Announcing the 2026 National Heritage Week National Finalists

13 October 2026

The National Heritage Week Awards recognise the work of National Heritage Week event organisers in creating and running events that celebrate Ireland's built, natural and cultural heritage.

Every year, event organisers from across Ireland bring their passion and expertise to create memorable and inspiring heritage experiences for the public during National Heritage Week. These awards celebrate the creativity, commitment and enthusiasm of communities, organisations and individuals who work to share and safeguard our heritage.

We are delighted to announce the shortlisted events across several award categories, each representing an outstanding contribution to Ireland's heritage.

The winners of all categories will be unveiled at the National Heritage Week Awards ceremony on 29 October 2026.

The categories and shortlisted events for 2026 are as follows:

Heritage at Risk Award

This award recognises events and projects that highlight heritage at risk and encourage communities to engage with, protect and celebrate vulnerable aspects of our heritage.

The Rambling House
Emma Hanley, Birr Theatre & Arts Centre (Offaly)

Flax Threads of Time
Kathy Kirwan & Clonakilty Tidy Towns & Wombat Media (Cork)

Outside Our Door: The Hidden History of the Dún Laoghaire Magdalene Laundry
Laura Sarah Dowdall (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown)

Intangible Cultural Heritage Award- The Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh Award

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that encouraged a greater appreciation of an element of our intangible cultural heritage, including crafts, skills, customs and practices.

Tales of the Estuary – The Cockle Women Reenactment
Passage East & Crooke Development Association (Waterford)

Voices in Stewardship: Celebrating West Cork's New Oral Heritage Hubs
West Cork Oral Heritage (Cork)

Song of the Scythe
The Acorn Project (Kilkenny)

Irish Language Award

This award recognises events that celebrated and promoted the Irish language, showcasing its central role in Ireland's heritage.

Cladaí Inis Meáin
Pleanáil Teanga Inis Meáin (Galway)

Aodán Ó Conchúir – Taispeántas Grianghrafanna
Comharchumann Forbartha Chorca Dhuibhne (Kerry)

Voices of Dún Chaocháin: Recordings from the Early 1990s
Comhar Dún Chaocháín (Mayo)

Inclusive Event Award

This award recognises events that placed inclusivity at their heart, ensuring that heritage could be experienced and enjoyed by as wide and diverse an audience as possible.

Sanctuary in Nature & Heritage with Chester Beatty Museum Workshop at St Patrick's Cathedral and Phoenix Park Walk
Sanctuary in Nature & Heritage (Dublin City)

Donegal Mela – Indian Culture Festival Letterkenny
Sharmila Kamat (Donegal)

Rekindle Festival of Lost Skills 2026
Common Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Living CLG (Clare)

Water Heritage Award

This award celebrates projects and events that explored, celebrated and protected Ireland's waterways, recognising the importance of rivers, lakes, canals and coasts in our heritage. Supported by the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO).

Wildlife Celebration on the Green – Mullaghmore
Donegal Bay Trust (Sligo)

CALM Waters by Monaghan Hills
Killany Reaghstown GWS (Monaghan)

The Wellbeing Of Our Water Heritage
WiseWater Academy (Cork)

Wild Child Award

This award highlights events that encouraged children and families to get outdoors, explore nature and discover the joy of Ireland's wildlife and landscapes. The Wild Child Award is awarded in partnership with the First 5 programme from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

So You Want to be an Archaeologist?
Hill of Tara Visitor Centre (Meath)

Wild Child Day Exploring Bugs, Flowers and a Fairy Lake
Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park (Westmeath)

Drawing from the Woods – Wild Child Day at Rinnagan Nature Reserve
Native Woodland Trust (Roscommon)

Sustainability & Climate Award

This award highlights heritage projects that placed sustainability and biodiversity at their heart, addressing climate change and protecting our environment for the future.

Traditional Field Gates of Shercock – Looking Back, to Look Forward
Shercock Tidy Towns (Cavan)

Mealagh Valley Hidden Heritage Trail Launch
Mealagh Valley Community Centre Ltd (Cork)

The River Remembers: Stories of Salmon and Stewardship on the Coomhola River
StreamScapes (Cork)

We warmly congratulate all shortlisted projects and thank everyone who contributed to National Heritage Week 2026. Your creativity, commitment and love of heritage ensure that Ireland's story continues to inspire and connect communities across the country.

The winners will be announced at the National Heritage Week Awards ceremony on 29 October 2026.

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