2024 Awards

Heritage Hero Award

The 2024 Heritage Hero recipient was James Scully. Originally from Tullamore, Co. Offaly, James Scully is a retired primary school teacher who taught in Banagher at St. Rynagh’s Primary School for 35 years and has been contributing to Offaly’s heritage and local history for over 50 years. He is being honoured with the 2024 Heritage Hero award for his outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of heritage over that time.James was responsible for establishing the Brontë Society in Banagher in 2023, dedicated to raising awareness of the association of Charlotte Brontë and her husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls, with the town of Banagher. He was a key advocate for the Fort Eliza Napoleonic fortification conservation in Banagher and played a key role in the development of its interpretative signage and installation of canons!

Connections, Routes and Networks Award

The Connections, Routes and Networks Award is the award based on the 2024 National Heritage Week theme. It is awarded to an event that made a special effort to incorporate the 2024 theme of National Heritage Week-Connections, Routes and Networks.

Winner: Mountcharles Heritage Group

Event: From Salt to Stone

County: Donegal

For this National Heritage Week event the village of Mountcharles was transformed into a living theatre, bringing to life its rich history through interactive performances, historical talks, and community storytelling. Throughout the day, actors portrayed historical figures like Ethna Carbery and Alice Milligan, highlighting their roles in Irish culture and politics, while children shared stories gathered from their grandparents in an oral history project. The day celebrated the town's built heritage, recalling its stoneworking tradition, past businesses, and social landmarks like Brogan’s dance hall. Displays in shop windows showcased Mountcharles heritage in textiles, and vintage vehicles lined the street, while actors portrayed emigrants leaving Mountcharles for new lives abroad. Organised by the Mountcharles Heritage Group, with contributions from local historians and artisans, the event aimed to reconnect the community with its past, foster new connections to history among younger generations, and celebrate the shared legacy of the town.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Award (The Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh Award)

A new award added for 2024. This award recognises an event that showcased an element of our intangible cultural heritage, whether through crafts, skills, customs, or other traditional practices.

Winner: Maharees Conservation Association

Event: Maharees Currach Making Workshop with the O'Leary Family

County: Kerry

A currach-making demonstration with the O’Leary family who have made currachs (known locally as canoes) in Maharees for five generations. Attendees learned how canoes were made as the O’Leary Family (had purchased, made) and pieced together all of the elements of the currach they had prepared beforehand. They learned the difference between Galway currachs and West Kerry varieties. They learned the difference between racing currachs used in the regattas and fishing currachs. They learned how currachs were steered. They learned how the canoes connected and sustained the communities living in Maharees and around the Tralee Bay area – as they were the only way to and from the inhabited Oileán tSeannaigh and also the islands used for grazing off the coast of Maharees . One of our own members (a professional camera man working with RTE) filmed the event and we intend to make a short documentary-style film about this Maharees family tradition over the coming months.

Water Heritage Award

The Water Heritage Award supported by the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO) is awarded to a Water Heritage Day event, held on 25th August 2024. Events considered include those that explored how a canal, river, lake or sea shaped the heritage of a locality or celebrated water as an integral part of our natural heritage.

Winner: Ballycumber Tidy Towns

Event: Folly Tales and Treasure Trails

County: Offaly

Ballycumber Tidy Towns hosted “Folly Tales and Treasure Trails” on August 25th along the River Brosna, celebrating community connections across Offaly. The event day featured foraging with Siobhan Lavell, biodiversity education, and river sampling with Ruth McKeever from LAWPRO, where children learned about water quality and river ecosystems. Kids also enjoyed a riverbank treasure hunt, followed by refreshments. The event included art workshops for children and young adults, including those with special needs, to create a flag symbolizing unity across Clara, Ballycumber, Pollagh, and Ferbane, where the Brosna flows through each community. The evening “Folly Tales” closed the event with music, storytelling, and poetry. Outcomes included increased awareness of the River Brosna’s natural and cultural heritage, connections across communities, and inspiration for future heritage events.

Wild Child Award

The Wild Child Event Award, sponsored by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth was awarded to an event that happened on Wild Child Day 24th August 2024, that successfully encouraged children and families to get outdoors and explore the natural heritage and biodiversity in their locality.

Winner: Ahare River & Biodiversity Development Group

Event: Take a Walk on the Wild Side

County: Wexford

"Take a Walk on the Wild Side," held on August 24 in Curragh Woods, Co. Wexford, was a family-friendly event connecting the upper river catchment community of Kilanerin around the theme of “routes, networks, and connections.” The day featured interactive activities by the Mill River, where children explored aquatic life with guidance from community water officer Gregory Roche, who emphasized the importance of water quality for ecosystem health. Families then embarked on a forest walk and nature treasure hunt, with a focus on "leave no trace" principles, encouraging photography over flower-picking to foster conservation awareness. An educational litter activity also engaged children, teaching them about environmental impact by matching items to their decomposition times.

Inclusive Heritage Award

The Inclusive Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that made a special effort to share heritage with everyone in the community, including those who are:
new to heritage, those who do not have local roots, those who have additional accessibility needs, those of varying age categories.

Winner: Cork Traveller Women's Network

Event: Travelling Tales - Community led Traveller heritage work

County: Cork City

The Cork Traveller Women’s Network (CTWN) hosted "Travelling Tales - Community Led Traveller Heritage Work" during Heritage Week, highlighting Traveller culture through storytelling and oral histories. Part of the broader "Building a Cork City Traveller Heritage Archive" initiative, the event took place at Toraig on the Tobar, Ireland’s only Traveller-led permanent exhibit at Cork Public Museum. The gathering featured Traveller women from the Keenan family in conversation with James Furey, an oral historian from the Cork Folklore Project, discussing family heritage, nomadism, and the impact of the 2002 Trespass Act, which restricted traditional nomadic lifestyles. By sharing personal stories and recording these narratives, CTWN aims to address the historic misrepresentation of Travellers and preserve their cultural legacy. The event, attended by a full house of 20 participants, concluded with the launch of a CTWN-designed children’s heritage activity pack to engage younger generations in Traveller history.

Irish Language Award

This award is given to an event that promoted the use of the Irish language, encouraging engagement through Irish in activities that celebrate our heritage.

Winner: Monaghan County Council Heritage Office

Event: In Search of Airgíalla/Ar thóir Airghíalla

County: Monaghan

This event was a guided bilingual exploration of the Oriel landscape. The kingdom of Airgíalla encompassed a large area of Monaghan and south Tyrone as well as further east into Louth etc.

Between the 6th and 16th centuries the Kingdom of Airgíalla (anglicized as Oriel) was one of the three major kingdoms of Ulster. The event was guided by two Gaelgeoirs, however it was a builingual event. One of the guides was Brian Mac Domhnaill, a native of Clones, a local historian with a passion for all aspects of our heritage and a former Director of Research with Clogher Historical Society. The other guide was Déaglán Ó Doibhlin, an Irish language officer with Mid Ulster District Council who has a deep interest in the re-imagining of medieval Gaelic landscapes through placenames, mythology and folklore study.

The event was advertised in Irish and English and throughout the day both were spoken freely. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and people were comfortable using either English or Irish.

Sustainability and Climate Award Award

Awarded to an event that incorporated sustainable practices or raised awareness about climate change’s impact on heritage and the importance of sustainability.

Winner: Cuan Beo

Event: Cuan Beo Weekend of Marine Heritage Themed Events

County: Galway

Cuan Beo's annual events at the Cruinniú na mBád festival in Kinvara are a significant highlight, offering a platform to engage communities in environmental, heritage, and economic issues. By focusing on reconnecting the land and sea, Cuan Beo bridges the gap between people and place. This year's events included a flat-bottom boat exhibition showcasing traditional oyster dredging methods, panel discussions on river ecology and flood management, marine research presentations, and environmental group forums. Additionally, Cuan Beo highlighted its native oyster restoration project and Source to Sea education program, which aims to inspire future generations to protect and conserve marine ecosystems.

County Winners

Each year with the support of local authority heritage and biodiversity officers, the best event is selected from each county for the county awards. The winners for 2024 were:

Antrim

Digging Up History! A virtual exhibition for Carrickfergus Revisited ConferenceCarrickfergus MuseumEvent Link

Armagh

A Stitch in Time: Lacemaking in South Armagh

The South Armagh Lace Collective

Event Link

Carlow

Making Connections – Tinryland Past and Present Tinryland Heritage Group of Tinryland Park CLG

Event Link

Cavan

Skeagh Golden Way Project

Skeagh Golden Way

Event Link

Clare

Placemaking Heritage Day and Local Seaweed Foraging

Liscannor Heritage Group

Event LinkEvent Link - Seaweed Foraging

Cork City

Cork City Fossil Walk

Ireland's Fossil Heritage

Event Link

Cork County

Touch Tanks at Lough Hyne

Skibbereen Heritage Centre

Event Link

Derry

Trip to Goa Island

Foyle Civic Trust

Event Link

Donegal

Teampall agus Reilig Mhachaire Gathlán,

Doirí BeagaIonad Naomh Pádraig

Event Link

Down

National Heritage Week Children's Workshops

Museum of Childhood Ireland and Sticky Fingers Arts

Event Link

Dublin City Council

Feltmakers Ireland Open Day – Discover the Magic of Wet Felting

Feltmakers Ireland

Event Link

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown

Walking Tours of Historic Killiney Village

Killiney Village Residents Association

Event Link

Fermanagh

Well Well Well

Lisnaskea Historical Society

Event Link

Fingal

Oldtown Links to the Past

Friends of Clonmethan

Event Link

South Dublin

Create Your Own Brat Bhride

Clondalkin Library
Event Link

Galway City

Reimagining Life on the Road Community Project

The Galway Traveller Movement

Event Link

Galway County

Echoes of the Past: Voices of Ballinderreen GAA: Ag Cuimhneamh Siar: Guthanna CLG Bhaile an Doirín

Ballinderreen Community Centre

Event Link

Kerry

Heritage Week Programme of EventsKerry Writers' Museum
Event link
Event link
Event link

Kildare

Willow Workshop

John Sullivan (IWA) Resource Centre

Event Link

Kilkenny

Living Networks on the Dinin River: Citizen Science Event

Nore Vision

Event Link

Laois

Brigid in Bloom Festival

The Class of 1990 (Brigidine Convent, Mountrath, Laois)

Event Link

Leitrim

Glenview Folk Museum Open Day

Glenview Folk Museum

Event Link

Limerick

Rare Breeds at Bunratty

Irish Native Rare Breed Society

Event Link

Longford

Heritage Week Programme of Events

Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre, O.P.W.

Event Link

Louth

Walk and Talk with Éanna Ní Lamhna

Dromiskin Tidy Towns

Event Link

Mayo

Launch of the Sand Martin Wall Nesting Initiative

Clogher Environmental Group

Event Link

Meath

Oíche Oidhreachta Ghaeltacht Ráth Chairn

Coiste Oidhreachta Ráth Chairn

Event Link

Monaghan

National Heritage Week Event Series

Cassandra Hand Folk and Famine Centre

Event Link 1Event Link 2Event Link 3

Offaly

Unstitching the 17th Century Shinrone Gown

Shinrone Heritage Group

Event Link

Roscommon

The History and Archaeology of Ballintubber and the Castles in Communities Fieldschool 2024

Ballintubber Tidy Towns

Event Link

Sligo

Heritage Day at Dolly's Cottage, Strandhill

Dolly's CottageEvent Link

Tipperary

Heroes and Ghosts: A Celebration of The Life and Times of Larry Slattery

Moycarkey Borris Littleton Men's Shed & Community History Group

Event Link

Waterford

Cheekpoint - A Community of the Tides

Tides & Tales Maritime Community Project

Event Link

Westmeath

Tour of Carn, A Forgotten Westmeath Famine Village

Frank Dillon

Event Link

Wexford

Castletown River and Nature Festival

Ahare River and Biodiversity Group

Event Link

Wicklow

All Paths Lead to Glendalough: A Celebration of The Saint Kevin's Way

Wicklow Mountain’s National Park, the OPW, Glendalough Heritage Forum, and The St Kevin’s Way Committee

Event Link