Photo : Eileen Fahey, Kilteevan Tidy Towns,  with the Kilteevan NS senior class and the postcards of their bog butterfly artwork  (Tóchar Stories)

The senior class of Kilteevan NS got the opportunity last June to work with Tóchar Community Stories, and Kilteevan Tidy Towns leader Eileen Fahey on a bog butterfly art project on Cloonlarge Bog. In November Tóchar Stories returned to the schoolchildren to present them with a newly printed postcard series of their artwork – and a box of stamps so they could send their bog butterfly cards out into the world.

Photo: The Kilteevan NS bog butterfly postcard series (Tóchar Stories)

Acting Principal Kilteevan NS, Susan O’Connor said the project had been a wonderful opportunity for the whole school to get to know the local bog and its wildlife better and for the children to create their own unique artwork – centred on the native butterflies of the bog – and mentored by Tóchar Stories artist, Annie Holland.  Many of the children, like Adam, with his Common Blue butterfly, and Zofia, with her Speckled Wood, said they were planning to send their cards to their grandparents living overseas. Ruth, with her Holly Blue, said the project had “really got her into nature” and she wanted to find out more and more.

Photo: Adam with his Common Blue  (Tóchar Stories)

Photo: Zofia and her Speckled Wood (Tóchar Stories)

Photo: Ruth with her Holly Blue (Tóchar Stories)

Tóchar Community Stories is a storytelling engagement project under Tóchar Wetlands Restoration, a three year scheme, focussed on wetlands and bog restoration in the Midlands, co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union under the Just Transition Programme in Ireland. You can contact Tóchar Stories via the website https://www.tocharwetlands.ie/tochar-stories/.

VIDEO: Watch what happened in the Tóchar Stories bog butterfly project in this short video feature we made with Kilteevan NS, Acting Principal Susan O’Connor