Clare County Council has announced a wealth of events are taking place in Clare during National Heritage Week 2022, with more than 70 events registered by heritage groups throughout the county to date.
Heritage Week takes place from Saturday, 13th August, to Sunday, 21st August, 2022, and has become one of Ireland’s largest cultural events.
The focus of Heritage Week this year is on sustainable heritage and biodiversity and getting as many people out and about to enjoy heritage as possible. Clare County Council is calling on heritage newcomers, enthusiasts and experts alike to tune in to the digital events and attend the many in-person events featured over the nine days of Heritage Week. People are asked to consider how they might encourage and promote sustainability in their own lives during Heritage Week and beyond.
The Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Tony O’Brien, has commended the project organisers “for their interest and creativity, while showcasing a wide range of natural, built and cultural heritage projects – ensuring that Heritage Week remains a wonderful celebration of Clare’s heritage and helping to ensure its preservation and protection into the future”.
Congella McGuire, Clare County Council’s Heritage Officer, said: “I would like to thank all the project organisers for their dedication to Clare’s heritage, and wish them the very best with their events during Heritage Week.”
Wild Child Day on Wednesday, 18th August, encourages kids and families to drop the devices, jump off the couch and get outdoors to explore the heritage in their locality. Áine Ní Fhlatharta of Irish Seed Savers invites you to Wild Child in the Woods to spend some time in the woods and enjoy some Forest School nature activities and connect with Ireland’s amazing woodland ecology. Happy Out Forest School want children to come to Wild Child at John O’Sullivan Park in Ennis for scavenger hunts and bushcraft, including woodland games.
Water Heritage Day will take place on Sunday, 21st August, in partnership with the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO). In Clare, our history and heritage have been shaped by the sea and rivers, lakes and wetlands. Water Heritage Day will highlight projects that celebrate water and our connections with it. Among the events planned for Water Heritage Day is a family fun day in the Shannon Town Community Wetlands looking at wetland plants and animals, undertaking a pond-dip to check out what lives in the water, and to partake in outdoor games.
Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) has recently purchased Ketts Lough, part of Tullagher Lough and Bog SAC in County Clare for the purpose of protecting and conserving it for future generations. The IPCC will share a short video on 15th August at 10am on IPCC’s YouTube channel and social media, showing this beautiful wetland habitat and the local biodiversity which make it an incredibly important wildlife refuge. While the Clarecastle Heritage Group will launch five films on preserving the fishing heritage and local history of the area.
These are just a flavour of the wide-ranging events taking place across Clare that will allow people to get hands-on with heritage as part of Heritage Week 2022.
To find out more, visit www.heritageweek.ie to see what events are taking place in your locality or across the county, should you be holidaying at home this year. Participants can browse the website and create a bespoke National Heritage Week ‘Events Trail’ to help plan the week according to location, particular heritage interests and preferred event type, such as an outing, walk, social gathering or online event.
Ennis
Ukrainian Irish Intercultural Celebration
Clarecaste Tree Survey Project
Preserving the Fishing Heritage & Local History of Clarecastle in Film
Family Woodland Fun in John O’Sullivan Park, Ennis, Co.Clare
North Clare
Wild Weaving for families in Ennistymon, Co. Clare
Walking Tour of Ennistymon Town and its Historic Vernacular Shop fronts
A Guided Walk On the Upper Inagh River with Inagh EIP Famer
The Geological History of Lisdoonvarna
Family friendly early morning nature walk on the Inagh & Ballymacraven Rivers
The Monks and the Landscape: Corcomroe Abbey in the Burren
The Geology of Fanore Beach, A UNESCO Global Geopark Geosite
The Habitats, Monuments and Culture of Burren Winterage farming
Total Meltdown: The end of the Ice Age in the Burren
Antiques Rockshow at the Burren Centre, Kilfenora
An afternoon of events in St Fachnan’s Cathedral, Kilfenora
Free opening of the Burren Centre Exhibition
The Market Heritage of Kilfenora: A Cycling Tour
Show and Tell! Liscannor Heritage
The Meadow of the Birch Trees; the Heritage of Inchovea
An Archaeological Walk to Templecronan
Whale Watch Ireland 2022, Black Head, North Clare
West Clare
“Who puts the ‘bee’ in Labasheeda?”
Daily Guided tours of Scattery Island
Scattery Island’s Graveyard Inscriptions
Exhibition of the Barrett Archival Collection, Kilrush
Loophead Lightkeeper’s House Open Day
Shackleton – Kilkee Connection
Discovering Ketts Lough with IPCC
Whale Watch Ireland 2022 Loop Head
An Audio Guide to Spanish Point – Its History and Heritage
East Clare
Food Heritage for Biodiversity
Derrainy, Whitegate: Some elements of its history
South Clare
12 O’Clock Hills 4k Heritage Walk
Discover Your Local Wetlands In Shannon Town
A Brief Tour of Quin Friary – A Guided Tour
Bog walk and talk on Shanakyle Bog
Kilmaleery Holy Well and Graveyard
Heritage Walking Tour of Sixmilebridge
Bronze Age Food Display and Bread Baking
The Art of Ancient Cooking at the Fulacht Fiadh
Craggaunowen Interactive Trail
Demonstration & Talk on the Art of Wool Spinning and Textiles
The Life of the Royal Irish Constabulary Policeman
Historical Talk on the Architecture & Artifacts of Bunratty Castle
Animal Husbandry and Heritage Animals in Bunratty Folk Park
Traditional Thatching Demonstration
Regency Garden and Biodiversity Demonstration
Online
Would You Not Just Knock it?! – The Possibilities For Re-using Old Houses
A Brief Tour of Quin Friary – A Guided Tour
An Audio Guide to Spanish Point – Its History and Heritage
Discovering Ketts Lough with IPCC