Mary Immaculate College (MIC) is once again delighted to host a range of events for the 15th Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival, taking place across Limerick City and County from Monday 7 to Sunday 13 April.
MIC—which is a member of the Learning Limerick Steering Group and Festival Organising Committee—will host several events at the College on Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 April dedicated to the ‘Literacies for Life’ theme of the festival.
Curated and organised by staff, MIC extends a warm invitation to members of the public to attend the festival activities at the College which are listed below:
MIC Choir Open Rehearsal, Tuesday 8 April, 1-2.30 pm in G37.
This event is an opportunity for those who have always wished to sing in a choir to participate in one of MIC Community Choir’s lunchtime rehearsals. Come, join us and have some fun! Open to anyone who likes to sing! Refreshments will be provided after the rehearsal.
With Love Limerick, Wednesday 9 April, 10am -12pm in G08
With Love Limerick is an invitation to play with words and to write. In this collaborative workshop, you will be guided through a series of creative writing prompts and exercises to release the writer in you; it is an opportunity to discover new ways of expressing your ideas and experiences in a supportive creative space. No experience in creative writing is necessary. Please bring a pen and paper with you on the day.
Introduction to MIC for Mature Students, Wednesday 9 April, 11am-12:30pm in G10
Join us for an information session on the pathways and supports available to mature students. It will detail resources—academic, financial and other—that are available to mature students and there will also be an opportunity to speak with current mature students attending the College.
Gundermann - Work, Life and Music in the GDR and his Legacy in Ireland, Wednesday 9 April, 1-2pm in G08
An introduction to Andreas Dresen's Gundermann film and to Dave Robb's translation of Gerhard Gundermann's songs. Lunch will be provided courtesy of the Faculty of Arts.
There will then be a screening of the film in the Belltable on 15 April at 2pm followed by a Q&A with renowned German filmmaker Andreas Dresen, and a concert at 8pm with songs by Gundermann in English by Dave Robb and his Belfast band. The event is sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service, the Centre for Irish-German Studies, and MIC's Centre for Transnational Studies.
An Introduction to Life Writing, Wednesday 9 April, 3-4.30pm in G10
Fighting Words Limerick is delighted to present an introduction to memoir writing. Fighting Words Ireland is a creative organisation co-founded by Roddy Doyle which helps people of all ages and backgrounds to discover and harness the power of their own imaginations and creative writing skills. This session will give attendees a background to life writing, as well as some independent writing time to kickstart your memoir. No previous experience of writing is required, and perfect spelling and grammar is not important for this workshop. Everyone has a story to tell, so come share yours with us.
MIC is also partnering with TUS and Engage in Education for a ‘University Supports Information Session for Parents/Guardians’ on Friday 11 April at 10am in the LEDP campus in Roxboro.
Patricia O’Sullivan, Enterprise and Community Engagement Manager at MIC, highlighted the importance of the lifelong learning festival and MIC’s involvement in holding festival events: “MIC has a longstanding commitment to the promotion of lifelong learning right across the region and has been a partner of Learning Limerick and the festival since its inception. The theme of ‘Literacies for Life’ enables MIC staff an opportunity to impart their expertise in addressing some of the literacy challenges faced by the public today. The College is delighted to once again this year to host range of events that will encourage members of the public to try new disciplines and to learn something new and exciting.”
Officially launched Friday 21 March in Newcastle West Library by the Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, the festival will feature over 120 free events and activities throughout the week both online and in-person across a wide variety of interesting and diverse topics that include Art, IT Skills, Language Tasters, Entrepreneurship, Guided Tours, Open Days, Educational Pathways, Dance, Music, Cookery, Wellbeing and much more.
Noting the positive impacts of the festival, Mayor Moran said: “Limerick City and County Council is proud to support all of Learning Limerick’s projects and delighted to be a core sponsor of this festival. At the heart of the festival is the belief that learning should be fun and accessible for everyone. Following our motto – Communities, Connecting, Learning - we invite you to come with us on a journey of exploration, engagement, and pure celebration. I anticipate strong participation from our local communities and the broader public, both from within Limerick and beyond, mirroring the high levels of engagement we have witnessed in previous years. It is a mark of our commitment to promoting learning in all its forms and the interest shown in lifelong learning across all groups across Limerick.”
Limerick’s Lifelong Learning Festival is an annual festival of learning organised by Learning Limerick, a partnership that is collaborating to advance Limerick’s progress as a Learning Region. Membership includes Local Government, Higher Education, Further Education and Training, Local Development, Community Education, Culture and Arts, Youth Work, Social Welfare, Childcare, Mental Health Services and Limerick Chamber Skillnet.
For more information on any of the events being held at MIC for the Lifelong Learning Festival, please contact patricia.osullivan@mic.ul.ie
