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Blacksmith Owen Mort shows people how the shape metal as part of Heritage Week 2016. Sam Boal
National Heritage Week
Heritage Week launches today: Here are highlights from across the country
A medieval warfare reenactment at Tipperary, blacksmiths in Galway, and birdwatching for kids in Kildare.
HERITAGE WEEK, WHICH takes place from 17 – 25 August. being launched today by the Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan.
The idea behind it is to offer local events around the country that highlight our natural, built, and cultural heritage – many of the events are free.
National Heritage Week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the EU in order to promote awareness and to encourage people to visit historical monuments and sites.
There are a wealth of events on over the next six weeks – here are some notable ones:
Need we say more. Fully armoured warriors battle using steel replica armour and weapons in a free event organised by the Office of Public Words at Ormond Castle, Co Tipperary.
This will take place on 18 August between 2.30 – 4.30pm.
On 18 August between 3-5pm, Kilteevan Community Centre in Co Roscommon will organise an event based on games recorded in Kilteevan Schools’ Folklore Collection 1938 – which include ‘Pins’ and ‘Teetum Totum’. Preempting any email queries – no, we don’t know what they are.
Described as ”a perfect combination of spectacle, heritage and learning”, watch smelters and blacksmiths at work in Woodford, Co Galway, a town which was built to make iron.
The festival runs for a week from 19-25 August, from 10am – 5pm. Again, it’s free.
An event called ‘Trip Down Memory Lane’ will relive the showband era with music from a live band, dancing (if you’re brave), pictures, and stories from the 1930s onwards being exhibited at the Rainbow Ballroom Glenfarne, Co Leitrim.
The free event takes place from 11am – 1pm on 21 August.
A retelling of the fascinating shooting of a burglar by Shankill police in 1918, who the inquest jury said was ‘killed lawfully by the police in the performance of their duty”.
If you’re free on 22 August between 7-8pm, it’s a free event at the Shankill Library.
Organised by Birdwatch Ireland Kildare Branch (pun intended, we assume), this event at the Liffey Linear Park in Newbridge is unique and a bit of fun:
“Learn how to recognise bird song, how and what to feed them, and what we can do to help them survive in an ever-changing and challenging environment.”
As someone who enjoyed spotting birds as a child, this one comes with a special seal of approval.
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