Moya Sands, County Down native founder of Barcelona-based company Happy Clan, has launched an Irish version of the old-school traditional British card game, Happy Families.
‘Happy Families – Exploring Ireland’ comes from the brains of County Down native and founder of Barcelona-based company Happy Clan and sees an Irish twist on the Happy Families card game.
The aim of the game is to teach families about Ireland’s rich culture, beautiful natural landscapes and magical mythological heritage in a fun and engaging way.
Irish Twist on Happy Families card game – a focus on Irish cities, landmarks, food, and more
‘Happy Families – Exploring Ireland’ is a game based on the idea that children learn and retain information better when they are having fun.
It’s a traditional card game with a cultural twist that sharpens observation, memory skills, and winning ways.
The aim of the game is to collect all the cards in a “family” and as many families as possible. Each card represents one of the seven “families” of Ireland. These are cities, landmarks, food, music, traditions, mythology, and symbols.
Each card provides secret truths and ancient cures for the future. If you want to learn more information about each card, a booklet is provided that delves deeper into aspects explored on the island of Ireland.
Moya Sands – the County Down creator of the ‘Happy Families – Exploring Ireland’
“As a mother of two small kids, I wanted to combine my cultural and educational background with a yearning to teach my family about Ireland in an amusing and entertaining way,” said Moya.
“I believe that this game will not only be fun for families, but also an educational tool that allows them to learn about the heritage of the island of Ireland in a unique and interactive way”.
As well as her passion for Irish culture and education, Moya also has a deep connection with the music of County Down.
Moya is the daughter of legendary folk and peace activist and musician Tommy Sands, and so she spent many years touring and sharing the music of Ireland with the world alongside her father.
Happy Families – Exploring Ireland – how the game came about
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, Moya found herself missing her homeland and wanted to find a way to connect her children to her Irish roots.
When she couldn’t find any appropriate games on the subject, she decided to create her own. Thus, ‘Happy Families – Exploring Ireland’ was born. Reviews for the game so far have been glowing.
One Irish-born mother living in London said, “My children are Irish although growing up in London and this game has been a fantastic way to introduce them to Irish stories, places and customs, and it’s a lot of fun to play too.
“It’s beautifully illustrated and is already a firm favourite in our family. Highly recommend”. You can get your hands on your own game here.
