Unleash Your Creative Spark at Kilkenny Cruinniú na nÓg 2025!

14/05/2025

Get ready to ignite your imagination and celebrate creativity! Creative Kilkenny is thrilled to announce Cruinniú na nÓg 2025, a spectacular showcase of youthful innovation and creative flair. Mark your calendars as events kick off on the 18th of May at the Happy Pottery Studio, building up to a festival of free events across the county on Saturday, 7th June 2025.

We invite the vibrant young minds of our community to partake in an extraordinary array of 52 free creative activities. Unleash your potential and explore the wonders sprinkled throughout the picturesque landscapes of County Kilkenny. Don’t miss this chance to be part of a memorable journey of discovery and fun!

Cruinniú na nÓg is a celebration of youthful creativity, offering a platform for children and young people to engage in the arts within their own communities. Overseen by the Creative Ireland Kilkenny Culture and Creativity Team, this initiative is supported by a network of local youth organisations, creative professionals, local libraries, and community groups.

A vibrant program of events awaits children and young people across the county. This year, Cruinniú na nÓg will burst onto the scene, bringing together young dancers, coders, DJs, animators, musicians, circus performers, drama enthusiasts, and artists.

What’s in Store?

The diverse program includes a wide variety of events in each local library running from the 3rd of June for ages 0-18 years. Highlights include:

• Cameraless Filmmaking and Exhibition at the Butler Gallery

• Little Einsteins Dancing Bubblcious Fun at Glenmore Parish Hall

• Creative Printing, Dance and Movement Workshops through Irish

• Game Development

• From Scratch Pop-Up Performances from 10am – 6:30pm at Castlecomer Discovery Park, Windgap, and Drum Youth Centre in the MacDonagh Centre

Partnering with the Watergate Theatre and Waterford Walls, this year’s Cruinniú na nÓg invites young people between ages 12 to18 years to create vibrant, collaborative murals through Wonder Walls! Participants will work with a professional artist in two workshops and present their mural on Cruinniú na nÓg. Attendance at both workshops is required. If you don’t secure a spot, join the drop-in session on June 7th to get involved! Bookings through the Watergate Theatre.

To discover the full array of events, download the complete program below, visit the Cruinniú na nÓg website, or collect a copy from your nearest library. Each event has contact and booking information on the Cruinniú na nÓg website.

Older teens will not be left out.  Kilkenny has been designated a night time economy pilot area, to support a comprehensive line-up of events for those who want to participate in the evening and night time.

Events for Ages 13-18

These night time events include:

• Vinyl Disc Design Painting Party with DJ
• Animation Workshops with Artists from Cartoon Saloon
• Epic Digital Music Workshop
• Creative Dance through Irish
• Butts Mini Festival at the Fr. McGrath Centre
• From Scratch Pop-Up Performances
• Scent and Sensibility at My Skin
• The Bunting Fairy at Kilkenny Design Centre

To find a listing for Cruinniú na nÓg events near you, please check out the Cruinniú na nÓg website.

Cruinniú na nÓg

Director of Services, Fiona Deegan commented, “Kilkenny County Council are delighted to support Cruinniú na nÓg and look forward to an amazing line up of events for young children across the County  and this year we also look forward to a range of night time events for older teens through Night Time Economy funding”

 The Kilkenny’s Creative Communities Engagement Officer, Majella Keating, Coordinator of the events said that “This year, we are thrilled to announce an additional 16 exciting events. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed to making this programme a continued success and accessible to so many people across Kilkenny. I have had the pleasure of working collaboratively with various groups to develop this programme. These events would not be possible without the voluntary efforts and dedication of all involved.”

Further information of events is available on Cruinniú na nÓg (creativeireland.gov.ie) alternatively you can download the Kilkenny app: Kilkenny Events – The Kilkenny App.

Cruinniú na nÓg Kilkenny is proudly organised by Kilkenny County Council Creativity Team as a part of the Creative Ireland Programme.