A huge round of applause for this Limerick kids' festival

THE fourth annual Bualadh Bos children’s festival was launched recently at the Belltable Arts Centre.

Fifth and sixth class pupils from Our Lady Queen of Peace National School in Janesboro showcased the first issue of the Bualadh Bos comic book in front of a large crowd at the Belltable gallery space.

Working on the comics with illustrator Fintan Taite since May of this year, the students got to see their work for the first time when the organisers presented the finished product to them.

“The festival is in its fourth year and it happens in the Belltable and Lime Tree Theatre over 11 days,” explained Marketa Dowling, Belltable Programme Manager.

“We have an event called Trash Test Dummies from Australia. It's world class clowning and acrobatics and I saw them in the Edinburgh festival last year and I loved them so I invited them over.

“It is the first time that they have been in Ireland.

“Theatre Lovett are coming with They Called Her Vivaldi. They are an amazing Irish company specialising in children's theatre.

“We also have an Irish premiere from Cahoots NI, who are an Northern Irish theatre company that create work for children called The Assistant's Revenge which has a Halloween theme.

“We created a publication which is the Bualadh Bos comic book which is based on the real lives and real words of children in Limerick,” she added. 

The festival will feature a wide range of events for all age groups throughout the month of October, including Trash Test Dummies, on Friday, October 13, They Called Her Vivaldi on Sunday, October 15 and Fantasmagorical on Saturday, October 21, all at the Belltable Theatre.

See www.limetreetheatre.ie.