Latest news with #NationalHeritageWeek
Irish Independent
11 hours ago
- General
- Irish Independent
140-year-old Drogheda boundary stones to be restored in major heritage project
The historic landmarks were erected by the then Corporation in 1896 as the town boundary line expanded to include new areas such as Mell, Ballsgrove, Beamore, Rathmullen, and Newfoundwell. There were a total of 13 stones originally, but nine are known to have survived, and some of them have been worn down by time, neglect, and overrun with vegetation. The restoration operation is to be carried out by Drogheda Tidy Towns, thanks to a grant of €25,000 from the Heritage Council of Ireland. Each stone stands 43 inches in height, is 18 inches wide, and seven inches thick. They have a pointed top along with an engraved inscription with the mayor's name at the time, plus symbols of the municipal authority. The whole project was conceived and researched by a member of the Tidy Towns committee, Alan Lynch, whose great-grandfather Peter Lynch was mayor during the Drogheda boundary expansion from 1896 to 1897. Drogheda Tidy Towns said Alan did a huge amount of work on the stones, studying historical records and ordnance survey maps to locate each one of them. Alan said: "I am pleased that my research has contributed to the development of a conservation programme for these historic stones. As the great-grandson of Mayor Peter Lynch, this project holds personal meaning for me, and I am glad to see these important markers being preserved." The Tidy Towns Committee is now holding a public information night so the general public can learn all about the boundary stones. This will be held on Thursday, August 21, at 7pm, as part of National Heritage Week in the Louth Local Development Office at the Haymarket, John Street, Drogheda. The chairperson of Drogheda Tidy Towns, Gerry Leydon, said: "This funding allows us to safeguard an important piece of Drogheda's past. The upcoming information evening is a great opportunity for the community to learn more about these remarkable markers and to see how we plan to ensure they endure for future generations."
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
From dunes to dinner plates: Uncovering Ireland's history at Heritage Week
The impact of a tsunami, which followed the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, is well remembered along the West Cork coast. One reason is that it modified the shell-rich sand dunes, which were a precious resource for locals, who brought it by horse-drawn cart to their farms to improve the soil. The Irish Geological Association will explore the cultural landscape associated with those dunes on August 20 and 24 at Warran Strand, Rosscarbery, as part of National Heritage Week, which begins on Saturday. Local geologist Anthony Beese will lead the excursion, but visitors are advised to wear suitable footwear for a four-kilometre walk of moderate difficulty. Now in its 20th year, Heritage Week is one of Ireland's largest cultural events, bringing together communities, families, and individuals across the country to celebrate the country's rich and diverse past. National Heritage Week theme This year's theme, 'Exploring Our Foundations', invites people to reflect on the legacies of the past and examine the foundations upon which their communities, cultures, and identities are built. Organised by the Heritage Council, the theme encourages event organisers and participants alike to dig deeper — literally and metaphorically — into the layers that shape our understanding of place, tradition, and change. It offers an opportunity to uncover stories of place and people, fostering a deeper connection with the past and how it continues to inform the present. Rural lifestyles and farming practices over the centuries are featured in many of the 2,000 or so events that will be held during the nine-day festival and are detailed on A foraging talk on Quilty beach in Co Clare (August 21) with Lena Hughes will focus, for instance, on the tradition of collecting seaweed which coastal communities relied upon for food, medicine, and agriculture. People will learn how and when to forage seaweed and how to introduce it into their daily life. Seaweed can be used in diet, for health and wellness, medicinal purposes and as a natural fertiliser. Still in Co Clare, life in the Burren, which has revolved around agriculture for 6,000 years, will be the focus of a discussion on Sunday led by Michael Davoreen on how farming practices and rural society have changed. He will trace the evolution of life on the land from the horse-drawn to the digital era and from ringforts and self-sufficient smallholdings to a globalised marketplace. A sixth-generation Burren farmer, he and others will also discuss at the Burren Visitor Centre in Kilfenora Visitor Centre what North Clare might look and feel like as the 21st century unfolds and the climate changes. 'A New Fleece of Life' is the title of another event at Manor Kilbride Community on August 21. It will explore the sheep and wool industry in Wicklow and the historical, cultural and environmental impact on the region through visual displays and live presentations. Oliver Fallon Bailey will examine how the wool industry might support conservation goals such as peatland restoration in the uplands and what can be done to revitalise the sector for future generations. Longford Westmeath Farmers Mart in Ballymahon will be the venue on August 23 for an Irish Native Breed Livestock Show. It will showcase the work of breed societies and others in raising awareness of the place of these breeds in agricultural practices historically as well as currently. Kerry Writers Museum The natural calendar of the domestic economy of farm families in North Kerry will be examined at Kerry Writers Museum in Listowel on Saturday with a day-long programme entitled 'A Day in the Bog". Saving the hay, the killing of a pig, and bringing in the turf created a foundation for many of the traditions associated with rural Ireland, and since the 1960s, they have had a special place in home movie records created by farming communities. Kerry Writers' Museum's contribution to Heritage Week engages with the economic, social and cultural impact of bogs and turf cutting on life in rural Ireland. Historian Tom Dillon will highlight the heritage and folklore associated with bogs and Aideen O'Sullivan will introduce a screening of Home Turf (2011), a celebration of the ancient art of cutting turf at Killarda Bog near Listowel. Paul Kennelly, a veteran day-in-the-bog activist and filmmaker, will join Dillon and O'Sullivan for a discussion of the ongoing importance of bogs. There will also be a guided walk later at Killocrim Bog. National Library Back in the National Library, Dublin at lunchtime on August 19, two archivists, Joanne Carroll and Nora Thornton, will be 'Talking Tripe' – not the informal slang but a certain dish that is a Cork tradition. They delved into the recipe collections in the library last year and discovered there was an enormous interest in early cooking techniques, food and recipes, but there wasn't time to explore any subject in detail. 'Cooking the Books Part 11' will involve Joanne focusing on cures and remedies in old recipes, while Nora will do an in-depth analysis on her favourite culinary manuscript. There will also be a focus not just on tripe but on other less popular ingredients that aren't in as much use today. Who knows, perhaps tripe might become popular again. And if it is served hot with drisheen, a culinary pudding classic in Cork for four centuries, the taste buds of people with long memories and a taste for tradition will be well and truly sated.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
Wicklow Castle offers rare chance to see inside in Heritage Week initiative
Altidore Castle, owned by Philip Emmet and his son Thomas, is set to offer two tours every day from August 16 to August 24. Built in Kilpedder in the 1730s by the Pearse family and most likely designed by Edward Lovett Pearse, Altidore Castle belonged to several owners and was briefly a tuberculosis sanatorium before being bought by the Emmet family in 1944. The living heritage of Altidore Castle comes from the house. but also the current family residing in the property. The Emmets, exiled from Ireland after Robert Emmet's 1803 rebellion, have lived in Altidore for four generations and each tour is carried out by a family member. Speaking about the tours, Philip said: 'The guided house tour comprises several rooms filled with artefacts from both sides of the family and finishes with the Emmet gallery, a collection from the family relating to the United Irishmen, Robert and Thomas Addis Emmet. The house is very much lived in and combines being a historic house while also a family home.' Talking about why they open their home for Heritage Week, Thomas added: 'As a member of Historic Houses of Ireland, it's so important to share our built heritage with the public, and Heritage Week is an ideal opportunity to do this. "We are especially excited about the Heritage Open Doors initiative, where houses usually closed to the public are open on the first weekend of National Heritage Week. "We are open for two house tours each day at 2pm and 4pm. Tours will cost €10 per person with a discounted rate of eight euros for students and children. As tours sell out very quickly and we have limited space, booking ahead is essential.' Taking part in Heritage Open Doors in Wicklow is Enniskerry's Knockmore House, which will be open on Sunday, August 17 from 2pm to 5pm. The Regency-style house was built around 1850, with gardens created by two sisters in the 1880's, and further developed by well-known garden writer Ruth Isabel Ross, who published a book about the garden in 1999. Since the present owners purchased the house in 2019, a major restoration of the property has taken place, and work on the gardens is now underway. There are lawns, borders, ponds, a vegetable garden, a wild garden, woodland and many large old trees. A guided tour of the house and gardens will begin at 2.30pm, followed by hot drinks and cake from 3.30pm. Entrance costs €5 in cash only, and children will go free. Bookings need to be made via Jacqueline Roberts at To book tickets to visit Altidore Castle, go to the Heritage Week website or Altidore Castle's Instagram and Facebook.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Capturing the haunting beauty of Ireland's abandoned castles
Ahead of National Heritage Week (16-24 Aug), we spoke with the Irish TikTok creator behind @historicireland, an account that captures the country's abandoned castles through breathtaking drone footage. Collecting lesser-known stories from our past - like the remarkable story of Moore Hall in Mayo, where a landlord used prize money from a horse race to feed his tenants during the Famine - Hugh Wright has created a cinematic archive of Irish life. The work, he says, came about because of his own incredible story. Despite growing up with a love for film-making (as a child, armed with a camcorder, he created movies that he describes as "a cross between Father Ted and Killinaskully"), Hugh pursued a career in Science, studying at University College Cork before landing a job in Ringaskiddy. Then, while the world locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was diagnosed with a degenerative medical condition, leading him to "reevaluate everything". Ditching the day job, he returned to his love of history and passion for film-making, capturing the ruins that had fascinated him throughout his childhood. With so many of the ruins sitting on private land, however, drone shots operated from public roads seemed like his best bet. Particularly because Hugh has a background in flying and knew just how beautiful those aerial shots could be. "I was given out to by the flight instructor for day-dreaming out the window," he laughs. At the start of 2024, Hugh downloaded TikTok and began uploading his videos, playing around with editing and music. One day, he decided to lend his voice as narrator, and the results were immediate. "It actually exploded," he says. "People really liked it, so I kept doing that for weeks and weeks. I was putting up a video every day to really push it. I suppose I just got better and better and made some great contacts." Before long, farmers and estate owners were getting in touch to ask Hugh to document the ageing buildings on their lands, preserving them for future generations. "I do a lot of research using these old OS [Ordnance Survey] maps online from the 1800s," he explains, "so you can look back and see every major house and castle that was in Ireland. You can flick onto satellite and it will immediately show you the state of it now." "It is heartbreaking," he continues. "It's sad and nostalgic, but I find it beautiful as well. They're untouched in a way. They've been left in silence and taken over by nature." Describing it as "the closest thing to time travel", Hugh enjoys discovering the stories of each building, unearthing the lives once lived within the now crumbling walls. "There was one in North Cork called Old Court. It's completely in ruin; it's in really bad shape. With all the trees, it's really hard to find the house with the drone. "When I went home to research it, I realised it was owned by an ancestor of Princess Diana. It was her great-grand-uncle. Things like that are incredible to come across." The stories that resonate with people most, of course, are the ones involving ghosts. And despite a career in science, being raised on stories of banshees and fairy forts means that an eerie feeling may linger when he visits these abandoned grounds. "People just love a ghost story," he laughs. "I suppose I'm drawn to them in a way. These abandoned houses do feel haunted; sometimes you get a good vibe, but sometimes you get a bad vibe." "There's a lesser-known story of the Woodlawn House in Galway," he continues. "It's completely in the middle of nowhere in bog land. It's this massive, dark, grey mansion with a roof on it, still. It's in pretty good condition. The locals claim that's the most haunted place in Ireland." "Even when I was on the road next to it, there was no one around, and I heard a massive bang. I don't believe in that stuff, but being in Ireland, there is a part of you that's like... mmm, maybe?" As for his own favourites, Hugh has a place in his heart for the homes he gets to explore inside and out. "I think my favourite was Coolattin House in Wicklow. It was abandoned for years, but several people have bought it now, and I got invited to do a huge tour. There was all sorts of crazy things, like a room with no windows and lots of great material for stories." Once home to the Earls Fitzwilliam - a powerful family who once owned the biggest private estates in both England and Ireland - Coolattin House has a fascinating and tragic history. Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, the eighth Earl Fitzwilliam, was said to have had an affair with the sister of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States. Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy's relationship with Fitzwilliam stirred controversy due to her being a Catholic and he a Protestant (and married). Their story ended tragically when the two died in a plane crash in 1948, adding to the ream of untimely deaths and misfortunes afflicting the Kennedy family, fuelling rumours of a 'Kennedy curse'. "That was the end of the house," Hugh says of their passing. "That was the end of Coolattin." Beautiful, tragic, steeped in history and intrigue, this is just one of many fascinating stories captured by the pilot-turned-scientist-turned-filmmaker.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cork's Heritage Open Day to be rolled out nationwide
More Cork City buildings will throw open their doors to the public for heritage open day this year amid confirmation that the tradition is being expanded around country. The much-loved Cork City Heritage Open Day event has been running for over 20 years as part of National Heritage Week, giving people a rare opportunity to explore buildings not normally open to the public — from courthouses to Masonic lodges. Over 40 local landmark buildings took part last year, giving thousands of people the chance to explore them. Inspired by the success of the Cork programme, the Heritage Council ran a pilot initiative last year in conjunction with the Offaly and Donegal heritage officers to explore the concept in rural and urban locations. It was a success and has inspired the expansion of the Cork tradition nationwide this year. Meanwhile, details were announced on Wednesday of this year's Heritage Open Day in Cork on August 16 to mark the start of National Heritage Week. It will for the first time include the Cork Butter Museum, the YMCA building, St Luke's Church in Douglas and the Firemen's Rest outside the city fire station — the smallest building taking part in Cork Heritage Open Day. Clíona Harte and Cork City Council heritage officer Niamh Twomey at the Cork Heritage Open Day launch event. The day of free events marks the start of Heritage Week. Picture: Darragh Kane Other buildings not routinely open to the public, or which charge a fee, and which will be taking part this year, include the Quaker Meeting House, the Military Museum at Collins Barracks, Heineken Ireland, Riverstown House, Cork Baptist Church and the North Monastery. Guided tours will also take place in English and in Irish in AIB 66 South Mall and in the Lord Mayor's office and council chamber in City Hall. A work in progress event will take place in Civic Trust House offering insight into a new project exploring the history of 50 Pope's Quay and its neighbourhood. A Victorian classroom experience will take place in the Old Cork Waterworks where children will learn about Cork under Victorian rule. Costumed Roman soldiers in the Cork Public Museum will demonstrate how the Romans lived and fought. Actress Judie Chalmers will bring the story of Nano Nagle to life in Nano Nagle Place while people can explore the naval vessel the LÉ Aoibhinn which will be in the city for the event. Cork historians will deliver historical guided street walking tours in locations such as St Patrick's Street, the Coal Quay and the Middle Parish. For those looking to explore further the streets of Cork, a Victorian scavenger hunt will take place in the Victorian Quarter of the city. Guided tours will also take place in St Joseph's Cemetery led by Liam O' hÚigín and Finbarr Barry, and in The Gunpowder Mills led by Tadgh O'Connor. Diarmuid O'Drisceoil will give a talk on the story of Beamish and Crawford in the former Cork Savings Bank, Rachel Finnegan will give a talk in St Lukes Church Douglas on the Reeves family who occupied Tramore House in Douglas in the 19th century, and members of the Shandon Area History Group will speak about the monuments and memorials at St Anne's Church. While all events are free of charge, some must be booked in advance. Check out for a full list of all events
