North Mayo is all set for a wide range of events taking place for National Heritage Week 2023. The week commences on Saturday 12th August and runs until Sunday 20th August.
In-person event and digital project organisers have responded with enthusiasm to this year’s theme which invites you to explore the traditions and practices, knowledge and skills passed down through generations. National Heritage Week creates opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds from across Mayo to learn more about the county’s built, cultural, and natural heritage, helping to ensure its preservation and protection into the future.
Events happening in North Mayo from this year’s National Heritage Week programme:
- Wild Nephin National Park has a host of exciting Heritage Week events- (view full programme here)
- Céide Fields: Family day, guided tour in Irish and gold panning, find event details HERE
- Admiral Brown History Trail: Foxford Co mayo
- Sheep to Shawl: A Heritage Week Project with Annie Gambrill from Killala Wool Craft
- Bumblebee Heritage Walk in Belmullet Town
- North Mayo Heritage Centre Photocgraphic Competition
- Utilising Traditional Instruments to Record Climatological Data at the Michael Davitt Museum
- Handling and care of Archives and Books: Presentation and practical session in Ballina Library
- Masonry & Lime Mortar Demonstration at Belleek Gate Lodge
- Remembering the Rebellion: Pastoral Centre Killala
- The Amazing Swifts of Mayo: Discover their incredible journey in Ballina Library
- Tufa Habitats and the Vertigo Snail: The Old Quay School, Rathmeel, Ballina
- Whale Watch Ireland 2023: Benwee Head, Broadhaven Bay
- A Commemoration of Members of the US Merchant Navy Crew from SS Rochester Drowned during World War 1 An tSeanscoil Community Centre, Ceathrú Thaidhg
- Heritage days at summer festivals: Belmullet – Geesala – Lahardane
Click on the events above for dates and details. For a full list of events taking place in Mayo click here.
CEO of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan said: “Whether we are conscious of it or not, we are all torch holders of our heritage in one way or another and this year’s theme of Living Heritage provides an opportunity to explore this idea further. Anybody who has learned a skill from a family member, who has repeated a story told to them by an ancestor, or even anybody who has played GAA, has played a part in preserving our cultural heritage. Many of the events registered this year will highlight how valuable these traditions are and how richly they contribute to our understanding of who we are as a people.”
Two themed days will take place during National Heritage Week. Saturday 19th August is Wild Child Day. Wild Child Day encourages 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. Sunday 20st August is Water Heritage Day, an opportunity for all of us to celebrate water as an integral part of our natural heritage as well as a vital part of our future.
For a full list of events taking place, the Heritage Council is encouraging people to visit www.heritageweek.ie.
