Celebrate the ancient farming tradition of Winterage in the Burren this October Bank Holiday weekend (24th to 26th October 2025) with a packed programme of guided walks, workshops, local food, storytelling, music and the iconic Burren Winterage Cattle Drive.
Organised by the Burrenbeo Trust and supported this year by ACRES Burren Aran and FBD Trust, this much-loved festival celebrates the farming practice of moving cattle onto Burren uplands for winter grazing, a centuries-old tradition that has played a vital role in protecting one of Ireland’s most biodiverse landscapes.
Áine Bird, CEO of the Burrenbeo Trust said, “The Burren Winterage Weekend is a celebration of the agricultural heritage in the Burren and by extension an opportunity to shine a light on nature-friendly farming practices across Ireland. The range of inspiring events on offer this weekend gives us a chance to experience how farming, nature, culture and climate action can be compatible with each other.”
In the run up to the Winterage Weekend, a series of Farming for Nature Webinars are being organised from Monday to Thursday (20–23 October 8-9pm) that will host online discussions with farmers in Ireland and the UK on nature friendly farming.
Highlights of the weekend programme include:
Friday 24 October:
Guided Burren Farm Walk
Burren Farmer Information Evening, Kilfenora Mart
Winterage Stories with Burren Farmers followed by a Community Céilí
Saturday 25 October:
Guided Burren Farm Walks – various locations
Pine Woodland Planting – a hands-on conservation event
Transhumance Photography Exhibition – images of global and local seasonal herders
Farming for Nature Panel – Three Ideas for Your Farm That Could Change Everything
Experimental Workshop on ‘Grieving the Loss of Ash in the Burren & Exploring How to Respond’
The Hare’s Corner Book Launch – A new book inspired by people’s actions for nature
The Burren Winterage Cattle Drive – join host farmer in herding their cattle to upland pastures
Farming for Nature Ambassador Awards – Meet exemplary Irish farmers working for nature
Sunday 26 October:
Transhumance Photography Exhibition – images of global and local seasonal herders
From the Horse’s Mouth – Farming for Nature Advice Clinic
The Burren Winterage Cattle Drive & Burren Food Fayre – join host farmer in herding their cattle to upland pastures & taste local food products.
The flagship event of this festival is the Burren Winterage Cattle Drive where attendees are invited to join a local farming family in herding their cattle to the upland winterage pastures. This year, due to popular demand, the cattle drive will take place on Saturday 25th as well as Sunday 26th October. The two cattle drives as well as majority of the events are being hosted this year on a beautiful farm in Bouleevin, Boston, Tubber, Co.Clare which is managed by Burren farmers Frank, Mary and Frank McCormack Jnr. The McCormacks are also founders of Irish Natural Stone – a stone conservation and heritage centre.
The Burren Food Fayre, organised by the Burren Eco-tourism Network on Sunday 26th October will also offer a chance to all attendees to ‘taste the Burren’ through food samplings from some of the best of local food producers Places are limited for all events and will require pre-booking unless otherwise mentioned. U18s go free and don’t need booking. For programme and tickets, please visit www.burrenwinterage.com
