Wild Child and Water Heritage Days this weekend

Wild Child Day takes place on Saturday, 19th August and offers a chance for the whole family to get involved in National Heritage Week. On Wild Child Day, we encourage children to look at the world around them differently, to open their eyes to the diverse beauty of the landscape in their area and to get out and explore their locality or even farther afield. Whether you have a budding historian, a future ecologist, or an inspired archaeologist at home, there’s an event for all young heritage enthusiasts to enjoy.

Water Heritage Day takes place on Sunday, 20st August in collaboration with the Local Authority Waters Programme. This is a chance to celebrate the heritage connected to our magnificent rivers, lakes, bogs and coastline. Each year, Heritage Officers, Community Water Officers and local communities and groups organise events and projects that highlight the value of water for recreational, cultural, environmental, and economic benefits.

Here are some of the events taking place for Wild Child Day and Water Heritage Day.

Wild Child Day (Saturday, 19th August)

• Enjoy an afternoon of family fun activities at "Wild Child Adventures & Heritage Open Day" at The Heritage Council in Kilkenny.
• Be A Marine Biologist for the day at Shannon Whale & Dolphin Group in Kilrush, Co Clare
• Enjoy birdwatching, a river kick-sampling demonstration, a wildflower walk, and mammal prints at Wild Child Day in the Crann Centre in Kanturk, Cork
• Clonmel Applefest in Tipperary are planning a day of natural material arts and biodiversity awareness activities on at Clonmel’s Denis Burke Park
• Make your own Earthquake and discover fossils at Wild Child Rock N Shake Adventure with the Irish Geological Association.
• Go Family Orienteering at Fota House in Cork
• Go whale spotting with Irish Whale & Dolphin Group at various locations around Ireland for Whale Watch Ireland Day.
• Enjoy a demonstration of traditional games in Mitchelstown

Water Heritage Day (Sunday, 20th August)

• Learn about the biodiversity of Lough Oughter via a guided kayak tour in Cavan.
• Enjoy an afternoon of family fun activities at Castletown River and Nature Festival, in Co Wexford
• Try your hand at fishing along the Camac River, in Clondalkin with Friends of Camac at their "Fishing is Fun" event for all the family at 2:00pm
• Exploring the craft of rainwater harvesting and the future of water in the coastal community at Castlegregory, Co Kerry
• Take a stroll along the Royal Canal Walk from Phibsboro to Broombridge with Author, Peter Clarke. Hear about the building of the Canal from 1790 and the characters involved in its construction.
• Explore local biodiversity & water quality at a Family Fun event in Lough Atorick on the Galway.
• Cabragh Wetlands are hosting Cabragh Wetlands Water Appreciation Day with pond dipping, a guided walk and a treasure hunt.
• Take a River Safari along the Barrow with Eanna Ni Lamnha in Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny.