Hide Subscribe Panel

National Heritage Week 2026 Awards County Winners

NHWA Slides32 1

The County Award recognises the work of many groups and volunteers across Ireland for National Heritage Week.

Through their dedication and work they contribute to making National Heritage Week a festival that can be enjoyed by all.

Here are the County winners for each local authority area.

Congratulations to the 2026 County Award Winners!

Antrim
Forgotten Lives: The Hidden Histories of Belfast City Cemetery
Robyn Atcheson

Armagh

Celebrating Creggan Graveyard
Rural Health Partnership

Carlow

Echoes of Ourselves – Folk History and Architecture Talk
Cranavane Holy Well Committee

Cavan

Stone & Silence Photography Exhibition
Corey Davenport

Clare

The Bellows Blow Again After Big Winds
Stephen Mc Donagh, Dan Furey Set Dancing Weekend

Cork City

Hands-On Heritage Festival
Benchspace Cork

Cork County

Ceardlann Geansaí Chléire - Cape Clear Geansaí Workshop
Tógraí Chléire

Derry

Tour of Limavady Workhouse Museum
Limavady Workhouse Museum

Donegal

"Unearthed" LEGO Mission Challenge!
Cully Coders and Office of Public Works – Donegal Castle

Down

Tour of Giant's Ring and Ballynahatty Prehistoric Ritual Landscape
Community Archaeology Programme Northern Ireland, Barrie Hartwell and Brian Sloan

Dublin City

Forging History: Metalworking and the 1798 & 1803 Uprisings
Peter Nolan and TOG Hackerspace

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

Writing Place Writing Planet: A Public Showcase
iCRAG Research Ireland for Applied Geosciences and the UCD Mary Lavin Centre for Creative Writing

Fermanagh

Illustrated Talk on Archaeological Excavation in Church Park Field, Derrygonnelly
Community Archaeology Programme Northern Ireland with Derrygonnelly & District Community Partnership

Fingal

Census: Rush 1926 - 2026
Rush Tourism

South Dublin

Thread and Hook Through Time
Irish Crochet Lace Revival

Galway City

Galway Hooker Heritage Centre: Guided Tour
Galway Hooker Sailing Club

Galway County

Kilskeagh Church and Graveyard and The Witches' Castle - Reconstructing a Lost History
Kilskeagh Heritage Committee

Kerry

Heritage at Risk: Kilshannig Church and Graveyard Adapting to a Changing Climate
Maharees Conservation Association

Kildare

The Joe Connelly Lecture 2026 - Murder on Chapel Hill, Kildare Town, 1904
Cill Dara Historical Society

Kilkenny

Medieval Gravemarkers and Medieval Castle Ruins
Threecastles Heritage Group

Laois

Cashel Man - Ireland's Oldest Bog Body Commemoration
Laois Friends

Leitrim

Heritage Week Express at Dromod
Cavan and Leitrim Railway

Limerick County

Snáitheanna / Threads Craft Festival
Friends of Lace Limerick

Longford

Foraging, An Ancient Connection
OPW - Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre

Louth

Heritage Through Hands: Upcycling Celtic Traditions
New Life Integration & Wellbeing Network CLG

Mayo

Heritage Day at Jack's Cottage, Islandeady
Islandeady Heritage Committee

Meath

The White Quarry Ardbraccan Talk
St Ultan's Historical Society

Monaghan

Blacksmiths Demonstration and Family Day at Essexford Forge
Essexford Heritage Group

Offaly

Turbary Writes at Artful Parks
Artful Parks, Brian Gorman, John Whelan and Amanda Kelly

Roscommon

Is Our Heritage at Risk?
Ardcarne Parish Graveyards Committee

Sligo

Barytes Mining - North Sligo's Industrial Heritage
Cliffoney Community Forum

Tipperary

A Tipperary Town Landmark Opens its Doors
The Private Security Authority

Waterford
The Plants Our Grandparents Knew
Knockanore, Glendine, Kilwatermoy Heritage and Historical Society

Westmeath

Rochfortbridge Heritage Day
Castlelost Heritage Project

Wexford

Demonstration of Fishing Net Roping Skills
Waterford Estuary Villages Alliance

Wicklow

Ballyknockan Granite Heritage
C. McEvoy & Sons

What's New

More News
Hertitage Hero Award Athlone231026 8

National Heritage Week Awards 2026 - Winners and Runners-up Announced

The National Heritage Week Awards 2026 ceremony took place on Thursday, 29 October 2026, celebrating the individuals, community groups and organisations whose outstanding events helped showcase and protect Ireland's built, natural and cultural heritage.

The 2026 Awards recognise the most engaging and inspiring events from National Heritage Week 2026. Over the course of nine days from 15–23 August, communities across Ireland came together to celebrate local heritage through walks, talks, workshops, exhibitions, performances and family events. This year's theme, Heritage at Risk, encouraged people to explore and protect the places, traditions, skills and stories that form an important part of our shared heritage.
Gearoid O Brien NHW Hero 2026

National Heritage Week 2026 Heritage Hero Announced

The Heritage Council is delighted to share that the 2026 National Heritage Week Heritage Hero has been awarded to Gearóid O'Brien for his lifelong dedication to preserving, promoting and celebrating the heritage of Athlone and Ireland.

The Heritage Hero award honours an individual or organisation that has made an outstanding, long-term contribution to the protection and promotion of Ireland's heritage. Unlike the other categories, this award is based solely on public nominations and is considered a lifetime achievement award.