HERITAGE WEEK: Huge array of events all across Offaly for Heritage Week

All over Offaly preparations are being made to welcome you to explore a wide range of heritage sites and topics during this year’s National Heritage Week. There are over 60 events in Offaly and the vast majority of them are free!

You can pick up a County Offaly Heritage Week brochure of events in your local library – or check online on www.heritageweek.ie for full details of events listed below. Some events do require booking so don’t delay!

Many of the events are hosted by communities and provide a unique insight into the heritage of their area, many joined by experts sharing their perspectives. Sincere thanks to all those involved in hosting events.

The theme this year the national theme is ‘Exploring our Foundations’.

A key feature of Heritage Week is finding out about aspects of heritage that you may not have noticed or come across; learning more about them with experts or exploring and researching new areas.

Three good examples of this are the walking tour of Tullamore’s ‘Benchmarks, Post boxes and more’ with Richard Jack as one of Offaly History’s events. This starts in O’Connor Square at 11am on Saturday 23^rd for two hours’ walk. The second is viewing for wonderful St Manchan’s Shrine in Boher Church with Kevin O’Dwyer, metalsmith, sculptor and co-author of the book on St Manchan’s Shrine, starting at 3pm on Saturday 23rd; and then on Sunday 24^th Bracknagh Heritage Society are collecting field names with their project ‘Grassroots, What’s in a Name?’ from 2.30pm to 5pm in Bracknagh Community Hall.

Get Booking!

Carrigeen farmhouse has been hugely popular for Heritage Week over the years and this year they are hosting Carrigeen Crochet morning on Saturday 16^th. In the afternoon of the 16^th and Sunday 17^th, the family are hosting farmhouse tours and on Sunday from 5pm there is a traditional music evening. Booking is required for all these events with annemaria.egan@gmail.com

In 2024 conservation work was carried out on a cart house near Ferbane, the owner is kindly sharing his story at 11am on Saturday 17th – booking essential with kgray@offalycoco.ie

Last year, Tullamore Courthouse opened its doors for tours for Heritage Week and it was rapidly booked out. They are hosting tours in 2025 on Monday 18^th to Wednesday 20^th from 11am – book with kgray@offalycoco.ie

The Tullamore Masonic Lodge is offering a tour on Wednesday at 6.30pm and Saturday 23^rd at 1.30pm to learn more about their traditions.

The 18^th century Springfield House near Daingean is open this year on Friday 22^nd (2pm) and Saturday 23^rd (3pm). Book with muireannnoonan@gmail.com

Exploring outdoors

The Native Woodland Trust have a reserve in Forelacka, on the Camcor upstream from Kinnitty They are meeting at the Kinnitty Looped Walk Trail head at 10.30am on Saturday 16^th for a guided tour – it is on uneven ground so sturdy footwear and agility are required!

Clara Bog Visitor Centre is hosting a walk focusing on identifying trees and exploring their folklore and myths at Doory Wood at 6pm on Tuesday 19^th and arts and crafts in the visitor centre. Book for both events with claraguides@npws.gov.ie

Many people may know the walk upstream of the Silver River from Cadamstown – however few will be familiar with the geological details and Sunday 17^th is a great opportunity for a 4-5 hour walk with geologist, John Feehan – book with heritage@offalycoco.ie

Tullamore Town Park and Wetlands will be explored with biodiversity officer, Ricky Whelan on Tuesday 19^th at 10am.

The fisherman’s path along the Camcor from Birr upstream has been opened for walkers who can now continue through Syngefield Demesne, past the ruins of Clonoghill Castle and back into town. This looped walk has been developed by Birr 2020 who invite you to join them on this walk on Wednesday 20^th at 6pm.

On Sunday 24^th Ricky Whelan, biodiversity officer, leads a walk at Derryounce Lakes starting at 10am for a leisurely stroll. That afternoon Ballycumber Tidy Towns celebrate their heritage focusing on bats and bridges – meeting at 2pm.

Nature photographer Tina Claffey is hosting a small field photography session at Killaun Bog near Birr with limited spaces – book with kgray@offalycoco.ie

Monastic Sites and Burial Grounds

Exploring the Foundations of Rahan Monastic site and St Carthage’s church will be led by archaeologist Caimin O’Brien and hosted by Tullamore Union of Parishes from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 16^th August.

Clonmacnoise Monastic site is internationally famous and is free to visit on Saturday 16^th August. This year they are also offering an Irish Sign Language Tour on Saturday 23^rd at 12.45pm – book with clonmacnoise@opw.ie

Stephen Callaghan will lead a guided tour explaining the carving and symbols on the memorials in the graveyard at Seir Kieran Church of Ireland / Monastic site on Saturday 23^rd at 11am. This is the subject of a forthcoming book by Stephen. Book with kgray@offalycoco.ie

Considerable work has been done over the past decade to conserve and present Killoughey graveyard and church. On Sunday 17^th at 2pm the new information board map showing the location of the graves will be unveiled.

In the Roman Catholic church of St Brendan in Birr an event to mark the conservation of the stained-glass window of St Brendan, the founder of Birr’s monastic site, is on at 2.30pm on Monday 18^th.

The church railings at Liss Graveyard near Ballycumber are being conserved with phase one completed in 2024 and phase 2 in progress. On Friday 22^nd at 4pm conservation architect Richard McLoughlin and blacksmith Brendan St. John will describe the challenges of the project.

The Lemanaghan Heritage and Conservation group have teamed up with the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland for walks, talks and kite flying at Lemanaghan monastic site commencing at 12noon on Saturday 23^rd at Lemanaghan and proceeding to the Granary at Boher Church. You are then invited to St Manchan’s church in Boher at 3.00pm to explore St Manchan’s Shrine with metalsmith and author Kevin O’Dwyer.

Towns and Villages

Geashill is always a joy to meander through, on Monday 18^th at 7pm there will be an hour long walk around the village noting features of interest to mark the launch of a new audio guide.

Clara Heritage has a great tradition of embracing Heritage Week and this year they invite you to explore the Marconi Dickensian Mile: Presentation and Walking Tour, meeting at 6.30pm on Tuesday 19^th August. They are hosting a second event ‘The Brosna River, Past Present and Future’, focused on its impact on Clara, on Wednesday 20^th at 7pm. Then on Thursday 21^st The History of Clara’s Colourful Educational Journey will be presented at 7pm. On Tuesday 19^th at 10am the embroidery project inspired by Anne Jellicoe and the Goodbody family will be explored through an exhibition and meeting the artists and participants. All events are in the new venue at the Old Bank.

The guided tours of Daingean Heritage Trail were popular in 2024 and it is a great way to glean information about the town – tours are on Wednesday 20^th at 7pm and Saturday 23^rd at 3pm. The tour on Wednesday is followed by a talk on the history of the Canal Store in Daingean in the Town Hall at 8.30pm.

The Crotty Schism of Birr is an unusual story and will be discussed at Crotty’s Church on Castle Street in Birr at 11am on Thursday 21^st.

On Saturday 16^th (families) and 17^th (individuals) the Tin jug Studio in Birr is hosting a Mini Museums of Birr Workshop where you can design your own miniature museum. Book with info@tinjugstudio.com

Exhibitions and talks

Offaly Libraries are hosting a range of exhibitions and talks. On display in Edenderry library is the Shirone Gown recreated in 2024; Storytelling Homes exhibition is on in Tullamore Library featuring the work of the Tullamore Chatters and Matters group; Birr library hosts the Leinster Regiment Memorabilia Exhibition. On Wednesday 20^th Tullamore Library host arts and crafts for 6–9-year-olds. The same day there is a Finding your Roots workshop in Tullamore, Clara and Banagher.

Hosted by Tullamore Library, the Midland Strings group will perform ‘To and Fro, From Chicago to Offaly’ on Thursday 21^st from 6.30pm to 7.30pm playing music by Irish fiddler and composer Liz Carroll.

Offaly History have a display of History in Bottles used by the Williams and Egan firms from the collection of Noel Guerin and Pat Doheny. This will be open on Saturday 23^rd and Sunday 24^th from 1.00 to 5.00pm.

On Thursday 21^st – Offaly Libraries are hosting three honeybee pollinator workshops in Clara, Ferbane and Kilcormac where children become beekeepers with an educational honeybee.

In the evening Tullamore Library host Our Musical Heritage, Folksongs with Ruairí Ó Sé from 6.30pm to 7.30pm

The Banagher Bronte group have arranged three days (16^th -18^th) of Celebrating the Bronte connection with Banagher – register with www.banagerbrontegroup.com. The final day on Monday 18^th Offaly History are ‘Balloonamania Belles and the Brontes’ morning (from 11am to 2pm) including a musical recital by the Banagher Bronte Ensemble, launch of ‘Let me In: The Brontes in Bricks and Mortar’ by Ann Dinsdale and Sharon Wright; followed by a talk on early female balloonists by Sharon Wright and a screening of Dr Maebh O’Regan’s film on Charlotte Bronte’s marriage settlement. Offaly Heritage Centre has an open afternoon the same Monday and Thursday 21^st for those who want to explore the library and research facilities.

James Larrigy’s Farm Machinery collection at the Auld Haggert near the Well, is open from 2pm to 6pm daily from Wednesday 20^th to Sunday 24^th

The Rosse Historical Astronomical Drawings are available to view free of charge in the Copper Gallery in Birr Castle Demesne – and childrens’ astronomy creative workshops are free (booking required) on Tuesday 19^th August at 10am and 11.30am.

Check on www.heritageweek.ie for their new mapping tool to see events near you.

Heritage Week is a joint programme with the Heritage Council with events co-ordinated by the heritage team in Offaly County Council. We would like to acknowledge all the community groups, individuals and organisations who are hosting events.