A packed Heritage Week: This year's Heritage Week begins today. The increase in events - more than 900, including tours, music, storytelling, craft masterclasses and bat walks, among many others - places an emphasis on outdoor events for children and adults.
To honour specific aspects of our heritage, August 27th will focus on our medieval towns for Walled Towns Day, and September 2nd will focus on our rivers, lakes and seas for Water Heritage Day. Most events are free of charge. Heritage Week takes place as part of a joint Council of Europe-EU initiative called European Heritage Days, in which more than 40 countries participate. More information about the Heritage Week programme is available free in local libraries, from tourist offices or heritage officers, or on the website, www.heritageweek.ie
Following is just a sample of some of the many events of this year's Heritage Week:
- The second Merrion Square Heritage Open Day is today, offering music in the Pepper Canister Church, house tours and an exploration of childhood in Georgian Dublin. Booking: 01-7026165.
- Ireland's only professional bobbin lacemaker, Geraldine Clarke, demonstrates her craft at Malahide Castle on August 30th (01-8462184, www.malahidecastle.com).
- Brigit's Garden at Rosscahill, Co Galway, will host a Nature Day on August 27th, with activities for children as well as tree and wildflower identification walks (091-550905, galwaygarden.com).
- The Centre for Environmental Living and Training (Celt) will host an open day on September 2nd, featuring demonstrations of traditional skills and crafts, displays about woodland and wetland ecology and guided walks. The event takes place at Bealkelly Wood, Tuamgraney, Co Clare(061-640765, http://celtnet.org).
- The food, medicinal and folkloric aspects of native plants will be explored on two Irish Organic Herbs wild plant and herb walks on Sunday, both beginning at 2.30pm. One will be on the grounds of Imma, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin (admission free, 01-4553530), and the other will start from the Organic Centre, Co Leitrim (€10, 087-6287085). For further information and booking, e-mail organicherbs@gmail.com.
- There will be a tour of native Irish orchards, fruit tree nurseries, vegetable gardens and woodlands from August 26th to September 3rd at Irish Seedsavers, Capparoe, Scarriff, Co Clare (061-921866).
- A display of medieval weaponry and magic will take place at Donegal Castle tomorrow(074-9722405, e-mail: donegalcastle@pow.ie).
- Tours of Kilmainham Gaol will be given in Irish (noon) and Polish (2pm) today (01-4535984).
- There's a re-enactment of the Order of the Sword, involving 10-20 knights displaying weapons and having sword fights, on September 3rd between 2pm and 6pm outside Desmond Castle in Askeaton, Co Limerick(086-0850174).
- There will be a walk through the old copper and sulphur mines of East Avoca in Co Wicklow on Sunday at 3pm (045-866400 or 086-3706731).
- Find out if you have "the gift" at a water divining workshop on August 30th, at 2.30pm at the National Museum of Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo (094-9031769).