National Heritage Week Awards 2025 - Winners and Runners-up Announced

The 2025 Awards recognise the most engaging and inspiring events from National Heritage Week 2025. Over the course of 9 days from 16th - 24th August there was 2,500 events across the island of Ireland for the public to learn about both our local and national heritage.

Exploring Our Foundations Award

The Exploring Our Foundations Award celebrates the events the really embraced the theme of National Heritage Week 2025 delving into the building blocks of who we are.

Winner

Event: A.K. ILEN, Ireland's last wooden ocean-going ship
Organiser: Sailing Into Wellness County: Cork

As part of Heritage Week 2025, ILEN was proudly docked in Kinsale, Co. Cork on August 16th and 17th. Visitors were welcomed aboard for guided tours, engaging talks by her crew, and hands-on demonstrations of traditional ropework and nautical knots. The event celebrated ILEN’s remarkable history and her ongoing role in community wellbeing, drawing enthusiastic crowds and fostering a deeper appreciation for Ireland’s maritime heritage.

Runners-Up

Echoes of Old Athlone Connaught Street & Environs Group Westmeath

The celebration featured a lively market that revived Athlone’s market-town traditions, with local crafts, food stalls, vintage displays, children’s games, and even alpacas. A moving ceremony included a presentation on St. Peter’s Graveyard, a performance of The Last Post by the Army Band, and a wreath-laying by veterans. The self-published Headstone Booklet sparked strong public interest and ongoing community engagement.

Michael Dwyer 200 - Bi-Centenary of Michael Dwyer ‘The Wicklow Chief Michael Dwyer 200 Committee, Arklow Municipal District, Wicklow County Council Wicklow

Organised to mark the 200th anniversary of Michael Dwyer, ‘The Wicklow Chief’ and renowned leader of the 1798 Rebellion, this Heritage Week event took place in the scenic Glenmalure Valley and offered a full day of historical reflection and celebration.

Inclusive Event 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.

Winner

Mealagh Valley Heritage Day Mealagh Valley Community Centre Cork

This family-friendly event brought the entire valley community together to celebrate and explore the rich heritage of the region. At its heart was the launch of “Voices of the Valley”, a compelling documentary capturing the vibrant oral histories of local residents and weaving stories of the past into the fabric of modern life.

Runners-Up

The Photographic Collections of the Parish of the Travelling People Parish of the Travelling People Dublin

This unique event offered a rare opportunity to explore the rich visual history of the Parish of the Travelling People through curated albums of photographs taken by parish members since its founding in 1980.

Commemorative 200th Anniversary of the Construction of the Low Road Tubberclare Local Action Group Westmeath

Organised by the Glasson Tubberclaire Community Group, this Heritage Week event marked the 200th anniversary of the Low Road in Glasson with an afternoon of history, storytelling, and community celebration.

Irish Language Award

The Irish Language Award is awarded to an event that took place through the Irish Language or made a special effort to encourage participation or activity in the Irish language.

Winner

Toibreacha Beannaithe Chontae
Galway County Council Galway

Rinneadh ceiliúradh sa taispeántas Toibreacha Beannaithe (‘Holy Wells’) ar oidhreacht shaibhir spioradálta agus chultúrtha Chontae na Gaillimhe ó pheirspictíocht a fhoinsí uisce naofa. Bhí an taispeántas seo ar an bpríomhthoradh ar an tionscnamh taighde agus caomhnaithe The Audit of the Holy Wells in the County of Galway a chuir Oifig Oidhreachta Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe ar siúl.

Runners-Up

Ceardlann Tógála Bád/Boat Building Workshop Cill Dara le Gaeilge Kildare

Mar chuid den tSeachtain Oidhreachta, chuir Cill Dara le Gaeilge Rásaíocht Bád bheoga agus éiceabhách ar siúl ina raibh báid páirteach a rinneadh go hiomlán as fuíollábhair athchúrsáilte. Cothaíodh feasacht chomhshaoil agus ceiliúradh cultúrtha san imeacht cruthaitheach agus faoi stiúir an phobail seo, inar leagadh béim ar thábhacht na hinbhuanaitheachta ar bhealaí spraíúla agus spreagúla.

Ár mBunchlocha a Fhiosrú – Oidhreacht Dholáimhsithe The Museum of Childhood Ireland/Músaem Óige na hÉireann Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

This interactive event, facilitated by Dr. Sorcha de Brún (Museum of Childhood Ireland & University of Limerick), celebrated the creative and intangible heritage of the Irish language.

Wild Child Award

Wild Child Day takes place on the final Saturday of Heritage Week each year. The Wild Child Event Award is awarded to an event that
successfully encouraged children and families to get outdoors and explore the natural heritage and biodiversity in their locality.

Winner

Wild Child Day - All about Otters Maigue Rivers Trust Limerick

As part of Heritage Week’s Wild Child Day, children and families were invited by the Maigue Rivers Trust to explore the world of otters at Lough Gur with expert Albert Nolan. The event focused on otter ecology, tracking, and habitat creation in a hands-on and engaging way.

Runners-Up

Shoreline Marine Creature Survey Sea Synergy Kerry

As part of Heritage Week’s Wild Child Day, Sea Synergy hosted a hands-on marine exploration event along the shores of the Portmagee Channel. Led by experienced marine biologists, children and families took part in guided rock pooling, discovering and identifying the fascinating animals that live in this coastal habitat.

Bilingual Heritage Tour of Dún Laoghaire Harbour for Families Moontour Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

Organised by Moontour as part of Heritage Week’s Wild Child Day, this family-friendly kayaking event invited participants to explore Dún Laoghaire Harbour, uncovering the town’s maritime history and the richness of its coastal habitat.

Water Heritage Day

The Water Heritage Award is awarded to a Water Heritage Day event that encourages the public to explore how waterways such as canals, rivers, lakes or sea shaped the heritage of a locality or an event that celebrated water as an integral part of our natural heritage.

Winner

Paddling the Past – A Heritage Kayak Tour of the River Bride Conna Community Council
Cork

Water Heritage Day was celebrated on the River Bride through a blend of history, nature, and adventure. Organised by the Conna Community Group, the day began at Aghern with engaging talks by local historians, exploring the river’s influence on settlement, industry, and folklore. Families enjoyed games and activities along the riverbank while others prepared for the main event—a guided kayak trip.

Runners-Up

For the Love of Bats Ballycumber Tidy Towns and Freshwater Ballycumber Brosna Offaly

Ballycumber Tidy Towns hosted a vibrant community event at Ballycumber Bridge, a striking single-arch structure built as part of the Brosna drainage scheme by the Board of Works. With its varied stone finishes and the second widest arch span in County Offaly, the bridge plays a vital role in local connectivity and stands as a proud piece of built heritage.

Spirit of the Water – An Evening of Music & Spoken work at the Tin Church Laragh Friends of the Upper Annalee Monaghan

Hosted by The Friends of the Upper Annalee, Spirit of the Water was a memorable evening of music and spoken word celebrating our deep connection to water. The event featured the stunning music of internationally renowned composer Peter Broderick, alongside powerful readings from Rebecca O’Connor and friends.

Sustainability & Climate Award

The Sustainability and Climate Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that made efforts to incorporate environmentally friendly
practices to reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the natural world or provided education on the impact of climate change and good
sustainability practices.

Winner

Native Woodland Re-Establishments Woodlands of Ireland Sligo

This Heritage Week event featured two free workshops focused on early maintenance of native woodlands at the HSE Cloonamahon Native Woodland Park near Sligo.

Runners-Up

Gardening for Wildlife Event Leitrim Environment Network Leitrim

Organised by Leitrim Environmental Network as part of Heritage Week, this guided walk invited participants to explore a garden in progress and learn about the essential habitat features that support biodiversity. Two experienced members of the network led the tour, highlighting the importance of shelter, food sources, and habitat diversity for pollinators and other wildlife—and perhaps even introducing some of the garden’s current inhabitants .

Foraging from Land to Sea on Bere Island Bere Island Projects Group Cork

The event offered a deep and enriching journey through the island’s landscapes, from meadows to shoreline. Jen, drawing on generations of herbalist knowledge, shared her passion for reconnecting with the land and waters through gentle herbal medicine. Sam, a forager, illustrator, and musician, brought the stories of seaweeds and coastal life to life as he waded and walked the shoreline.

The Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh/Intangible Cultural Heritage Award

The ‘Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh – Gradam Dúchais’ was awarded for the first time in 2024. This award celebrates Ireland’s Intangible Cultural
Heritage and is awarded to an event or project that encouraged a greater appreciation of an element of our intangible cultural heritage - crafts, skills, customs and practices.

Winner

Celebrating Irish Road Bowling at Ballyvolane House
Ballyvolane House Cork

Ballyvolane House hosted a special afternoon celebrating the tradition of Irish road bowling, particularly its deep roots in north-east Cork. The event began with a guided tour of the historic estate by owner Justin Green, a member of Historic Houses of Ireland.

Runners-Up

Kilkee Currach Presentation and Regatta West Clare Currach Club Clare

The Kilkee Currach Regatta honoured the legacy of the traditional fishing currach—a unique North Atlantic skin boat that sustained coastal families for generations. The day began with a presentation by Críostóir Mac Carthaigh on the history of currachs in Kilkee and West Clare.

The Maharees/Castlegregory Onion Basket Revival Maharees Conservation Association Kerry

This project revived the traditional willow onion basket once used in Castlegregory and the Maharees for harvesting onions and potatoes. Inspired by archival photos and local memories, basket maker Diane Southey led a two-day workshop to pass on the craft to community members.