Campa Shamhna 2026 & Campa Imbolc 2027
Cultúrlann Aonach Mhacha is delighted to announce that we will offer a 3-day camps for children going through Irish-medium education from Rang 1 to Rang 7 during the October 2026 mid-term break and the February 2027 mid-term break.
Aonach Mhacha is fully committed to promoting the Irish language in Armagh, with a specific focus on our young people. We aim to support local families in making Irish a core part of their children’s lives throughout their Irish-medium education journey, particularly those from non-Irish-speaking households and whose parents are learning the language for the first time alongside their kids.
Aonach Mhacha recognises a critical gap in local youth services in our area, particularly for children going through the Irish-medium school system in Armagh. Currently, Irish-speaking families face two distinct periods each year with zero Irish language support: the October and February mid-term breaks. During these weeks, parents are left with no choice but to send their children to English-only daycare facilities, interrupting their language immersion.
After listening closely to local parents, teachers, and schools, we are excited to adapt our youth services to better meet our community’s needs. Aonach Mhacha will be moving from a weekly youth club format to hosting specialised Irish-medium camps during the October 2026 and February 2027 mid-term breaks. These will follow the same well-loved structure as our annual summer camp, Campa Mhacha, packed into an action-filled three-day program.
The main aim of Campa Shamhna and Campa Imbolc is to encourage local children to use their Irish language skills outside of the school environment. The children will have the opportunity to speak Irish during the mid-term break and learn about the ancient seasonal festivals of Samhain and Imbolc!
Campa Shamhna 2026
Campa Shamhna will take place from Monday 26th of October 2026 to Wednesday 28th of October 2026 (10:00am – 2:00pm).
Online registration for Campa Shamhna 2026 will open at 9am on Thursday 1st October 2026.
Learn more about Campa Shamhna 2026 here.
Campa Imbolc 2027
Campa Imbolc will take place from Monday 8th February 2027 to Wednesday 10th February 2027 (10am – 2pm).
Online registration for Campa Imbolc 2027 will open in January 2027.
All youth camps in Aonach Mhacha are staffed by a highly dedicated and motivated team of teachers, youth workers, and a community development team with many years of experience in delivering recreational projects for young people. All camp staff are fully qualified and trained to professional standards, and all are vetted in accordance with legislation.
If you have a question, please do not hesitate to contact the Irish Language Development Officer, Eimear Ní Anluain (eimear@aonachmhacha.com), or give us a call on (028 3799 8111).
Bí linn!
