Celebrate World Book Day with Monaghan County Libraries!
Every day is a book day at Monaghan Libraries but let’s make today extra special by taking 10 minutes to share a story with someone today.
On Saturday, February 29th, libraries around the country including here in Monaghan are taking part in the first ever National Library Open Day.
Our libraries are open most days of course but on Saturday 29th we are issuing a special invitation to everyone in the country to come in and see everything that’s on offer.
If it’s been a while since you’ve been in your local library, you might be surprised at what you can find there!
Libraries are open community spaces with lots going on for everyone of all ages and interests. Come along to your local library on the Open Day to get a taste of the clubs, classes, exhibitions, activities and more on offer at your library.
As well as that, our library staff will be on hand to show you how your library membership allows you to borrow from 12 million items; choose from more box set options than Netflix, get eBooks, audiobooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers free and straight to your device, or try free online learning and language classes.
So, if it’s been a while since you’ve visited your library or even if you’re a regular user, please come and Take a Closer Look at what’s on offer on Saturday 29th February!
Monaghan County Libraries have recently received funding for a state-of-the-art piece of technology which has been specifically designed for those suffering with Dementia. This ‘Magic Table’ will be installed in Carrickmacross Library and a programme of activity based on its use is currently being developed.
The Magic Table is an award-winning innovation from the Netherlands, which is renowned for its cutting-edge approach to dementia care. The technology has been designed to help those at a later stage of their dementia journey to be more active and to create moments of happiness. It consists of a series of interactive games that are projected onto a table. The light games encourage players to reach out towards them and the lights subsequently respond to their hand and arm movements, allowing the users to play with light.
If you have a loved one who you feel would benefit from participating in this programme which will run for 6 weeks beginning Wed 26th Feb @ 10am, please get in touch with Carrickmacross Library by dropping in to speak to library staff or call 042 9661148. Numbers will be limited.
Cavan-Monaghan Science Festival Climate Action Photography Competition 2019
As part of the Cavan-Monaghan Science Festival this year, members of the public were asked to take a photo in their local area of what Climate Action means at a local level. A superb response was received and again a hard task for the judges to pick winners. The photos will be displayed in the Johnston Central Library in Cavan Town during the festival.
Cavan-Monaghan Science Festival wish to thank everyone who entered and congratulate the winners.
3rd place Roisin Walsh Baby Chestnut image
2nd place Ann Mc Kenna Bee in Flower
1st place Fionn O Donoghue Heron Flight
For Cavan-Monaghan Science Festival this year, the theme for the primary and secondary school poster competition was ‘Climate Action’.
There was an over whelming response from schools and the judges had the difficult task of judging such high quality and creative submissions.
The winning entries were Ceola Walsh and Ellie Rose Ward from Inver College in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.
Cavan-Monaghan Science Festival wish to thank all the schools who participated in the competition.
Welcome to the Cavan Monaghan Science Festival 2019 – an award winning regional festival celebrating, exploring and promoting the wonders of science, technology, engineering, arts and maths in our everyday lives. This year the festival will take place from the 9th – 23rd November across the two counties.
The festival is a Monaghan County Council and Cavan County Council initiative in partnership with Cavan Monaghan ETB, and generously funded by Science Foundation Ireland. We work in partnership with several local, regional and national agencies, organisations and companies.
Our Science Festival is organised as part of the national Science Week and this year it will focus on climate action, seeking to help people understand climate change, how science and technology can help us create a positive climate future and the impact we as individuals can have on climate change. While one person may feel unable to make a difference on their own, a collective effort to offset our carbon emissions will have a positive impact – Think Global, Act Local!
With events from astronomy to zoology, this year’s festival wants everyone to come out again to discover more wonders of science in our everyday lives. Science is very important in our lives. We all benefit from scientific knowledge from the food we eat, the air we breathe to how we sleep. Science and technology power our world, improves our health and can even entertain us. Everywhere you look, there is science!
We are delighted to welcome some of the best national and international scientists, researchers, speakers, creators and artists to our counties who will take you on a new road of discovery from the science of cider, to forensics, gluten free baking to the story of the night sky, what is a plant-based diet or want to make a solar night light!
We hope you enjoy our festival of discovery, learning and fun!
We appreciate your feedback and you do so by emailing us at sciencefestival@monaghancoco.ie
Discover! Be inspired!
Science Festival Steering Committee
#BelieveInScience
So Why A Science Festival?
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths are of key importance in our everyday lives. Take for instance Agri-science – this is core to the lives and livelihoods of a significant majority of both counties’ populations. It is also becoming increasingly apparent that the whole range of STEAM skills are key to industrial and entrepreneurial innovation in this border area. Monaghan town for example hosts the Global Headquarters of Combilift, the acknowledged global leader in the long-load handling market which exports its products to 75 countries throughout the world. “Innovation creates jobs, jobs create prosperity, the development of new business opportunities and the sustainability of our local communities”, comments Deirdriú McQuaid, Coordinator of Cavan Monaghan Science Festival.
“To nurture and exploit such opportunities, and to preserve the integrity of the rural environment, we must promote relevant skills” adds Karen McCague. One of the objectives of the Cavan Monaghan Science Festival is to create awareness among the young, and not so young, of the reality and importance of STEAM in our lives in a relaxed, informal way. “Through a series of fun, educational and entertaining events we hope to encourage children to engage in the STEAM subjects from an early age. Participation in the Festival will inform and whet young appetites for learning, enrich their lives and open up significant career and business options for them at a later stage”, comments Deirdriú.
The Programme:
With future STEAM specialists in mind, the Festival programme includes lots of events for young inquisitive hands and minds. We are delighted to welcome some of the best national and international scientists, researchers, speakers, creators, artists to our festival who will take you on a new road of discovery from the science of singing, gluten free baking to the story of sepsis, autism, why babies cry or have you wondered about going into space or how to solve the worse-case zombie epidemic!
We have developed a dedicated school programme of around 160 workshops are on offer to schools to participate in across the two counties and this extensive broad programme has been devised to support the school’s curriculum, the Discover Primary Programme and to support career decision making for secondary school students. All schools have received copies of schools programme brochure.
Outside of the schools, we have an afterschool’s programme in the libraries with activities based on the theme of climate action.
Over the three Saturdays of the Festival, we have workshops and shows for the family or young people to engage in commencing on Saturday 9th with Science Magic Shows, printing workshops, the touring mad professor or how to save the planet in 45 minutes or perhaps you are fascinated by dinosaurs!
We will have two family fun days across the two counties – we start the festival with a family day on Saturday 9th November in the Comprehensive Secondary School in Cootehill County Cavan from 11-4pm and we finish the festival on a big bang at Monaghan Institute on Saturday 23rd 12-5pm which is a spectacular event with hands on activities, demos, shows, workshops and this year we have a few surprises up our sleeves for you all!!
This Festival is a Monaghan County Council and Cavan County Council initiative in partnership with Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board. The programme is generously funded by the Science Foundation of Ireland. We work in partnership with a number of local, regional and national agencies, organisations and companies, of which we are gratefully appreciative of their support.
How to Book:
Bookings are required for all events except the Family Fun Days.
To book a place, contact the telephone number on the event.
Queries in relation to any events in County Monaghan email sciencefestival@monaghancoco.ie and County Cavan email sciencefestival@cavancoco.ie
Don’t miss out on these unique opportunities to mingle, have fun and experience the enjoyment of learning.
Keep Free the 9th – 23rd November 2019…..The full list of Public events are now available on Cavan Monaghan Science Festival Website. Simply click on Monaghan Events or Cavan Events to see what’s happening in each County!
http://www.cavanmonaghansciencefestival.ie
Minister of State Seán Canney presents Right to Read Champion Awards to local authorities
On 17th October 2019 Mr. Seán Canney T.D., the Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, presented Right to Read Champion Awards to local authorities in recognition of their ongoing efforts to support literacy development through the library service.
The Awards, which were hosted by the LGMA at Local Government House in Dublin, were presented to all 30 library authorities in recognition of the support and promotion of literacy skills development through initiatives such as the ‘Summer Stars Reading Programme’ and ‘Spring in to Storytime’.
Speaking at the event, the Minister said:
“I am delighted to be here today to present the Right to Read Champion Awards to local authorities who led on and delivered the Right to Read Programme, it is a great initiative that has committed us, both at a national and local level, to improving literacy standards.”
The delivery of the Right to Read programme at local level is led by the public library services in each local authority and the implementation is overseen by a Right to Read co-ordinator in each library service. These awards are being presented to and is coordinated at national level by the Right to Read Steering Group, chaired by the Department of Rural and Community Development in collaboration with Libraries Development in the LGMA.
Mr. Seán Canney T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, presented Catherine Elliott, County Librarian, Monaghan County Council, with the Right to Read Champion Award at a ceremony in Dublin on 17 October. The awards were presented to local authorities in recognition of their ongoing efforts to support literacy development through the library service.
The Europe Direct Information Centre in Clones Library is hosting a Soapbox Competition on Friday the 18th of October at 6.30pm. There are 2 categories and 18 years and under and a 19 years and over Category.
Entrants are asked to make a 3 minute speech on the topic “Climate Change is Not my Problem” Winners on the night will take home an iPad and will be asked to represent the Region in the National Finals in Dublin in November for the chance to win €1,000 and a trip to Brussels.
Applications should arrive with Clones EDIC before the 14th of October.
Rules and application forms are available below or you can get more information at 047 74712
Soapbox Rules For Applicants 2019 (MS Word)
Soapbox Application General 2019 (PDF)
Culture Night is an annual all-island public event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. This year, it will take place on Friday 20th September.
From 5pm onwards, cultural venues across county Monaghan will stay open for everyone to come enjoy the unique experience of Culture Night, a free night of fun, entertainment and discovery.
Monaghan has a vibrant rich cultural community, and this is a great opportunity to sample the area’s cultural and creative offerings for free throughout the evening. We are delighted to have so many organisations involved this year again and we hope you enjoy exploring the rich cultural landscape of County Monaghan.
All Events are FREE!
List of of Culture Night Events in Monaghan
Download the brochure here
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