Festival Hub

TICKETED EVENTS

DUNGEON DOODLE

  • Who dares to enter Lismore Castle’s dark and eerie dungeon? Join the Dungeon Doodlers to draw your own glow in the dark monsters, ghouls and ghosts on the walls of the castle’s creepiest place.

    Children must be accompanied by an adult.

6+ years | €10 | Castle Dungeon |
11am, 12:30pm, 2pm & 4pm

SKETCH AND STROLL

  • A magical children’s illustration workshop in the enchanting lower garden of Lismore castle. Young artists will complete a drawing of the castle using their imagination. Our talented illustrators, Olivia Golden and Jennifer Farley, will guide them through drawing fun characters like knights, dragons, and bold princesses, making it a creative adventure they won’t forget!

    Children must be accompanied by an adult

6+ years | €10 | Castle Gardens |
11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm

SELMA DANIEL DANCE:
MOVING WORDS

4-7 years | €10 | 10:30am | Red Hall

6+ years | €10 | 12pm & 1:30pm | Red Hall

 

  • Book - Fin and the Wicked Fairy of Tara

    Sit down, not for long though and enter the world of Fin and the Wicked Fairy of Tara. Perfect your greatest warrior moves, fly like a fairy or hunt in the darkest forest. 'Moving Words' is a story-time with live dance performance event for young audiences that combines the art of contemporary dance with reading of the selected picture book.

    Children must be accompanied by an adult.

STORIES, SONGS & SILLINESS

  • Join musician and super fan of books Pádraig Wallace on a musical adventure with stories, songs and silliness. Compose your very own diddle or dum and hear stories of famous musicians and song birds from the world of picture books.

    Children must be accompanied by an adult.

0-4 years | €5 | 10am | LCA Gallery Café

4-7 years | €5 | 3pm | The Vault Café

Festival Hub

TICKETED EVENTS

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Rhyme & Sign - Clever Little Handies

  • Join Claire Glynn, founder of Clever Little Handies for a storytime experience specially created for babies, toddlers and their grown ups. Using familiar nursery rhymes, songs and simple stories, you’ll learn everyday signs to help communicate with your little ones before they can talk, based on Irish Sign Language (ISL).

    Perfect for curious babies, chatty toddlers and anyone interested in inclusive storytelling.

    Children must be accompanied by an adult

    This event is generously supported by Waterford City and County Library Services

0-5 years | 11:30am | 45 mins | Lismore Library
0-5 years | 2:30pm | 45 mins | LCA Gallery Café
Free | Pre-Registration Required

Glucksman Tent - Magical Masks

  • Create your very own mask in this fun, hands-on art workshop. Participants will be encouraged to take inspiration from the beautiful Lismore Castle and imagine a time when dragons, knights, princesses and princes walked the grounds. Led by our team of art facilitators, this workshop will introduce basic drawing and craft techniques.

6-8 years | 10am, 12pm & 3pm | 50 mins | Castle Courtyard
Free | Pre-Registration Required

Glucksman Tent - Tales from the Castle

  • In this creative workshop, inspired by Lismore Castle and its gardens, we invite children to create unique comic books that share tales of exciting adventures. Participants will learn illustration and book making techniques and will be invited to include collage and pop-up elements to bring their stories to life.

9-12 years | 11am & 2pm | 50 mins | Castle Courtyard
Free | Pre-Registration Required

Guide for Ticketed Events

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Festival Hub

UNTICKETED EVENTS

TALLEST AND SMALLEST THEATRE: MEET THE BFG

  • Meet Roald Dahl’s B.F.G. for two performances of the story brought to life. There will be opportunities to meet, greet and chat and take a snap with a real life Big Friendly Giant in between shows.

    Don’t forget your picnic blanket for events on the lawn!

All Ages | 11am & 2pm | Free | Courtyard Lawn | Family Experience

FANZINI PRESENTS: RISKY BUSINESS

  • The denizens of danger, the masters of disaster, the amazing Fanzini Brothers are back with their new show Risky Business. A stupefying spectacle full of danger, cabbages, big stunts and tiny bicycles.  But there is a problem in the shape of two health and safety inspectors, determined to keep everyone safe at any cost. Will the show go ahead? Will common sense and our heroes the Fanzinis prevail? Packed with physical comedy, escalating nonsense, and audience-fuelled mayhem, Risky Business is a hilarious tug-of-war between reckless showmanship and relentless regulation.

    Show in English agus cúpla focal as Gaeilge

    Don’t forget your picnic blanket for events on the lawn!

     All Ages | 12:30pm & 3:30pm | Free | Courtyard Lawn | Family Experience

Family Experience

KNOCK FOR A STORY: WITH SADHBH DEVLIN & FRIENDS

  • Rumour has it that Feeney, the Towers and Tales Book Monster who lives in the East Tower, has some books he didn’t eat for breakfast leftover. Join multi-award winning author and ‘Picturebook Pro’ Sadhbh Devlin who has picked her favourites for you and has invited some friends to help her read throughout the day. Come along and experience this intimate storytelling experience behind the magical castle door. What knock opens the door and what stories lie inside, waiting for eager ears? Cnag, Cnag!

    Stories can be read in English nó as Gaeilge.

All Ages | All Day | Free | East Wing Tower | Family Experience

MONSTER DOODLE WALL AND MONSTERPIECE GALLERY

  • Walk-In and Create Stations – Write a letter to a monster, Leave your Monster Mark, add to the Monsterdoodle and make a Monsterpiece!

All Ages | All Day | Free | Mary Feeney’s Woodshed

STORY TRAIL – LETTERS TO A MONSTER

  • It’s a dark and stormy night, and Sophie knows that there is a MONSTER hiding under her bed. So, like any sensible child, she decides to send him a letter. As the letters fly back and forth, Sophie begins to wonder if Monster isn’t as scary as she thought. What if he’s the friend she’s been looking for all along? From Irish Children’s Laureate Patricia Forde and award-winning illustrator Sarah Warburton comes an irresistible picture book that turns the idea of the monster- under-the-bed on its head!

    With thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Press

All Ages | All Day - Read at your Leisure | Free | Castle Avenue

TIDAL TALES - SEA SCHOOL

  • Tidal Tales invites children and families to explore the magical world of Ireland’s coastal ecosystems. Through science, storytelling and creativity, participants discover how creatures living between land and sea survive in one of the most extreme habitats on Earth — the intertidal zone. Step inside the Sea School and discover the magical world where land meets sea. In Tidal Tales, children and families are invited to explore the secrets of creatures that live between the tides. Come curious. Leave as a creator of ocean legends.

All Ages | All Day | Free | Stable Yard Studios

SENSORY STORYTIME - CHILDVISION CAMP

  • 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

All Ages | All Day | Free | Castle Courtyard

INSPIRATION STATION - LISMORE CASTLE ARTS TENT

  • Join Lismore Castle Arts on the Gallery Lawn and enter the wonderful world of creativity.

    Let your imagination run wild on an arts and crafts adventure

All Ages | All Day | Free | Gallery Lawn

CURIOUS MINDS STEM STATION - LISMORE HERITAGE CENTRE TENT

  • Join the Lismore Heritage Centre education team on the Gallery Lawn and integrate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) with fun and creative activities.

All Ages | All Day | Free | Gallery Lawn

BOOK CLINIC – CHILDREN’S BOOKS IRELAND

Clinic Leabhar – Leabhar Pháistí Éirinn le tacaíocht ó Fhoras na Gaeilge.

  • Are you a young reader? Looking for a new series to delve into?

    Then pop along to Children’s Books Ireland Book Clinic! Chat to the Book Doctor, consult on your favourite reads and leave with a

    prescription for your next book which you can take to your local

    bookshop or library! Based on an informal chat, the white coat-clad Children’s Books Ireland Book Doctors recommend excellent books for any age of young reader. All families are welcome to the Book Clinic, regardless of ability, need or barriers to reading. Every child leaves the Book Clinic with their own individual Book Prescription and a Children’s Books Ireland’s reading guide.

     

    The Book Clinic operates on a drop-in, first come first served basis. Each Book Doctor consultation will be 10 or 15 minutes in duration. There will be two clinics. One operating in English and one as Gaeilge, áit go mbeidh comhairle ar fáil do pháistí atá ag léamh leabhair Gaeilge.

    Buail isteach go dtí an Doctúir Leabhar chun oideas a fháil do leabhair ionatacha. All levels of Gaeilge welcome! 

All Ages | 12pm - 4pm | Free | West Wing Porch

BOOK SWAP -
WATERFORD CITY
& COUNTY LIBRARY SERVICES

  • Bring a book, pick a book! The library team will be on hand to help, and will be offering free library membership all day.

All Ages | All Day | Free | Stable Yard Studios

POP UP BOOK SHOP - EASON

  • Pick up a book from your favourite festival artist.

    There will also be book signings with all the festival authors and illustrators.

All Ages | All Day | Stable Yard

MARY FEENEY’S CAFÉ

  • Snag a fresh juice or a cuppa and a snack while the kids are doodling in the dungeon, or at the monsterpiece wall!

All Ages | All Day | Mary Feeney’s Yard

FOODIE’S STABLE YARD

  • Take a break and keep your energy levels up with a delicious bite from our vendors.

All Ages | All Day | Stable Yard

  • Meander through LCA's summer exhibition 'Salon' featuring over forty internationally acclaimed, contemporary artists. Enjoy a coffee and a sweet treat, and soak up the lush gardens from the Gallery Lawn, or venture up to the enclosed Vinery.

LCA GALLERY - EXHIBITION & CAFÉ

All Ages | All Day | Free Admission | Lismore Castle Arts

The Quiet Chapter - All Abilities Ireland

  • Take a step away from the page-turning and discover our Sensory Sanctuary. A welcoming, inclusive retreat designed for anyone who needs a moment to reset. Enjoy soft lighting, gentle music and a peaceful atmosphere, along with a range of sensory toys to explore and unwind. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or just want a quiet pause, this space is open to all - relax & recharge.

All Ages | All Day | Free | Mary Feeney’s Room

  • A spot for a calm bit of colouring. Whether it’s a Feeney Book Monster or going outside the lines with your own creation, drop into the Gallery Studio. Ideal for when other family members are at a workshop in the LCA Gallery Café or when the grown-ups need to refuel with a coffee.

Calm Colouring

All Ages | All Day | Free | LCA Gallery Studio