Venues across the county to host events for Heritage Week
THE 2017 PROGRAMME WILL FOCUS ON OUR ABUNDANT NATURAL HERITAGE
WITH Heritage Week 2017 large on the horizon Cork County Council has been busy putting together a comprehensive schedule of more than 150 events set to take place across the county between August 19 -27.
The initiative, which is being co-ordinated in Cork by the council’s heritage unit under the auspices of the Heritage Council, will see events taking place at more than 50 locations, with this year’s focus being on the Rebel County’s natural heritage.
Cork County Council’s heritage officer, Conor Nelligan, said this year the focus will be specifically on our rich and vibrant natural heritage, something that many of us all too often take for granted.
“The aim is to encourage people to learn about and enjoy Ireland’s colourful nature. From urban wildlife tours, to foraging walks to building bee hotels Heritage Week 2017 is about being active, having fund and immersing yourself in our wonderful natural heritage,” said Mr Nelligan.
From Ballincollig to Bantry and from Mallow to Midleton, communities have been busy over the past number of weeks putting the final touches to a comprehensive array of events, details of which can be found by following the link at www. corkcoco.ie/heritage.
A great many of the events that are taking place across the week will be free, with the programme highlighting the abundance of great work carried out by communities across Cork, and indeed the whole country, to preserve our natural, cultural and built heritage.
The north and mid- Cork regions feature extensively on the programme, with a range of events taking place to suit all ages and interests throughout the course of the week.
These will include free daily audio-guide tours of Doneraile Wildlife Park’s stunning Parklands and buildings, with the venue also hosting a kids ‘Mini Best Hunt’ on Sunday, August 20 where they will learn about the tiny creatures all around us and their habitats.
On Saturday, August 19 the Kilmurry Historical & Archaeological Association will host a ‘Hidden Gems’ mystery bus tour of the area, taking participants to historical sites on private lands that are rarely seen by the public.
On the same day Ireland’s largest industrial archaeological site, the Gunpowder Mills in Ballincollig, will hosts a walk offering people the chance to discover how gunpowder was made in the late 19th century.
The Buttevant 700 exhibition, which will be open at the Muintir Na Tire over both weekends of the week, will commemorate the 700th anniversary of the first murage grant of 1317 to encircle the town of Buttevant with stone wall defences.
There will be open air dancing at Laharn Cross, Lombardstown on both Sunday evenings, a guided tour of Newberry (Kilshannig) Graveyard including visit inside the church on Monday and a talk on the story of the River Martin at the Blarney GAA club on Wednesday.
The Kades County in Glenville will host a night of trad music and folklore on Thursday, including a talk by the connections between the village the Clonmult Ambush of 1921, there will be an open day at Annesgrove Castle, Castletownroche on Sunday 27 and a historical tour of Ballingeary on the same day taking in local historical monuments and finishing at Gougane Barra.
Numerous events across the week at the Ballincollig Regional Park
For a full line up of events taking place across Cork, and indeed the whole country, under the banner of Heritage Week 2016 visit www.heritageweek.ie.
It is also worth noting that the Office of Public Works (OPW) will offer the public free access to all of the sites it administers on Sunday, August 27 to mark the conclusion of Heritage Week 2017.