‘It’s In Your Nature’ is the main theme of Heritage Week 2017 with a record 102 events taking place around County Clare until August 27th.
The 15th annual celebration of County Clare’s built, natural and cultural heritage is being coordinated locally by Clare County Council and The Heritage Council, with support from Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The annual initiative is Ireland’s most popular cultural event and this year over 450,000 people nationwide are expected to participate in over 2,000 events aimed at encouraging people to take an interest in their local heritage.
Clare County Council has confirmed that local events taking place include lectures, field trips, film screenings, workshops, exhibitions historical re-enactments, and local history walks and talks.
Among the events and activities is a talk and walk in Shannon on the Birds of the River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries, a tour of The Toomeens cave system in Tulla, a presentation by Duncan Stewart at Irish Seed Savers in Scariff, a boat trip to meet Europe’s largest resident group of bottlenose dolphins, 10km Guided Heritage Walk along the Clare Way, a presentation on the history of Doolin, a tour of Inchiquin House in Corofin and a talk and tour of the Napoleonic Gun Battery on Scattery Island.
Meanwhile, the Heritage Council is once again hosting the National Heritage Week Awards recognising the work of event organisers and volunteers taking part during Heritage Week 2017. The closing date for entries is Friday 15 September 2017 and entry is free. Recipients will be honoured at a Heritage Council Awards Day. Visit www.heritageweek.ie or contact 1850-200878 for more.
Heritage Week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union.