The Enchanted Glade
February 21, 2026
@ Rua Red Art Centre, Tallaght
Various time slots throughout the day
Interactive installation
Suitable for children 3+
Free but booking is essential for this experience.
Each session includes access to the Enchanted Glade, the Travelling Man and the storytelling sessions.
Please note:
Children must be under the supervision of an accompanying adult at all times.
All good stories begin…
Once upon a time…. and far, far away, there is an enchanted glade made of dreams.
Rumour says you have to find a “travelling man” with a fabulous map to take you there…
…It’s a time when to go north is to go south and to go west is to go east…
If we can find a “travelling man”, he may help us to find the Enchanted Glade and discover our dreams…
Discover a space where everyday objects and shadows come to life in this immersive installation. The Enchanted Glade, designed by Debora Adachi and Paola Invernizzi, invites families to explore a 3D landscape of found objects and magical shadow puppets, where you can create your own “shadow dreams” alongside the artists. Within this glade, you will encounter The Travelling Man, a unique musical character by Miquel Barceló that brings the songs and rhythms of other lands to the space.
Tucked away in a tented corner is the third element, Let Me Read You a Story. In this intimate session, fathers from the Language Explorers community share their favourite children’s books in their mother tongues. It is a celebration of the home as our first place of storytelling, honouring the languages of our community and the powerful role parents play in opening up new worlds through words.
In the Let Me Read You a Story sessions, each time slot features a story in a different language, allowing us to travel the world through sound:
- 10:30 am: Italian
- 12:20 pm: Spanish
- 2:25 pm: English
Even if you don’t speak the language of the session, everyone is warmly welcome to come and listen. It is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the unique music and rhythms of these different tongues in a relaxed, magical setting.
Booking Information: Each time slot includes access to the Enchanted Glade, the Travelling Man and the storytelling sessions.
Designers: Debora Adachi and Paola Invernizzi, assisted by Transition Year students from Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School
The Travelling Man: Miquel Barceló
With the participation of: Kata Varnyu
Meet the artists
The Traveling Man
A man walks the world with the dust of a thousand roads on his boots and a heart that still loves to play. He carries all he owns in a single suitcase: a few memories, an instrument and a quiet hope for a warm place to rest. You might find him sleeping in the theatre foyer, waiting for the arrival of other travellers to stir him from his dreams. When he awakens, he shares stories of faraway places and songs from distant lands, looking for new words to fill his empty suitcase.
He loves being part of something bigger, and so he asks to join your journey as you walk together into the unknown. Throughout the exploration of the Enchanted Glade, he remains a constant companion, supporting every moment with his presence and his music.
Miquel Barceló
Miquel Barceló is a theatre practitioner and musician with extensive experience in physical theatre, theatre for young audiences, street theatre, arts and disability and community arts. Trained at École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris he works as a freelance artist and collaborates on an ongoing basis with Branar, Macnas and arts organisation for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) That’s Life. Miquel’s main focus is performing, composing music for theatre shows, and researching new pedagogical approaches to theatre. He has worked extensively with youth ensembles and in the area of theatre for children in schools. Current work in development includes an immersive theatre experience exploring the legend of Captain George MacNamara.
The designers
Débora Adachi
Débora Adachi is a Brazilian-Japanese illustrator and children’s author based in Ireland whose work captivates through emotionally resonant storytelling and vibrant visuals. Her multicultural heritage influences her art, which earned her recognition as a Highly Commended Illustration Winner for the FAB Prize 22. She has collaborated with prestigious clients including Harper Collins UK and Quarto Kids. Her illustrations have been showcased at the London Book Fair and exhibited in galleries including Hen’s Teeth Gallery and Garter Lane Arts Centre. As an arts facilitator for children and young people, she partners with organizations such as The Ark, Mother Tongues, Tallaght Community Arts (TCA) and the Irish Architecture Foundation (OHJ). She also serves as an Artist Mentor for DoubleTAKE studios, an initiative enabling people living with disabilities to meet and integrate with other artists, further developing her inclusive approach to creativity.
Paola Invernizzi
Paola Invernizzi is an Italian visual artist based in Dublin. Having completed her studies in Arts and Health at the Brera Academy of Art in Milan, she has gained diverse experience in both health and educational contexts. Through this journey, she has come to recognise the potential of art in promoting well-being. Embracing a phenomenological approach and employing a variety of techniques, Invernizzi facilitates the inner connection between individuals and different art forms. Her primary goal is to extend this connection to the broader community, thereby enhancing the sense of belonging.
Since 2018, she has been working in Ireland, undertaking tailored initiatives that respond to community needs, with a particular focus on arts and health, arts in education, and arts in early childhood.
In 2020, Invernizzi was awarded the Professional Development Award by the Arts Council of Ireland, and in 2021, she received the Agility Award in arts participation. Currently, Invernizzi is actively involved in residencies at primary and secondary schools, while also expanding her knowledge and skills in early childhood education through experiences in school settings and collaborations with Mother Tongues.
In the field of Arts and Health, she has begun a collaboration with Waterford Healing Arts, focusing on the psychiatric department. She is also an artist in residence at Tallaght University Hospital and has recently joined the panel of Helium Arts.
Supporting artist
Kata Varnyu
Kata Varnyu is a Hungarian actress, theatre maker, and drama facilitator based in Dublin. She is the founder of the Hungarian Irish Theatre, an initiative that brings together artists from diverse backgrounds to create culturally rich and entertaining theatre productions for both young and adult audiences. Kata has several years of experience working with children as an art and drama facilitator. She strongly believes in the positive impact of theatre and the arts, and is committed to making them accessible to all children and young people. She is passionate about promoting multilingualism, multiculturalism, equality, and diversity. In 2023, she completed the Language Explorers facilitation training with Mother Tongues and has since facilitated multiple family workshops in Dublin. She also holds a QQI Level 8 Certificate in the Principles of Art Therapy and has completed the Drama Facilitation course with Youth Theatre Ireland.
Get your tickets
All ticket sales are final and refunds will not be issued.
Venue
The Mother Tongues Festival is supported by
