The Galway Shawl Art Workshop for Parents and Toddlers

What to Expect

This is a playful, hands-on print-making workshop for toddlers and their grown-ups, led by visual artist and educator Bryony Hussey at Galway City Museum. It takes the Galway Shawl as its starting point: a style of shawl mainly manufactured in Paisley, Scotland, that became so popular in the west of Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that it took on the city’s name. Its distinctive floral pattern actually descends from the buta (flower) motif found on Kashmir shawls, so the workshop traces that pattern’s journey from India through Scotland and into Ireland through simple printmaking activities that very young children can join in with. The museum is especially keen to welcome families with a personal or cultural connection to the shawl, but the session is open to all and pitched squarely at exploring pattern, art and belonging together as a family rather than teaching history through a talk.

Galway City Museum runs a wider families programme beyond one-off workshops like this. It publishes free downloadable activity sheets in English and Irish for toddlers through to teenagers, including a Tiny Treasure Hunt for younger visitors and colouring sheets developed with a local art student, plus a self-guided Corrib, Myth, Legend and Folklore walking trail that extends a visit out beyond the museum building itself. So a family coming for the shawl workshop could reasonably turn it into a longer museum morning by picking up one of these trails or sheets afterwards, at no extra cost.

Good to Know

• Date: Saturday 22 August 2026, 11:00am to 12:00pm
• A second identical session runs the same day, 1:00pm to 2:00pm
• Suitable for children aged 2 to 5, accompanied by a parent or guardian
• Free for children; adults attend free too
• Places are limited, advance booking recommended
• Book by emailing museum@galwaycity.ie or calling (091) 532460

Getting There

Galway City Museum is in the city centre beside the Spanish Arch, a short walk from Eyre Square and the Latin Quarter. It is well served by local bus routes into the city centre, and the nearest public car parks are at the Fairgreen and Merchants Road, both within a five to ten minute walk.