Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival 2016 returns for its 6th consecutive year

Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival 2016 returns to the county for its 6th consecutive year.

Promoting the concept that there are constantly new things to learn, Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival 2016 makes a welcome return to the city and county later this month, with over 200 events and activities to interest, entertain and engage people of all ages.

The Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival 2016 takes place from Saturday 16 to Friday 22 April and was launched Tuesday in the Council Chamber, Merchants Quay, by the Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr Liam Galvin, accompanied by the Chairperson of Learning Limerick, Josephine Cotter-Coughlan and Learning Limerick’s, Yvonne Lane.

Organised by Learning Limerick, representing the main stakeholders involved in

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Pictured L-R, Dr. Maeve Liston, Mary Immaculate College, Mayor of Limerick Cllr. Liam Galvin and Dr. Ann Ledwith, UL.
Picture: Alan Place/Fusionshooters

promoting learning across Limerick City and County, this year’s Festival theme is ‘Learning from Each Other in a Changed Limerick’.

Speaking at the launch, Learning Limerick Chair, Josephine Cotter-Coughlan, said, “This year’s festival really has something for everyone – wherever you live, whatever your age and whatever your particular interests. It’s all about promoting learning and enjoyment through involvement in the wide variety of art, cultural, IT and sports activities that feature in the programme.”

Entry is free to all events once again throughout the festival week including, exhibitions, tours and workshops relating to the 1916 Rising and ‘800 Years of Fashion’, a workshop offered by The Hunt Museum.

A new initiative this year is a series of collaborative events with the business sector to make the festival directly relevant to the workplace.

Another innovative development for Learning Limerick is the involvement with the 13th PASCAL International Learning Cities Conference to be held in Glasgow, June 2016.

Learning Limerick will be showcased at this international event and will deli er a paper entitled ‘From Learning City to Learning Region: Connections, Challenges and Changes’ which will explore the role that various connections have had to play in Limerick’s journey towards becoming a ‘learning city-region’.

Limericks Lifelong Learning Festival 2016 –
Pictured L-R, Mayor of Limerick, Cllr. Liam Galvin and Julie Fasang, wearing a historical outfit which will feature in the Festival as part of 800 Years of Fashion by the Hunt Museum.
Picture, Alan Place/Fusionshooters

Speaking at the launch, Mayor Galvin focused on the benefits of learning: “Lifelong learning and up skilling oneself is a process which lasts throughout our adult lives, and includes all kinds of learning. I have come across many examples of lifelong learning in every community across Limerick. I want to acknowledge everyone who is creating these learning opportunities, whether they are doing so in a voluntary or a professional capacity.”

The Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival 2016 also sees the return of the hugely popular Thomond Park Showcase on Saturday April 16, to officially open festival week. The free event will offer a snapshot of what the festival programme will offer. The showcase will feature a series of interactive events, activities and workshops spanning across all areas of learning including: history, fashion, activities for children and young people, culture, business and personal development, arts and crafts, music and dancing, sports and leisure, health studies, as well as many events exploring more traditional education and training areas.

Also speaking at today’s launch, Learning Limerick’s Yvonne Lane, said, “It’s great to see the growth of the festival once again this year, including the enhanced involvement of the business sector. This participation is very much valued by Learning Limerick. The return of the Thomond Park Showcase Day to open the festival week is also very exciting and links closely with both Limerick’s celebration of the Centenary of the 1916 Rising and the Limerick 2020 Bid for European Capital of Culture.”

Entry is free to all events throughout the festival!

Free copies of the 2016 festival programme are available here 

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Check out Limericks Lifelong Learning Festival 2016 on Twitter here