Art fans of all ages are invited to the Crawford Art Gallery this St Patrick’s Weekend. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

The Crawford Art Gallery’s going green this weekend

This St Patrick’s Weekend, why not take a quick break from the all the wonderful madness and pop into the tranquil setting of the Crawford Art Gallery which has a jam-packed programme of events lined up for the long weekend?

Starting things off today, Thursday, in the spirit of the Patrick’s Day Festival, the Crawford will be running Irish language tours of the gallery.

It doesn't matter if you are fluent in Irish, or want to experience the language, the tour is open to everyone, free of charge and there’s no need to book in advance.

On Saturday, a special interactive gallery family trail invites all ages to come and explore the themes of Irish heritage and culture, good luck, and fortune.

Also kicking off on Saturday and running through the weekend is Portrait Peek-a-Bo, a fun and educational idea which invites one and all to step into one of Crawford Art Gallery’s iconic portraits with carnival-style Portrait Peek-a-Boo boards in the gallery.

The boards are based on two artworks from Crawford Art Gallery’s collection, ‘Portrait of Dr Robert Emmet’ (c.1765), and ‘Lilac and Laburnum – Portrait of Mabel Arnott’ (c.1898).

On the big day, Sunday 17 March, starting at 2pm the Crawford will host Great Irish Artists in the Collection, a specialised Patrick’s Day tour which highlights some of the most iconic works by Irish artists in the gallery's collection.

Then, from 2.30-4pm, visitors can enjoy live traditional Irish music performed by a fiddle, flute, and guitar trio as it echoes through the gallery’s many rooms.

On Monday the family trail and Portrait Peek-a-Bo will run all day long, with the Great Irish Artists in the Collection starting at 2pm.

For more information, opening hours, and a full programme of events at the gallery, visit crawfordartgallery.ie.