The fables of Scottish poet Robert Henryson have endured through the centuries, before being translated by Seamus Heaney. In March 2027, they will find new voices in the young singers of Ulster Youth Opera. This production captures what sets Belfast Children’s Festival apart: children discover the arts from the audience, but can also find themselves on the other side of the stage.
Every March, the Young at Art organisation invites local and international companies to perform at several venues across Belfast. The festival is not aimed at a single age group. A child discovering theatre does not expect the same thing as a teenager invited to take part in a performance. Movement, objects and music all play a central role: when a story is told through gesture, French-speaking families can follow it without having to translate every line.
Two announcements already provide a useful starting point for planning a trip. Festival Family Day is scheduled for Saturday 6 March. On the same day, Ulster Youth Opera is announcing the premiere of three short operas inspired by Henryson’s fables, translated by Heaney, at Clonard Monastery, near Falls Road. Young singers are working with professionals to bring these pieces to the stage. The announced free admission applies to the preparatory workshops; access arrangements for the performance itself still need to be checked.
Young at Art has published a brochure for schools. It includes Scéal Lae, a show in Irish accompanied live by the Ulster Orchestra, and Hello Hands and Feet, designed for neurodivergent children aged 5 to 10, where movement and objects invite them to take part at their own pace. For teenagers, A Teen Odyssey offers an interactive experience involving mobile technology. These announcements concern school bookings; they do not mean that the same performances are open to families.
Once the Young at Art programme for the general public is available, start by checking the recommended age, duration and language of the performance. If you are travelling with a child who is sensitive to noise or light, check the information specific to the performance and contact the venue if anything is unclear. For a short stay, build your day around one show and allow extra time to cross the city: not all events take place at the same address.
Essential information to help you plan your visit, including key landmarks, access information, and booking options.
Plusieurs lieux à Belfast, dont le monastère de Clonard pour la création de l’Ulster Youth Opera, Falls road, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Tourist sites in Ireland
