Heritage Week highlights across the county

At a time when the country tentatively is coming to terms with different ways of interacting as a group, it's good news that National Heritage Week has a number of events arranged across the county.

Running from tomorrow (Saturday) August 15 to Sunday, August 23, the scaled-down programme has a number of interesting offerings over the course of the nine days.

The restrictions on international travel mean that, in many instances, people are looking to the wonders that are on their own door step. National Heritage Week highlights much of the marvels that may otherwise be overlooked.

Due to COVID-19-related restrictions on social gatherings this year, rather than inviting communities to host Heritage Week events, the Heritage Council invited communities around the country to undertake projects that explore a topic associated with this year’s theme – ‘Heritage and Education: Learning from our Heritage’.

Most projects are standalone - eg an exhibition of photographs or material. Many of the events are free of charge.

Cavan will be presenting some unique events to preserve and promote our natural, built and cultural heritage; while at the same time complying with social distancing restrictions.

Local highlights

A Dander in the Drumlins is an exploration of the beautiful Drumlin landscape of the townlands of Kilncreeva, Clifferna and Greaghagibney along the L7500.

This is a self-guided tour taking in the local history sites of archaeological, built and cultural significance along the road with accompanying images.

The research into the Fr Gargan's Classical School brings an online project shared publicly as an online presentation via Moybologue Historical Society's social media accounts during National Heritage Week 2020.

Cavan County Museum and Cavan Heritage Office have come together to look at old film and video footage held by Cavan County Museum. It's intended to enable members of the Cavan Community to work on commenting on the various coverage and unlock a treasure trove of memories within the county.

Anke of Bear Essentials, the renowned teddy bear centre in West Cavan, will work with a group of children and demonstrate how to make an Irish Wildlife Animal from start to finish. Anke will tell us a little about the animals, the craft of making the animals.

The biodiversity of boglands in Templeport and Ballyconnell, west Cavan, is being explored by professional ecologists, documented and photographed. The team of the local community group, West Cavan Bogs Association, are producing small films for use online to share with local heritage and community groups, heritage office, Cavan County Council, UNESCO geopark Marble-arch caves, and the Water and Communities programme.

Cavan Golden Way is an initiative for rural communities developed by the Heritage Office of Cavan County Council and supported by the Heritage Council.

The initiative assists local rural communities to identify outstanding country walks in their local areas, it promotes best practice in recording and management of rural heritage features along these rural walks. During National Heritage Week 2020 the project will be made available online. In addition, the resultant artwork will be exhibited.

'Fibre to Flax' is a project detailing the journey of the flax plant, extraction of flax fibre, scutching and spinning and demonstrations of the ancient craft of flax growing on film.

Explore Jampa Ling (place of loving kindness) Golden Way in the company of Desmond Gough, resident of Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre and Geopark ambassador. Jampa Ling Golden Way is a wonderful rural walk on the grounds of Owendoon House built in the 1850's.

Drumgoon Hill Old Graveyard Maintenance and Support Group will create an online video.

The heritage project organisers have reached out to a very willing community to share their photographic images of people and events from the region, and build upon an already established photographic collection of 1100 of named and enlarged images dating from 1900 to 2010.

'Childhood: What Books Taught Me' will focus on the importance of storytelling; a rich part of Irish heritage. This project will explore the role children's literature plays in educating children of all ages.

Project organisers will ask the public to nominate their favourite book from their childhood and provide a short description of what their chosen book has taught them. The project will be hosted online via a photography exhibition showcasing the received submissions.

This is just taste of the events planned for Cavan over the week.

You can find out what’s taking place in the county by visiting heritageweek.ie