Posts

Press Release | Creative Fun at Smithfield Square on 27 May with our Free Family Day Fest

Press Release

Creative Family Fun at Smithfield Square

Annual Family Day Festival celebrates family diversity in Ireland today.

Family Day Festival | Saturday 27 May 2017 | www.familyday.ie

(Dublin, Monday 8th May 2017) One Family – Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating – celebrates the wonderful diversity of families in Ireland with its seventh annual Family Day Festival taking place on Saturday 27 May from 1-5pm in Smithfield Square, Dublin 7. From our new location, in the historic hub of Smithfield, we welcome all families to join us for a host of free fun and festivities including workshops, magic, comedy, art, games, storytelling and lots more besides.

Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO, comments: “We want Family Day to be as well recognised and celebrated as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, in this, One Family’s 45th year since we were founded as Cherish in 1972. We want children to look forward to Family Day as a time when they feel beloved, understood and respected. Family Day is for all children – whether living in a one-parent family; married family; with unmarried parents; with same-sex parents; a foster family; extended family or friends; or any of the myriad family forms in society – so they can know that their family is valued and included.”

This year One Family has teamed up with world-famous animation studio, Brown Bag Films, best known for Doc McStuffins and the Oscar nominated Give Up Yer Aul Sins, for a series of workshops at their headquarters in Smithfield Square. Elsewhere, up-top on the vintage bus, there will be film screenings, puppet shows and music workshops. After a jam-packed day of fun, the 50-member Dublin Ukulele Collective will play us out with their rhythmic take on classic hits with audience participation encouraged.

Karen further comments: “We created Family Day nearly a decade ago to help raise awareness of how family diversity is a positive thing for society. We still have a lot of work to do as our Constitution does not yet acknowledge this reality, and many of the families we work with are struggling more than ever.  But Family Day is one day we can all get together, celebrate all family forms and simply have fun.”

Following on from last’s years Biggest Family Tree, in which over 500 children decorated our specially crafted wooden tree, this year we once again invite children to create Ireland’s Biggest Family Tree.  Children can draw a portrait of their own family on our leaf template which can be downloaded from www.familyday.ie.  These leaves will be combined and displayed on our Biggest Family Tree at Family Day on Saturday 27 May.

One Family gratefully acknowledges Dublin City Council for their support of Family Day 2017. Full event information is on www.familyday.ie

 

IRELAND’S BIGGEST FAMILY TREE

Be part of Ireland’s Biggest Family Tree!

Ireland’s Biggest Family Tree will be created on Saturday 27 in Smithfield Square. Children nationwide can be part of it. Families come in all shapes and sizes and everyone should have pride in their family form. All families matter and all families are equal.

 

Download the Biggest Family Tree Leaf here:

http://www.familyday.ie/wp-content/uploads/family_day_leaf_2016.pdf

 

TICKETS

Limited places available for Brown Bag Film workshops. Pre-booking required. Available from Thursday 11 May at www.familyday.ie.

 

LISTINGS

Saturday 27 May | Family Day Festival presented by One Family in celebration of family diversity | Family-friendly fun for all ages: workshops, magic, music, games, comedy, story-telling, arts & crafts, and lots more! | Smithfield Square | 1-5pm | FREE | www.familyday.ie / 01 662 9212

 

/Ends.

 

About One Family

One Family was founded in 1972 as Cherish and is Ireland’s leading organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating, offering support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families. Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, step-parents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services. These services include the lo-call askonefamily national helpline on 1890 66 22 12, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. One Family also promotes Family Day and presents the Family Day Festival every May, an annual celebration of the diversity of families in Ireland today (www.familyday.ie). For further information, visit www.onefamily.ie.

 

Available for Interview

Karen Kiernan, CEO | t: 01 662 9212 or 086 850 9191

 

Further Information and Images

Shirley Chance, Director of Communications | t: 01 662 9212 or 087 414 8511

Jane Farrell, Communications & Marketing Officer | t: 01 662 9096 or 087 623 0166

 

Press Release | Family Day Festival Launches with Leafy Fun in Wolfe Tone Square

Press Release

Pics released today by Photocall Ireland

Family Day Festival Launches with Leafy Fun in Wolfe Tone Square

Annual Festival celebrates family diversity in Ireland today

Family Day Festival | Sunday 15 May 2016 | FREE | www.familyday.ie

(Dublin, Saturday 7 May 2016) One Family – Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating – celebrates the wonderful diversity of families in Ireland with its sixth annual free Family Day Festival taking place on Sunday 15 May from 11am-5pm in Wolfe Tone Square, Dublin 1. Family Day, inspired by UN International Day of the Family, celebrates all families. All family forms are equal and all families should have pride in their family. Fantastic family-friendly fun on Sunday 15 May features side-splitting comedian Joe Rooney (Father Ted, Storyland, Killinaskully), and magician Brian Daly who amazes all ages.

Other event highlights:

  • Ireland’s Biggest Family Tree | Children are invited to draw their family portrait to add to Ireland’s Biggest Family Tree. A beautiful 8 foot high model tree will be decorated in their pictures to create Ireland’s Biggest Ever Family Tree. A leaf template for drawings can be downloaded here: http://www.familyday.ie/be-part-of-irelands-biggest-family-tree/
  • Professor Plunger | Interactive street show, a non-verbal comedy clown show. The Professor is ready to show off his greatest invention; his amazing hair! An inventive and original show featuring dancing, hair, plungers and a bell-playing finale. The Professor is a charming old world rogue with a little cheeky grin and a very large head of hair.  “TALENTED AND HILARIOUS” – The Irish Times
  • Caterpillar | Presented by Happenings and Upon a Tree, the half labyrinth/half Chinese dragon Caterpillar will bend and wind its way across Wolfe Tone Square. Starting life as two parallel lines of rope, the caterpillar will emerge when many coloured cloth layers are pegged by the children along the rope to create a moving, swaying, tunnel-like effect. As the cloth tunnel extends around them, the children will be able to move up and down the Caterpillar, seen from the gap in the cloth above their heads.
  • Other highlights include the Library Learning Bus with an Edwardian experience, the beautiful Little Handprint Banner, the National Print Museum with an antique printing press for children to print their own posters, traditional street games and play, facepainters, balloon modellers, and a toddler’s play area complete with sand pits and more. Parents can relax in the new Vintage Tram Café, and also avail of the opportunity to find out about parenting services and supports from One Family and TUSLA.

Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO, comments: “This year, we are further raising awareness of family diversity with our vibrant banners along Lower Ormond Quay in Dublin to promote the importance of taking pride in one’s family and celebrating it, whatever form it may take. What’s different about Family Day is that it’s inclusive of all families. Many people acknowledge Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and of course these are important, but not all families can celebrate them, whereas Family Day is for all families to celebrate. One Family has been working for equality for all families in Ireland since 1972. We founded Family Day so that all families, whatever form they take, have a day that’s theirs to celebrate. Family Day is for all children – whether living in a one-parent family; married family; with unmarried parents; with same-sex parents; a foster family; extended family or friends; or any of the myriad family forms in society – so they can know that their family is valued and included.”

Karen further comments: “We’ve worked with diverse families for nearly 45 years and our evidence reflects what reputable research also shows: what matters for children’s outcomes is not the form their family takes, but the quality of relationships they have at home. We created Family Day a decade ago to help raise awareness of how family diversity is a positive thing for society. We still have a lot of work to do as our Constitution does not yet acknowledge this reality, and many of the families we work with are struggling more than ever. But Family Day is one day we can all get together, celebrate all family forms and simply have fun!”

One Family gratefully acknowledges the support of Dublin Town and Dublin City Council in presenting Family Day. Full event information is on www.familyday.ie.

TICKETS

This is an un-ticketed, free event.

LISTINGS

Sunday 15 May | Family Day Festival presented by One Family in celebration of family diversity | Free family-friendly fun for all ages: magic, music, games, comedy, story-telling, arts & crafts, and lots more! | Wolfe Tone Square, beside Jervis Centre, Dublin 1 | 11am-5pm | FREE | www.familyday.ie / 01 662 9212

/Ends.

About One Family

One Family was founded in 1972 as Cherish and is Ireland’s leading organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating, offering support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families. Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, step-parents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services. These services include the lo-call askonefamily national helpline on 1890 66 22 12, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. One Family also promotes Family Day and presents the Family Day Festival every May, an annual celebration of the diversity of families in Ireland today (www.familyday.ie). For further information, visit www.onefamily.ie.

Available for Interview

Karen Kiernan, CEO | t: 01 662 9212 or 086 850 9191

 

Further Information and Images

Shirley Chance, Director of Communications | t: 01 662 9212 or 087 414 8511

Jane Farrell, Communications & Marketing Officer | t: 01 662 9096 or 087 623 0166