The children had a day off school on 3rd June and they were at Ringsend Library at 10am waiting for the ‘Trip to Africa’ workshop. When Ciara McParland arrived in her colourful clothes, a drum under her arm and a wonderful smile, she got a great welcome. Here are some comments from Sinead O’Keefe and George Murray:

On Thursday I went to an African workshop in Ringsend Library. A girl called Ciara brought us on an imagination trip to the Rainforest. We played a game called ‘evil witch doctor’. It was fun, but it was hard too.

We also learned how to play the djembe drum. It looks really easy but it is really hard and nearly everyone could not do it. Ciara was very good at the djembe but I wasn’t.

When we first came Ciara put us into two tribes. One was called the Pygmy tribe and the other one was called the Baka tribe.

My friend Kelly and I were in the Pygmy tribe and my friend Jessica was in the Baka tribe. We all had a great time and I hope Ciara comes again.
By Sinead O’Keefe

I went to the African Workshop with Ciara McParland. We imagined we went to Africa’s rainforest. I got taught to sing African songs and we played the djembe, and the djembe is made with animal skin, rope and wood. They carve the wood with stones.

They hunt down animals with spears, rocks and arrows. They take off the skin and use it as clothes, and they use smoke signals to contact people. The Africans eat animals and plants leaves and bugs.
They get bit by snakes and other animals. You have to be quiet in the forest. You get crushed by hippos and they knock down villages.
By George Murray