The Outdoor Classroom at Glebe House and Gallery was a fitting backdrop to launch this year’s Wainfest Children’s Arts and Book Festival. The theme of this year’s festival, which is in its 27th year, is ‘Our planet, Our Home’ and pupils from Scoil Naisiunta Na Sraithe Moire and Gartan National School were immersed in nature as Caothaoirleach Martin Harley lifted the lid on an awesome line up of events and activities.
This year’s festival, organised by Donegal County Council’s Culture Division embarks upon a journey of discovery, creativity and wonder, as storytellers, scientists, authors, musicians and artists deliver a programme of events aimed at inspiring children to become stewards for our planet and explore new ways to contribute to climate action.
Fantastic family events this year include Forest Exploration and Seashore Exploration with NatureNorthwest, Beach Cleaning with Liquid Therapy and a planetarium show - Dynamic Earth: Exploring Earth’s Climate Engine at the Inishowen Maritime Museum & Planetarium, as well as a variety of other amazing activities. There’s also an art competition open to all National School Age Children in Donegal, which invites children to explore and learn about native Irish animals and wildlife.
Speaking at the launch, Caothaoirleach Martin Harley endorsedthe theme of this year’s festival ‘Our Planet, Our Home’ as “a testament to [Donegal County] Council’s commitment to the environment and sustainability as outlined in our Climate Adaptation Strategy.”
He went on to praise the work of Donegal County Library Service in providing a free and accessible service for all, highlighting that ‘Libraries offer knowledge, access to the internet, entertainment through the vast array of books and diverse programmes, and countless other resources that would otherwise be difficult to find or afford.’
With over 100 free events taking place across Donegal, from the 7th – 15th October, for schools and families, as well as an online programme, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Wainfest, which partners with a host of organisations across the county, is an all-inclusive festival which caters for the diverse interests and backgrounds of young minds across Donegal. There are ASD only events, an abundance of Irish Language events as well as Ukrainian language events taking place as part of this year’s festival.
The school’s programme, as expected, is packed full of amazing events including a Mad Scientist Show, visits from renowned authors such as Oisin McGann, Gemma Breathnach and Nicola Pierce, local author Isla McGuckin, as well as performances from storytellers, artists and a host of interactive workshops and activities.
To conclude the morning, Executive Librarian, Sinead McLaughlin, acknowledged that ‘as we embark on a week of activities for children across Donegal, the Donegal Library Service is mindful that we are also nearing the one-year anniversary of the 10 lives lost in Creeslough’. She then invited some of the children in attendance to plant a tree in the beautiful surroundings of The Glebe Gallery, as a living tribute to their memories.
Schools received an electronic copy of the brochure after the launch and families can view the full programme of events planned by picking up a brochure in their local library or cultural venue. The programme is also available on our website www.wainfest.ie
---
Bheadh sé deacair áit níos fearr na an seomra ranga taobh amuigh agus an dánlann i dteach Gléibe a fháil chun féile ealaíon agus leabhar Wainfest a sheoladh i mbliana. Seo é an 27ú bliain den fhéile agus is é “Ár bplainéad, ár mbaile” téama na bliana seo. Bhí na páistí ó Scoil Naisiúnta Na Sraithe Móire agus Gartan National School tumtha sa nádúr agus Caothaoirleach na Comhairle Contae Martin Harley ag ardú an clúdach ar raon fairsing de imeachtaí agus gníomhaíochtaí ar dóigh.
Tosaíonn féile na bliana seo, atá eagraithe ag Rannán Cultúir Comhaire Contae Dhún na nGall, ar thuras fionnachtana, cruthaitheachta agus iontais nuair a thagann scéalaithe , ealaíontóirí , údair , ceoltóirí agus eolaithe uilig le chéile chun clár imeachtaí a dhíriú chuig páistí agus chun iad a spreagadh le bheith ina maoir ar ár bplainéad agus chun bealaí úra a aimsiú le chur le gníomh aeráide.
I measc na himeachtaí spéisiúla i mbliana, gheobhaidh tú lá maith don teaghlach uilig ag imeachataí ar nós, Taiscéalaíocht Coillte agus Taiscéalaíocht Cladaigh le NatureNorthwest, tránna a ghlanadh suas le Liquid Therapy nó seó planetarium - Domhan Dinimiciúla: Inneall Aeráide an Domhain a Iniúchadh ag an Músaem Muirí & Pláinéadlann Inis Eoghain. Chomh maith le sin tá comórtas ealaíne foscailte do achan páiste scoile sa chontae. Tugann seo deis daofa foghlaim faoinár n-ainmhithe dúchasacha agus ár bhfiadhúlra Ghaelach.
Ag caint ag an seoladh, thug Caothaoirleach Martin Harley moladh mór don téama na féile seo “ ár bplainéad, ar mbaile” ag déanamh cuir síos ar mar “is fianaise é ar thiomantas na Comhairle do inbhuanaitheacht comhshaoil mar atá leagtha amach inár Straitéis um Oiriúnú Aeráide.”
Lean sé ar aghaidh chun obair na na seirbhíse leabharlainne a mholadh ó thaobh seirbhís saor agus inaimsithe a tharig. D'aibhsigh sé go “gcuireann leabharlanna eolas ar fail, teacht chuig an idirlíon agus siamsaíocht fríd an an raon leathan leabhair agus cláir éagsúla chomh maith le acmhainní iomadúla eile nach mbeadh le fáil nó a bheadh ró-chostasach”.
Le níos mó ná 100 imeachtaí saor in asice eagraithe ar fud ar fud an chontae i rith an tseachtain idir an 7ú – 15 Deireadh Fómhair, fóirsteanach do scoileanna agus teaghlaigh, chomh maith le clár imeachtaí ar line, tá achan duine abálta sult a bhaint as rud inteacht a bheas ar siúl. Déanann Wainfest comhpháirtíochtaí le heagraíochtaí eile ar fud an chontae agus is féile uile-chuimsitheach í a gcuirtear imeachtaí ar fáil chun freastal ar na spéiseanna agus cúlraí éagsúla atá ar bharr meon óige na tíre atá ag fás aníos anseo i nDún na nGall. Ó thaobh an teanga de, tá flúirse de imeachtaí Ghaeilge agus chomh maith tá clár ann le himeachtaí Úcráinis fosta.
Mar a shíltear, tá clár na scoile plódaithe le himeachtaí suntasaí lena n-áirítear, seó le heolaí craiceáilte, cuairteanna ó údair cáiliúla ar nós Oisin McGann, Gemma Breathnach agus Nicola Pierce leis an údar áitúla Isla McGuckin ina measc fosta. Chomh maith le sin beidh léirithe ó scéalaithe, ealaíontóirí agus go leor ceardlann agus gníomhaíochtaí idirghníomhacha.
Chun an maidin a chur i gcrích, d’admhaigh an leabharlannaí feidhmiúcháin, Sinead McLaughlin “cé go bhfuil muid ag toiseacht ar seachtain d’imeachtaí do pháistí ar fud Dhún na nGall, tá Seirbhís Leabharlainne Dhún na nGall ag cuimhneamh go bhfuil an chéad chomóradh den tragóid i gCraoslach inar cailleadh deich mbeatha, ag teacht aníos”. Ansin chuir sí fáilte roimh cuid de na páistí a bhí ann, crann a chur i dtimpeallacht ghálanta Teach agus Gailearaí Gléibe, i gcuimhne orthu siúd a fuair bás.
Tar éis an seoladh, fuair scoileanna cóip leictreonach den bhróisiúr agus beidh teaghlaigh abálta an clár iomlán a fheiceáil trí bhróisiúr a bhailiú ina leabharlann áitiúil nó ina n-ionad cultúrtha agus ar ndóigh tá sé ar fáil ar ár suíomh Gréasáin www.wainfest.ie
