Uncover the secrets of interlace, knotwork and spirals used to decorate early medieval Irish manuscripts and objects during this drop-in workshop.

Have you ever wondered how craftspeople created intricate interlace and knotwork designs used to decorate early medieval manuscripts and treasures like the Ardagh Chalice? Using workshops inspired by Timothy O’Neill’s book The Irish Art of Calligraphy, published by the Royal Irish Academy, learn the ‘secret method’ of creating interlace, knotwork and spirals. Afterwards, don’t forget to the visit the ‘Words on the Wave: Ireland and St. Gallen in Early Medieval Europe’ exhibition to see the manuscripts on loan from the Abbey Library of St. Gall, Switzerland.
 
If you would like to find out more about Early Medieval Ireland, check out The Treasury exhibition, Glendalough; Power, Prayer and Pilgrimage exhibition, and the Words on the Wave: Ireland and St. Gallen in Early Medieval Europe exhibition, and, our range of resources for at home or in the classroom in our Museum at Home section.
 
No booking required. Located in the Learning Resource Room, First Floor. Not wheelchair accessible. This workshop is for families. 
 

What is a 'Relaxed Drop-In Workshop'?

• A relaxed afternoon visit to the Learning Resource Room at the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street.

• This room is on the first floor of the Museum and is not wheelchair accessible. It is accessed by the stairs at the back of the Museum and is on the left hand-side when you reach the top of the stairs.

• The drop-in takes place from 2pm-4pm. The Learning Resource Room will be open to families during this time, and they can come and go as they please during the two hours. There is no set time that a family needs or can stay in the room.

• During the drop-in, children with their accompanying adults, can complete the craft activity which will take between 15-30 minutes to complete.

• When you arrive at to the Learning Resource Room, you will be greeted by two Museum Educators.

• They will welcome you to the room and talk to you about the life in early medieval Ireland, and the creation of manuscripts during this time. You can ask them questions about the early medieval Ireland, archaeology and the Museum.

• They will show you how to do the craft, which is an A4 sheet with instructions on how to create interlace and spirals, just like the decoration seen on early medieval manuscripts. There is space for you to create and colour in the designs on the sheet. If you like, you can ask for blank pages to practise on. There will also be colouring sheets available for you to use and colour in. ​

• Any art or craft work that you create, you can bring home. 

• There will also be examples of pages of early medieval manuscripts to show you how manuscripts were decorated in the past. The pages that will be shown are pages from the manuscripts that have come on loan to the Museum from the Abbey Library of St. Gall in Switzerland. 

• If you arrive the Learning Resource Room and the room is full of people doing the craft, you may be asked to have a look around the Museum and come back in 10-20 minutes when a family have completed their craft activity and have left.

• Throughout the duration of the drop-in workshop, all children must be supervised by an accompanying adult.

• Please click here to see a floor plan of the Museum, which shows the ground floor and the first floor where the Learning Resource Room is located.

• The Drop-In Workshop is based on the Words on the Wave: Ireland and St. Gallen in Early Medieval Europe, which is located on the first floor. 

• Only the ground floor of the Museum is wheelchair accessible.

• Toilets are available at the back of the Museum on the ground floor and includes an accessibility toilet. 

• Please bring along any PPE that you want e.g. ear defenders. the Museum galleries can get very noisy.

• There is also a shop onsite.

• Scroll down to the very end of this page to see a picture of what the outside of the Museum looks like.

What is a Drop-In Workshop?
Drop-In Workshops take place in the Learning Resource Room (first floor) or the Kildare Room, (ground floor) at the Nation Museum of Ireland. These workshops are designed with families and children in mind. Each drop-in session takes place over two hours and features an activity that will take about 15-30 minutes to complete. There is no booking required, and you can take part in the activity at any time, and for however long you wish. The activities that take place includes seeing and handling replica objects, colouring, or, a ‘make and take’ craft activity. Every activity is inspired by artefacts and exhibitions in the Museum.

For full details of our list of Drop-In Workshops and events, please see our Event Calendar. Please do make note of where the drop-in is taking place before you arrive as the Learning Resource Room is not wheelchair accessible.