The most intimate event of the festival. Only 6 people at a time enter through the front porch and enjoy readings throughout the day from festival artists and some special guests.

Come and join the Childvision team and learn a new way of experiencing the world.

Take part in fun games where you can ‘crack the code’ using Braille, complete puzzles while in the total darkness of a blindfold and enjoy sensory stories that will ignite your imagination.

Our Hug Wall is inspired by David King’s picturebook, A Hug for You. We invite all festival goers to come and create a hug for someone special and hang it for all to see.

Tales of teddies, moments of magic, comforting cuddles and worlds of wonder are celebrated in an exciting new collection of poems and nursery rhymes for young children.

Pop Up Poetry for Lil’ Peeps is a new multi-platform project presented by Branar for children of all ages up to 6 years. Irish writers and artists Inni-k, Mary Murphy, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin and Liz Weir have created new poems and nursery rhymes in Irish and English for this unique project. Audiences can enjoy this work online through vivid audio recordings and new animations by artist Maeve Clancy.

Originally commissioned by the Galway County Council, Creative Ireland Programme led by the Arts Office in partnership with Galway City Council and Roscommon County Council’s Creative Ireland programmes, in association with Children's Books Ireland and Poetry Ireland.

Creative Team

Director

Marc Mac Lochlainn

Designer

Maeve Clancy

Composer

Miquel Barceló

Videos Editor

Manuela Corbari

Sound Designer

Adrian Ferry

Creative Producer

Joanne Beirne

Image Illustrator

Niamh Sharkey

Poets

Eithne Ní Chatháin, Mary Murphy, Tadgh Mac Dhonnagáin, Liz Weir

Performers

Helen Gregg, Conor Geoghegan, Eithne Ní Chatháin, Zita Monahan- McGowan, Ellen Mac Lochlainn & Sábha Mac Lochlainn

Are you a young reader? Looking for a new series to delve into? Feeling uninspired by your bookshelves at home? Do you need a prescription for a new read? Then pop along to the CBI Book Clinic where the CBI Book Doctors will be ready to offer the best advice for young readers. Children will leave with a CBI Reading Passport, and a prescription for their next read to take to their local bookshop or library. Register for the book clinic online, please book one 15 minute slot per child.

Be surprised and thrilled as you stroll around the Castle Gardens where dramatic readings of some of your favourite books pop-up from behind the garden walls and appear around corners.

This creative workshop invites children to make their own illustrated books that guide readers on an imaginative journey through a world of their own making. Revealing the hidden forests, secret pathways and spooky houses that can lead to magical worlds and amazing adventures. Each book will be unique and the workshop will enable children to learn illustration, storytelling and bookmaking techniques.

Ready, Steady, Hup, it’s time for some super cool circus with Jimmy, Gabbo, and AD. These three circus enthusiasts love to do Circus cause it’s the the bestest thing ever. On a mission from the Circus Gods to share their amazing tricks with the world, whether the world wants it or not, our circus heroes will charm their way into your hearts. You’ll see that there’s no such thing as failure, only another chance to try it again. And before you know it you’ll be trying it too.

Super Star Circus is a circus show of 20 minutes for young people, performed by 3 of our Youth Circus Tutors, followed by a “Circus Disco” for 40 minutes.