Ceredigion’s ancient connections with Ireland, dating back to the Mesolithic period, are being explored in detail in a series of free public workshops organised by Ceredigion Museum.

The jam-packed programme of performances and workshops forms part of Portalis, which is a cross-border project led by South East Technological University (SETU) in Ireland. 

It will look at how those first settlers adapted to their surroundings to survive and will examine whether there are any parallels with how we can adapt to climate change in the 21st century..

It was between 11,000 and 6,000 years ago, after the last ice age, that the coastline of Cardigan Bay became what we know today as the ice melted and the sea levels rose.

Sand and pebble beaches became rocky shorelines, salt water gradually encroached into low-lying land and river estuaries, habitats changed, plant species altered, and the seasonal migratory paths of animals and birds shifted.

Artist Billie Ireland, an Aberystwyth University former student and visual artist with a practice deeply rooted in vulnerability and nature will hold a series of workshops at the Museum.

On May 27 and June 17, between 10:30-12:30pm and 1:30-3:30pm, two family workshops will be held.

Children are to be accompanied by an adult and participants should be prepared to get a bit messy as they will be using charcoal, chalk and ochre to make Mesolithic magic with sticks, stones, feathers and bones.

Pre-school age family workshops for children and their parents/carers will take place on 13 June at 11am-12pm and 1pm-2pm.

Family workshops will be held on 01 June between 10-12pm and 1-3pm with the Mesolithic Orchestra where the sounds of Mesolithic times can be explored and participants will create instruments and perform in a Mesolithic orchestra with sound artist, Tim Beckham.

On 3 June, there will be two opportunities to see a dance inspired by the Portalis project at 3pm and 6pm.

The dance collective Sandpaper & Mash, made up of dancers Friederike Anna Zinn and Alexandra Bierlaire, explore the journey of migration between Wales and Ireland taking experiences from personal stories of travelling round Europe.