The wonderful Hennigan’s Heritage Centre is situated in unspoilt countryside near Swinford and is an authentic and fascinating, interactive visitor experience in Co. Mayo.
The purpose of the Centre is to preserve and showcase the heritage of life in Mayo, from farming, to the house and home, to jobs and work, to the celebration of life and death. At the heart of the heritage centre lies beautifully preserved thatched cottage built in the 1870’s where the Hennigan family lived until 1970. The proprietor, Tom Hennigan, realising his small farm was no longer viable, decided to open the centre as a house and farm, to show the public how his family survived there – Tom himself, a wonderful storyteller, was born in and grew up in this house.
As a result of Tom’s initiative, adults and children alike have a unique opportunity to see and hear how this family survived on less than ten acres of poorish land for nearly 200 years, and to learn about historical sites and their influence on our culture.
The displays tell the story of Ireland, from prehistoric times to the 19th century land estates and tenants, through independence and into the present.
Contact Hennigan’s Heritage Centre
It is located overlooking Creagaballa Lake, 6.5km from the workhouse at Swinford where thousands of people from the region died during the 19th century due to starvation, and 20km from The Museum of Country Life, Turlough.
Visit: www.hennigansheritage.com | Call Tom: +353 (0) 87 249 1402
