An inspirational primary school project I was part of was invited to present in the Red Chapel during the Hinterland Literary Festival in Kells on 28 June 2026.
‘Freddy Farrelly Saves the Bog’, a young hero on a mission to save the local bog. This imaginative story was developed as part of their Navan ESC TAP+ 2025-2026 project with Ms Breeda Kenny, Vera McEvoy and the very talented 5th class boys and girls in St Kilian’s NS, Mullagh.
During their TAP+ Residency each student developed their own book and individual ending to the story. The story starts with Freddy’s awareness of his dads plan to develop a new road right through the bog.
The books incorporate handmade pages which were made by the children from recycled papers, cardboard etc., collected over time. The books also contain a variety of tactile elements for example hand sewing, weaving, drawings and printed examples of flora, fauna and textures which represent the bog. For added inspiration he pupils took a research trip to their local bog in Killyconny, as part of the project.
The books were first launched in St Kilian’s Heritage Centre on 8th May 2026 when the children introduced their parents and local community to the skills of paper making, embroidery, weaving and book binding as well as narrating the story.
The class was invited to present their book, and their creative skills, during the Hinterland Festival, Kells, Co Meath on 28 June 2026.
It has been a fantastic project for all involved especially for the children. Huge thank you to them and to their wonderful teacher Ms Breeda Kenny.
TAP+ is a Teacher Artist Partnership project supported by TAP is a Teacher Artist Partnership project generously supported by Creative Ireland, An Roinn Oideachais agus Óige – Department of Education and Youth, Arts in Education Portal, National Arts in Education.
A special thank you to Navan Education Support Centre, National Parks and Wildlife Service, St. Kilian’s Heritage Centre and to the wonderful children who gave it their all.
