WATCH: Over 130 free events promised for this year’s Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival

OVER 130 free events and activities will take place both online and in-person as part of this year’s Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival.

Returning for a 12th year this month, the festival boasts a comprehensive choice of events for anyone interested in acquiring a new skill, learning a new talent, or just expanding their knowledge.

Taking place from Monday, May 23 to Sunday, May 29, this year’s festival theme is Learn Something New in 2022.

The 2022 festival will feature an array of interesting and diverse topics ranging from art to open forge blacksmithing, IT skills, language taster sessions, entrepreneurship, transition to higher education and much more. 

Across the week, the public can enjoy open days, guided tours, job-seeking skills workshops, diversity and inclusion discussions, family learning activities and exhibitions.

At this year’s festival launch event held in Kilmallock Library this Friday morning, children from first class in Scoil Mocheallóg, Kilmallock attended a workshop hosted by Enterprise and Community Engagement staff at Mary Immaculate College.

This involved an interactive activity for the children based on the book Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw and explored scientific concepts to create simple engineering solutions to design challenges.

Speaking at the launch, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr Daniel Butler said: “I’ve no doubt that the list of events taking place over the course of the festival will be of interest to people in communities the length and breadth of Limerick city and county, and of course further afield. We are particularly delighted to welcome the return of in-person events to the festival this year, following the last two years of the festival being a fully virtual one.

“I’m confident that the engagement from our local communities and from members of the wider public, both from Limerick and beyond, will be as high as previous years. This is a mark of the commitment to promoting lifelong learning in all its forms and the interest in lifelong learning across all groups in our society.” 

We’re here in #Kilmallock Library for the launch of Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival 2022. The festival which takes place from May 23 to 29 celebrates #lifelonglearning and can have a real impact on both professional and personal development. pic.twitter.com/eVT5kMte32

— Áine Fitzgerald (@AineFitzgeraldA) May 6, 2022

This year’s flagship event is a celebration of the Irish Network of UNESCO Learning Cities and will take place at University of Limerick City Centre Campus, Sarsfield Street, on Thursday, May 26. Featuring guest speakers from the Irish Network of Learning Cities, cultural performances, and a tour of the Fab Lab, this promises to be an excellent opportunity for Learning Limerick to network with colleagues and visiting speakers, and to showcase Limerick’s commitment towards Lifelong Learning.

Eimear Brophy, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and Chair of the Learning Limerick Steering Group said: “The festival also celebrates Limerick as a UNESCO Learning City-Region. The Learning Limerick Steering Group is a proud member and award winner of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC). Learning Limerick is also an active member of the Irish Network of Learning Cities (INLC). We enjoy a close collaboration with the Irish Network and support each other’s festivals and key learning events. We look forward to welcoming our Learning City partners to Limerick.”

Speaking at the festival launch, Caoimhe Reidy, Librarian at Kilmallock Library said it was “wonderful” to have people of all ages back enjoying the library facilities. 

“The children have had a fantastic time,” she noted, “they are really enthralled and engaged. They are regulars here at the library.  It’s great to support this festival and community engagement.”

Carmel Elliott, library staff officer added: “Life is one big lesson, all the way through. Reading and learning keeps the brain going - it keeps the brain engaged and is good for mental health.”

A complete list of this year’s festival events is now available on Limerick.ie/lovelearning