Discover Mother Tongues Festival 2025!
Plan Your Multilingual Creative Adventure
It always feels like a looooong wait from one year to another, but we are delighted to announce that WE ARE BACK! The excitement has been building up in-house during the last few weeks as we were putting the final touches to our programme and now we are thrilled to announce that the Mother Tongues Festival 2025 programme is now live! Have a browse and plan your mid-term break with your family! Mark your diaries: The Mother Tongues Festival takes place on the 21st & 22nd of February at Rua Red and the Civic.
As we like to keep it cosy, please note some events have limited availability (15 – 20 people max) – keep an eye out for the workshops as they are likely to sell out very quickly. Some events are free, others have a small fee. You’ll find all the information on our website
About the Festival
As Ireland’s largest celebration of linguistic and cultural diversity, the Mother Tongues Festival will feature exciting and immersive performances, workshops, talks and exhibitions in over ten different languages.
The Festival marks UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day, celebrated on February 21st. This day emphasizes the importance of linguistic diversity and multilingual education in fostering intergenerational learning and cultural preservation. Attendees can look forward to a vibrant programme that celebrates the richness of Ireland’s multilingual communities.
Especially, this year’s festival is shining a spotlight on the voices of second-generation children and young people growing up in Ireland, exploring the connections between language, identity and culture.
Watch out for Mother Tongues Festival’s commission work by Aarif Amod, I Live Here, a thought-provoking photographic exhibition exploring the profound themes of belonging and community. Featuring ten striking portraits of children and young people (8-15 years old), Aarif showcases Ireland’s rich heritage today with a selection of second-generation individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds who live and thrive here.
Opening this year’s edition on Friday 21st, we are delighted to host a panel discussion titled ‘A Sense of Belonging – The Journey of 20 Years’, on how migrant communities self-organise to ensure that their children and young people growing up as Irish citizens are also connected with their cultural heritage and language. Yemi Ojo, founder and Chair of Integration of African Children in Ireland (IACI) and current Chair of South Dublin Migrant Integration Forum (SDMIF), with community guests, will guide the conversation offering a rich narrative of fostering belonging and community in West Tallaght over the past 20 years. The event will include a screening of Omozé, Pius Ojo’s short film which explores ‘belonging’ in second-generation young African Irish citizens and was featured in the 35th Galway Film Fleadh. The event is free, but booking is required.
On Saturday, Sat 22nd, our very own Artists in Residency Theatre Arts Admin Collective, all the way from Cape Town, South Africa, present ‘Red Boots’ a show created by the unique collaboration between deaf and hearing dancers Andile Vellem and Jori Snell. ‘Red Boots’ offers a whimsical, non-linear blend of words, physical imagery, signs and sound that playfully introduces young children to the enchanting world of adventure, friendship, loss, and what it means to share.
The festival finale is in good hands with an energetic performance from The Barceló Brothers: a unique five-piece band led by two young Galway brothers, Séamus and Micheál Barceló, performing a fun music gig for all the family. Get your groovy moves ready!
Festival highlights
Using Lámh signs, Gaeilge, and English, ‘Lámh, Lámh Eile’ is a fun and engaging workshop for children with additional needs and their families/carers. Led by writer and theatre-maker Alison Ní Mháirtín, participants will explore the story of St Brigid through verbal and non-verbal language, mime, visuals, and sound – and develop a group story of their own together. No prior knowledge of Lámh signs, Gaeilge, or English is required.
Find out more and book.
‘A Journey into Yoruba Traditions’ is an engaging workshop facilitated by Kunle Animashaun that brings the Yoruba culture to life. Learn how to pronounce some Yoruba words, hear a brief history of the Yoruba people and uncover why the Yoruba language and traditions have spread to different parts of the world. Explore maps to see where Yoruba is spoken across Nigeria, West Africa, and the Americas, sing Yoruba songs, see traditional Yoruba attires (Buba, Sokoto, Iro and Agbada) or watch videos showcasing traditional Yoruba settings, ceremonies, and wedding celebrations. Find out more and book.
‘Letters from the King, Discovering Hanguel’ is a workshop that explores King Sejong’s story through drama, tailored for children aged 6-8 and their parents. Dive into the fascinating tale of the creation of Hangeul, Korea’s unique alphabet, brought to life through drama, storytelling, and cultural exploration. An engaging experience that connects languages and cultures using traditional Korean artefacts and interactive, participatory drama. Find out more and book.
Subhashini Goda blends the Indian classical dance of Bharatanatyam and the art of drawing ritual patterns called Kolam. Kolams are drawn by South Indian women outside their houses every morning and every evening, signifying the transitions between night and day. Interconnecting these design patterns and dance, this improvised piece, accompanied by non-traditional music by Dr Anika Babel, spoken words, and audience engagement, explores the formation of communities of belonging with shared activities. Find out more and book.
Other events include ‘Home Sweet Home, Language Sweet Language’ an English and Japanese workshop where participants craft their family’s story in an origami house, ‘Pintaderas Workshop’ a Spanish and English workshop exploring the ancient art of ‘Pintaderas’ clay stamps, ‘Zaczarowany Las’ a theatrical piece blending the mystique of Slavic folklore with the whimsy of Irish folktales and a Fighting Words workshop with Ola Majekodunmi and Nora Nic Con Ultaigh and live drawing by Tarsila Kruse.
What are you waiting for? Browse the programme and plan your mid-term break! Tickets are limited, so do not risk missing out on this year’s Festival!
How to get there
Rua Red Arts Centre and The Civic are located in Belgard Square, Tallaght, Dublin 24, only seconds from the Luas stop. Both venues are also located within walking distance so you can enjoy as many events as you like!
Buses 49, 49A, 54A, 65, 65B, 27, 77A, 75, 76, 76A
Red Luas, stop at Tallaght/Tamhlaght
We want to thank Fernanda Ferrari, the creator of this year’s Festival poster image.
Mother Tongues Festival is supported and funded by the Arts Council, South Dublin County Council, Languages Connect, Rua Red, the Civic Theatre and RTÉ Supporting the Arts.
