Éirinn the Sheep has her own story and will greet families at the international event in Dublin.Being it is a world meeting of “families,” organizers decided to enlist the help of a talented artist to design a friendly mascot for the Catholic event. The result was Éirinn the Sheep, created by Mårten Jönmark, a two-time Emmy award winning Director, Animator and Storyboard Artist who has worked on TV shows such as Peter Rabbit, Doc McStuffins and The Octonauts. He is currently working on another season of the Disney cartoon Vampirina.
Jönmark works with Brown Bag Films, an animation studio founded in Dublin, Ireland. According to its website, “The studio’s much-loved TV shows are viewed by millions of children worldwide and include Doc McStuffins, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Henry Hugglemonster, Bing, Peg + Cat, Peter Rabbit, Wild Kratts, Olivia, Noddy in Toyland, The Magic School Bus: Rides Again, and Octonauts. Brown Bag Films has earned numerous awards and nominations.”
While the cute sheep is an obvious choice for a friendly mascot, it was also chosen for its symbolism.
The name of the sheep is “Éirinn,” an Irish word for “Ireland.” Furthermore, she is a breed of sheep known as “The Galway,” a native sheep of Ireland.
Sheep are also frequently seen in the Bible, specifically in the Gospels. The Parable of the Lost Sheep was the parable in particular that the organizers had in mind when developing the mascot. It summarized perfectly the love of God and his desire to keep the family of God united.
A brief personal “history” of the mascot was recently revealed on Facebook, highlighting these various symbols from the point of view of Éirinn.
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Éirinn looks forward to meeting all of the families arriving in Dublin in the next few weeks!
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Here’s what you need to know about the World Meeting of Families in Ireland
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