Press Centre

Only Three Days Left To Go!

There is still time to take part in National Heritage Week as hundreds of events are scheduled to take place over the next few days. The advice from the Heritage Council, coordinators of the week, is to contact event organisers in advance to see if booking is required. Many events are filling up quickly, so to avoid disappointment check if there is availability before you attend any events this weekend.

Over 1300 events were registered to take place during National Heritage Week which runs until Sunday 29th August. The majority of events are free to attend. For a full list of events in your area over the next few days, log on www.heritageweek.ie and search by date, location, event type or keyword.

Speaking as the week approaches its final weekend, Michael Starrett, CEO of the Heritage Council said, “National Heritage Week has been a fantastic success this year. We have seen a record number of events taking place during the week and have reports of extremely high attendance levels at events nationwide. We have also experienced a 40% increase in the number of visitors to our website (www.heritagweek.ie) when compared with August last year.  

This year we have seen a growing level interest in our heritage. National Heritage Week is a fantastic opportunity for people to get outdoors and participate in the heritage on their doorsteps. We have two great competitions running this year, both offering prizes to stay in beautiful buildings steeped in heritage. With so many events still to come and the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes my advice is to log on to our website, check out what’s happening in your area and throw yourself into the spirit of the week”.

Just some of the events which people can still get involved in over the next few days are listed below. To avoid disappointment contact event organisers to check if booking is required.

  •  Dublin – Screening Of Banana’s On The Breadboard: Filmmaker Joe Lee’s Documentary About Dublin’s Women Street Traders, Bewley’s Cafe, Grafton St., Dublin 2 (FREE) Thursday 26th July 7-8.15pm
  • Dublin – Traditional Irish Music in the National Botanic Gardens with Mick O’Brien And Family, (FREE). Sunday 29th August 3-4pm Seisiún with renowned Uilleann piper Mick O’Brien and family, pipes, banjo, fiddles, harp and whistle. This seisiún will be held outdoors, weather permitting. Organiser: National Botanic Gardens, Felicity Gaffney, Email: botanicgardens@opw.ie , Telephone: 01 8570909
     
  • Dublin - Back To School: With A Twist! Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Charlemont House, Parnell Square North. (FREE) Saturday 28th August, 3-4pm. Artist Sinead McGeeney asks students of all ages to join her to give your new or old copybooks a revamp for the coming school year. Please bring your copybooks along for decoration. Organiser: Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane Katy Fitzpatrick, Email: katy.fitzpatrick@dublincity.ie, Telephone: 01 2225553
     
  • Dublin – Merrion Square Open Day (FREE) Saturday 28th August 10am –5pm. A day of special events celebrating the rich and diverse heritage of Merrion Square and its surroundings. Places for talks, walks, workshops, and music are limited so booking is recommended. To book and for more information please see www.esb.ie/no29 or call 017026165. Organiser: Electricity Supply Board (Number Twenty Nine Fitzwilliam Street Lower), Kieran Burns,  numbertwentynine@esb.ie, Telephone: 003531 7026165
     
  • Kildare – Guided Tours of Castletown House, Celbridge in Period Costume, (FREE) Saturday 28th August. Enjoy a tour of Ireland’s finest 18th century, Palladian style mansion with guides dressed in period costumes. Tour takes approximately 45 minutes and starts from the West Wing of the house beside the restaurant. Tours will run on the hour from 10.45 until 16.45 with additional children’s tour at 12pm. Free admission for guided tour on Saturday 28th August. Organiser: Castletown House / Office of Public Works, Claire Hickey, Email: castletown@opw.ie Telephone: 01 628-8252
     
  • Meath – Feis Teamhra: A Turn at Tara – Celebration of Tara and Irish Heritage in poetry and song with Seamus Heaney, Paul Muldoon, Colm Toibín, Susan McKeown, Laoise Kelly and others.  Visitor Centre, Hill of Tara, (FREE) Sunday 29th August 3-5pm. Presented in partnership with Poetry Ireland.Organiser: Susan McKeown/Paul Muldoon
     
  • Waterford – Majestic Bilberry Goats 21st – 28th August 11am – 6pm. (€2) Waterford’s Living History (Unique to Waterford), the Majestic Bilberry goat is a feral herd that can be found living on Bilberry Rock overlooking Waterford City. The species cannot be found anywhere else in the World and have been living in Waterford City for 400 years. Come along and get up close and personal with the herd during National Heritage Week and taste our unique Bilberry goat heritagecheese – a taste of Waterford.
     
  • Wexford  – Medieval Week at Ferns Castle, (FREE) 21st – 29th August 10 am – 5pm. Tours of the castle by guides in medieval costume. Art competition for kids of all ages! Heraldic information on well know local medieval family names. Organiser: Ferns Castle OPW, Jacintha Stynes, Email: jerpointabbey@opw.ie ,Telephone: 053 9366411
     
  • Wicklow – Educational Talks on Birds of Prey and flying Displays, Woodlands Falconry at Rathwood, Rathwood Centre, Rath, Tullow (FREE) 21st – 29th August 11am – 5pm. Come and learn about native birds of prey.  Take part in a flying display or bring a hawk to the nearby Forest to fly to your hand. Restaurant, car park, forest walks, train rides, shopping and something for all the family.Organiser: Woodlands Falconry and Birds of Prey Centre, Tommy Byrne, Email: info@woodlandsfalconry.com , Telephone: 0599156285
     
  • Galway – Window on the Past, Clifden, Connemara. (FREE) 21st – 29th August 8am – 11pm. Businesses and private houses will display an aspect of the history of that premises or family. The event will run all week, and is designed to make visitors and locals aware of therich history of Clifden.
     
  • Clare – Find the bats of Dromoland Castle (FREE). Wednesday 25th August 7-9pm. Annual Bat Meeting And Walk, Indoor introduction to Irish Bats for children at the Clare Inn during one of their family weeks followed by a Bat Walk at Dromoland Castle. Parents need to be accompanied by children!
     
  • Limerick – Bruff Harvest Festival (FREE). 27th August 6-11pm & 28th – 29th August 12-11pm. This event is being organised to celebrate the rich heritage of the entertainment and culture that went with the Harvesting in the Bruff Area.  A Medieval street market on Sunday  29th from 12 noon. Organiser: BEAM-Bruff Events & Marketing, Michael Hehir,Email: mjhehir@aol.com , Telephone: 086 0638874
     
  • Cork – With Bare Hands: Play, 27th & 28th August 8-9pm (FREE) The travels of Friars Simon Simeonis and Hugo the Illuminator from Ireland to Jerusalem in 1323. Full info on www.barehandsproject.com. Venue: Granary Theatre, Mardyke, Cork-City
     
  • Cork – Cork Heritage Open Day (FREE), Saturday 28th August 10am- 5pm. A unique event celebrating Cork City’s amazing architecture and history. Heritage Buildings through out Cork City. For one day only over 35 buildings not usually open to the public will allow entry to all free of charge. Organiser: Cork City Council,heritage@corkcity.ie, 0214924757
     
  • Donegal – Traditional Music Festival at the Park, (FREE) Glenveagh National Park, Churchill, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. 28th & 29th August 1 – 4.30pm. Traditional Music Festival At the park. Bring along your instruments, sing a song and join in the craic. Organiser: Glenveagh National Park, Sandra Smith, Email: glenveaghbookings@environ.ie, Telephone: +00 353 (0)74 91 37090 ext 3609
     
  • Dongeal – Talk & Tea: An Eighteenth-Century Gentlewoman’s Guide to Marriage, Donegal County Museum, High Rd., Letterkenny, Co Donegal (FREE) Wednesday 25th August 7 – 9 pm. Talk explores the way in which love and marriage were dealt with during the eighteenth century. Tea will be taken beforehand. Talk covers issues including courtship, legal requirements for marriage, the ‘companionate’ marriage, marriage customs, the duties of a wife. Organiser: Donegal County Caroline Carr, Email: museum@donegalcoco.ie , Telephone: 074 9124613
     
  • Mayo – Sean Nós Dancing Workshops With Emma O’Sullivan All Ireland Champion, Ballycroy National Park Visitor Centre, Ballycroy Village, (FREE) Saturday 28th August, 12 – 4pm. Learn some Sean Nós dancing steps with a special performance at the end of the workshop by Emma herself! Organiser: Ballycroy National Park, Mags Flaherty, Email:mags.flaherty@environ.ie , Telephone: 09849888
     
  • Offaly – Bat Roost And Bat Detecting (FREE) Sunday 29th August 8.30 – 11pm.Birr Castle Demesne – meet at Marian Hall Car Park adjacent to Birr Demesne, Birr.Noel Bugler and Colm Malone from National Parks and Wildlife Service will lead this visit to see bats in Birr Castle Demesne. Bat detectors will be used.  Bring a torch and warm clothes. Organiser: Offaly Naturalists’ Field Club / Birr Castle Demesne,Email: bookings@birrcastle.com , Telephone: 057 9120336
     
  • Sligo – Dolly’s Cottage – traditional music, craft demonstrations and a cup of tea by the fire in 200 year old thatched cottage with all original features. (FREE) Sunday 29th August 2-6pm. Dolly’s Cottage is held in trust by the Irish Countrywomens Association (ICA) and Strandhill Guild is proud to host an ICA centenary celebration on this day.Organiser: Strandhill ICA, Karen McCullagh, Email:karenmccullagh@gmail.com , Telephone: 071 9167564
     
  • Roscommon – Antiques Fair, King House, Boyle (FREE) Sunday 29th August 11am – 5pm. A quality Antiques Fair to be held in the spacious Long Gallery of the magnificently restored 18th century King House in Boyle.Organiser: King House, Email: kinghouse@roscommoncoco.ie , Telephone:0719663242
     
  • Longford – Ugly Bug Ball, Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre, Kenagh, Longford (FREE) Sunday 29th August, 10am – 5pm. Corlea Bog has loads of ‘very’ ugly bugs; beetles, spiders, wasps, the guest list is endless at the Ugly Bug Ball so come and meet the ‘Bog Bugs’.