Heritage Week 2019 launches in Sligo
…Calling all Adventurers…
Heritage Week 2019 launches in Sligo with a host of unique events celebrating Irish Pastimes from Past Times
Heritage Week 2019, which takes place nationwide from 17th to 25th of August, will showcase the joy, diversity and accessibility that can be found within our country’s rich heritage. As a nation of storytellers, all of our heritage is linked to stories of people, places, moments and things. Events taking place in Sligo include a guided walking tour of Sligo town by author Padraic Feehily, and historian and author, Dr Fiona Gallagher, a storytelling Night with Joe McGowan, a day of live music among the ancient stones of Carrowmore and lots lots more. Full details at heritageweek.ie.
Heritage Week 2019 will be a call to action for people to discover, interpret and embrace their heritage and in turn create their own new pastime – to become an explorer, an archaeologist, a storyteller, an eco warrior.
With over 2,000 events taking place throughout the country, there is undoubtedly an event for everyone, no matter their age or interests. The eclectic offering of events in this year’s schedule includes picnics & parties, talks & tours, ceilís, crafts & craic, all of which serve to make our country’s heritage more inclusive than ever.
National Heritage Week is a celebration of Ireland’s built, natural and cultural heritage and aims to generate awareness, appreciation and preservation of our wonderful resources.
This year The Heritage Council’s chosen theme for Heritage Week is the celebration of Pastimes and Past Times.
Speaking on the importance of Heritage week, Minister for Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan said “I pay tribute to the hundreds of individuals and communities across Ireland who, every year, give of themselves to stage events and share their interest in heritage with the public at large. This commitment is the backbone of our heritage, and it is more important than ever, given the imperatives around climate action, that we nurture those who nurture our heritage.”
The Heritage Week programme features events for all ages, most of which are free to attend. Local highlights include:
Walking the Past Of Sligo Town, Sligo Main Post Office, Lower O’Connell St –
22nd August
Discover more about Sligo through the buildings, characters and families of this ever-changing, historic market town. Guided by author Padraic Feehily, and historian and author, Dr Fiona Gallagher.
Storytelling Night with Joe McGowan, Ósta Café & Wine Bar Sligo, 23rd August
Join author and historian Joe McGowan and the Sligo Heritage & History Club for an evening of reliving the stories and legends once told around the firesides of the past.
Music at the Megaliths, Carrowmore Visitor Centre, 25th August
Join us for a day of live music among the ancient stones of Carrowmore. Informal sessions and performances will be taking place on the site throughout the day.
Speaking ahead of the launch of Heritage Week 2019 the CEO of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan said “The theme of this year’s National Heritage Week – ‘Pastimes | Past Times’ – is one that will appeal to anyone who can remember what it is to be a child, who has a hobby, enjoys a craft, is an enthusiastic collector, plays an instrument or just likes to tell stories. We hope this year, as in previous years, you find something to enjoy by yourself, with friends or with family.”
Coordinated by the Heritage Council since 2005, National Heritage Week has become one of Ireland’s largest cultural events. Last year, more than half a million people attended in excess of 2,200 events across the country, most of which were hosted by communities, volunteers and individuals who champion Ireland’s heritage in its many forms.
All registered events are listed on www.heritageweek.ie.
