The Free Mid-Term Day Out in Mayo the Whole Family Will Love
If you’re already dreading the mid-term week and the inevitable chorus of “I’m bored” before 9am on day one, Turlough Park in County Mayo might just be the answer. The National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park has announced a brilliant autumn programme packed with free workshops, fascinating talks, woodland trails and museum exhibitions — and the whole thing costs nothing to get through the door.
Whether you’re driving in from Castlebar or making a proper day of it from further afield, there’s genuinely a lot going on here for kids and grown-ups alike. And with mid-term landing at the end of October, the timing couldn’t be better.
Spooky Workshops for Mid-Term
The headline acts for families during the Halloween break are two free craft workshops running across Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 28, 29 and 30 October. Isolde Dingerkus will be running ‘Creepy Critters’ sessions, helping young visitors make their own miniature monsters, while artist Lindsay McConnell will be leading ‘Spooky Origami’ — which, if your kids are anything like mine, will either go brilliantly or end in a very frustrated pile of crumpled paper. Either way, it’s an hour well spent.
Places are free but booking is essential, so don’t leave it too late. The museum does flag that some of their usual Halloween activities have been scaled back this year due to ongoing industrial action, but there’s still plenty to fill a mid-term morning. Kids can pick up a free ‘Find Peadar and His Friends’ worksheet at reception, or follow the outdoor ‘Woodland Explorer’ nature trail through the estate’s gardens. Fresh air, a bit of mild adventure and no screen time — absolutely nobody will be complaining.
A young visitor explores the interactive photo displays at Turlough Park.
The estate itself is enormous — 30 acres in total — and there’s a woodland playground where smaller children can burn off a serious amount of energy before you attempt to get them back in the car. A free heritage map from reception will point you towards some of the site’s quieter gems, including a Richard Turner vinery and the oldest tree on the estate. Worth a wander if you’ve got curious kids in tow.
The Night Sky, Folklore and a Greenway Walk
On Tuesday, 27 October, Clodagh Doyle — Keeper of the National Folklife Collection — will give a talk on the Language and Folklore of the Night Sky, running from 3.45pm to 4.45pm. It’s part of the Mayo Dark Sky Fringe Festival and will explore the stories, traditions and beliefs that Irish folklore has long associated with the night sky. It’s suitable for adults and children aged 12 and over, and admission is free, though places are limited so booking is required. You can get in touch via museum.ie, by emailing [email protected] or by calling (094) 90 31751.
If you want to make a real day of it and the weather is being kind, the Castlebar to Turlough Greenway is a lovely option for an active family outing. The 10km trail follows the Castlebar River from Lough Lannagh all the way to the grounds of Turlough Park — classed as easy to moderate, so manageable for most families with older kids. Full route information is available at greenway.ie.
What’s On in the Galleries
Inside the museum, there are two exhibitions well worth your time. The first features a beautiful 19th-century silver chalice — a replica of the Ardagh Chalice that served as the inspiration for the Sam Maguire Cup. It’s a genuinely interesting piece, and one of those displays that sparks an unexpectedly good conversation about Irish sporting history.
A beautifully crafted 19th century silver chalice from Turlough Park.
The second is Ready, Steady, Go! Soapbox Dreams in 1950s Ireland, a display that brings back to life the regional and national soapbox racing derbies that once drew enormous crowds. The centrepiece is a striking red soapbox car called the ‘Clew Bay’, recently donated to the National Folklife Collection and now on public display for the first time. It’s the kind of exhibit that has dads going “I didn’t know that was a thing” while the kids decide they’d very much like to build one.
The ‘Clew Bay’ soap box car on display at Turlough Park.
After the galleries, the Synge & Byrne Café in the Courtyard is a welcome stop — especially if you need a coffee and five minutes of relative peace before the next round of “what are we doing now?”
Admission to the National Museum at Turlough Park is free, and all are welcome. The exhibition galleries are open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday to Monday from 1pm to 5pm. Given the ongoing industrial action, it’s worth checking museum.ie or the National Museum’s social media channels before you visit, just to confirm opening hours and services on the day.
Autumn colours along the river at Turlough Park.