Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) and Age & Opportunity are proud to partner once again this year to celebrate National Arts in Nursing Homes Day, taking place on Friday, 16 May 2025, as part of the 30th anniversary of the Bealtaine Festival.
Now in its fifth year, this special partnership highlights and celebrates the vibrant creativity, artistic expression, and storytelling traditions flourishing within nursing homes and care settings across Ireland. Homes and day centres nationwide are planning events to showcase the wonderful creative work of their residents and members.
Tadhg Daly, CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, said:
“We are extremely proud to partner with Age & Opportunity in supporting National Arts in Nursing Homes Day. This important initiative reminds us of the deep creativity, storytelling and artistic expression that lives within our nursing homes. Across the country, residents and staff are embracing the day with enthusiasm, showcasing the vibrant communities that thrive within them.”
Mr Daly also paid special tribute to Oakfield Nursing Home in Wexford, which has been awarded one of the National Arts in Nursing Homes Day Awards for 2025. Oakfield Nursing Home has collaborated with renowned community artist Rachel Uí Fhaoláin to develop a unique traditional song and folklore project focusing on St. Brigid and the local wells dedicated to Ireland’s patroness saint.
Oakfield Nursing Home has been recognised for its special collaboration with community artist Rachel Uí Fhaoláin on a traditional song and folklore project centred on St. Brigid and the local wells dedicated to Ireland’s patroness saint. Through a series of traditional song and folklore workshops, residents are working with Rachel to develop a new cultural collection of stories, songs, prayers and social history, culminating in a community participatory event on 16 May.
“Oakfield Nursing Home’s collaboration with Rachel Uí Fhaoláin is a wonderful example of the creativity and cultural richness that nursing home residents contribute to wider community life,” said Mr Daly. “Their work preserves vital traditions while giving residents an active, meaningful role in cultural storytelling and knowledge transfer across generations.”
Dr Tara Byrne, Arts Programme Manager at Age & Opportunity, added:
“We are so delighted to congratulate Rachel Uí Fhaoláin and Oakfield Nursing Home on winning one of our National Arts in Nursing Homes Day awards for their special folklore project and event on 16th May. On the 30th anniversary of Bealtaine, and in our fifth year of running this important initiative with our partner Nursing Homes Ireland, we are confident that more residents of nursing homes like Oakfield are engaging in enjoyable arts activities that give both themselves and the staff of those settings a greater sense of purpose and meaning.”
Other nursing homes recognised through the 2025 National Arts in Nursing Homes Day Awards include Beaufort House in Navan, Co. Meath, and Esker Lodge Nursing Home in Cavan.
National Arts in Nursing Homes Day is a vibrant celebration of creativity, bringing together residents, families, friends and staff to share in the power of the arts to foster wellbeing, self-expression, and community connection.
Further resources to support arts and creativity in care settings, including a practical guide, are available at Bealtaine Festival’s website.
For more information on Nursing Homes Ireland, please visit www.nhi.ie.
