October-November 2023

The National Museum of Country Life is hosting some events for Halloween.

Scary Artefacts Museum Hunt

This event will take place across three exhibition galleries in the Museum from Saturday, 28th October, to Sunday, 5th November 2023.

Participants will have to discover scary objects following the sheet picked at the Museum Reception. They will learn about the origins, customs and traditions associated with Halloween and discover how many traditions are still alive in the modern Halloween celebrations.

Tracking Stingy Jack

This Halloween adventure will take place from Saturday, 28th October, to Sunday, 5th November 2023, through the grounds of Turlough Park.

Reading the map picked at the Museum Reception, participants will follow the spooky scarecrow trail inspired by a famous character Stingy Jack who is still wandering the night for all time with only a lantern made out of a carved turnip to light his way.

Tracking down Jack promises to be a scary experience!

The Spooky Shadow Puppets

This workshop will take place on Monday, 30th October and Tuesday 31st October.

Artist Carmel Balfe will help participants to create a shadow puppets story packed with eerie characters such as pucas, skeletons, and scary cats.

Two workshop sessions are available at the following times:

• Session 1: 1 pm - 2.30 pm
• Session 2: 3 pm - 4.30 pm

Creepy Halloween Masks

The Creepy Halloween Masks workshop will take place on Saturday, 28th October and Sunday 29th October 2023.

Artist Cas McCarthy will teach participants to make their own Halloween masks inspired by images of traditional Halloween masks from the Irish Folklife Collection of the National Museum of Ireland. There will be lots of unusual materials and plenty of paint to play with.

Workshop sessions are available at the following times:

• Session 1: 11.30 am - 12.15 pm
• Session 2: 12.30 pm - 1.15 pm
• Session 3: 2 pm - 2.45 pm
• Session 4: 3 pm - 3.45 pm