Easkey heritage event gets award
THE West Sligo village of Easkey has just won a national heritage award for its bucks and thrashers event held last Summer.
A total of nine Heritage Projects scooped prizes at the Heritage Council’s Heritage Awards held last Wednesday.
The awards recognise the fantastic work of the heritage community in Ireland and showcase the best of National Heritage Week. The LEAP ( Living in Easkey and Proud) Project in Easkey was presented with Hidden Heritage Award by Minister Humphreys at the ceremony.
The Bucks & The Thrashers event brought history to life with a street theatre re- enactment of the fued between Thomas Fenton of Castletown Easkey and Major John Hillas of Donecoy in 1816. Scenes of the duel took place along the Easkey river, the subsequent court case was staged in Easkey’s Historical Courthouse followed by a wake that spilled out into the main street.
The Heritage Council was impressed by the attention to detail and imagination shown in staging this event which brought both the community and the diaspora together to engage with a lesser known story in their shared history.
Minister Humphreys TD said: “I would like to congratulate those who work tirelessly to protect and preserve our heritage, are the backbone of the heritage sector.
“As someone who was a member of my own local heritage group I understand the great fulfilment you can achieve by being involved in heritage, but I also understand the huge amount of commitment required. It’s great to see that commitment recognised for so many heritage organisations here today.”
Michael Starrett Heritage Council CEO said: “The common theme among all those being recognised here today is one of dedication to the conservation, protection and promotion of local heritage and community. Through the fantastic platform of National Heritage Week the public has had the opportunity to engage with a range of diverse and unique projects.”