There will be cake stories and the children will make giant cardboard cakes to be judged and then jumped out of together! Jumper cake anyone? In Tinahely Lucy Moller will be facilitating two upcycled fashion workshops for children.

⦿ To celebrate Creative Places Baltinglass, Wicklow County Council Arts Office has again created a unique Cruinniú na nÓg programme for Baltinglass on Saturday, 15th June. This will feature workshops and activities by local artists including candle making with Karen Allison; Ancient West Wicklow Storytelling with Mairéad Kelly and Wild Forest School workshops with Siobhán Madden of The Natural School of Art. Performances will also include the Gohery School of Irish Dancing, Slaney House Drum Parade, and a Ukrainian showcase of music, choir, and dance titled Flowers of Ukraine. Activities will take place in the beautiful surrounds of the Tearmann Community Garden.

In sunny Greystones, the big one is happening down at the Greystones Youth Café on Trafalgar Road, with the worldwide premiere of a brand new music video from those Ukrainian kids who have made Greystones their home. Going under the Rhyme Island banner, the 2pm screening on Saturday, June 15th will be just as much a thrill for those up on screen as those watching, given that the block rockin’ brats haven’t seen it yet either.

Commenting on the plans for Cruinniú na nÓg, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Cllr. Aoife Flynn Kennedy said, “I am delighted to see such a broad range of creative activities for children and young people to both perform and participate in for the festival this year. There is something for everyone, and we hope many get to attend and enjoy these free events and activities.”

Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council Emer O’Gorman commented, “I am pleased that the Arts Office, working with the Library Service and local partners and stakeholders, are presenting such a vibrant programme throughout the county. It is a wonderful day packed with activities which many across the county will be able to experience.”

Some events require advance booking and some are drop in activities.

Taking place on Saturday, June 15th, to see the full programme and range of events together with booking information, please click here.