Mad hatters in Mountshannon

THE committee for this year’s Iniscealtra Festival have issued an open invitation to children and families across the county to join them in following Alice down the rabbit hole on June 6 to attend the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the wonderland of Mountshannon.
All those attending the tea party event are being asked to leave their serious sides at home as from 2pm to 6pm all will be turned on its head for the Iniscealtra Festival of Arts family fun day.
The Mountshannon National School Parents Association Committee, supporting the free family fun day organisers, are requesting one and all to don their maddest fancy dress costumes to help raise funds at the event for the school.
“We would like as many children and adults as possible to either bring a silly costume or come dressed up on the day along the theme of Alice in Wonderland. Many of the costumes worn at the St Patrick’s Day parade for Narnia will be suitable, for example knight’s shields, swords, crowns, White Witch costumes (for the White Queen), mouse costumes, everything,” a spokeswoman for the committee said.
Madness and mayhem will be aplenty on the day when the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party takes place but it won’t stop there as there will be a number of other mad-cap activities including queen hat craft, fantasy cake making, life-size chess, life-size croquet, relay games, pony riding and crazy face painting.
Meanwhile, renowned tall-tale teller Eddie Lenihan will enthral with fantastic tales, an Irish dancing Riverdance workshop will also be held and Alice in Wonderland music will be provided by the Swell Berries.
Budding bakers are invited to bake and bring their own crazy cakes, the sillier the better, for the Fantastical Crazy Sculptural Cake competition, which is open to all ages. There will also be a cake auction of the best three cakes.
Volunteers from fourth, fifth and sixth classes are also being sought to be Cheeky Cheshire Cats for the day and to help with donation buckets.
Any parents who would like to help out on the day are most welcome and more information is available by calling Molly O’Mara or Fiona Levie at 086 8980356.