Celebrate culture

Heritage Week highlights 2022

Cavan is set to receive a blast from the past as a celebration of heritage is just around the corner.

Heritage week is set to take place across Ireland from Saturday August 13 to Sunday August 21, when the whole country will celebrate all things Irish culture, from food and drink to old stories, buildings and landscape.

Preparations in the county are in full swing as Cavan communities are coming together to promote the heritage in their area.

Speaking about the upcoming event, Cavan Heritage officer, Anne-Marie Ward said: “We have been noticing from the past that heritage week has been growing from strength to strength.

“There are a lot of interesting heritage week events with many communities organising events from local walks to talks and stuff like that across the whole county. There really is something for everybody.

Ms Ward believes it is incredibly important to celebrate the unique heritage found in our county. “I think that’s very important. I always say it’s an opportunity for people in their own county to become a tourist in their own backyard. It’s the week in which we are given the opportunity to showcase our heritage. We have some fantastic champions of heritage throughout Cavan and it’s a week for them to showcase what they are doing.The fantastic people have organised these events and it's an opportunity for them to showcase their work and their heritage in their local communities.”

Each year, communities are asked to build their event around a specific theme. This year that theme is sustainability.

“The theme of heritage week this year is sustainability, which is very appropriate considering all that is going on with biodiversity and climate change etc.”

Ms Ward spoke passionately about the topic and was thrilled that so many communities across Cavan were supporting the initiative.

“We have encouraged people to embrace our theme of sustainability. The Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark will be doing a practical guide to beekeeping because the bees are in danger. Sandra Coote over at Clarkes of Ireland will be holding an event based on stories and flavours of our past. The whole idea of sustainability is there as well. On Sunday the 21st the Templeport Development Association is going to do an event but part of the event will be looking at cooking traditional recipes using vegetables and fruit from the Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre.”

This is the first year the event has run properly since 2019 when Covid took over the world.

“This is the first year we are fully back to our events-based heritage week. Unfortunately we had a break through covid where we had to stop the event and moved more onto projects but the communities did embrace it to a certain degree.

“Events obviously weren’t taking place so a lot of it was project-based. Many communities took part in these projects and now they are continuing their support of heritage week by running events this year."

For more information on Heritage Week, visit cavanheritage.ie

HERITAGE WEEK HIGHLIGHTS

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13

In the Footprints of the Past

Venue: Rath Church, Killeshandra

5–7pm FREE

300 Years of transformation and growth

Venue: Corravahan House

3–4pm FREE

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14

Shercock Tidy Towns Biodiversity Trail

Venue: Fairhill Shercock Walking Tour (A81 PF88)

3– 5pm FREE

Drumlane Heritage Trail

Venue: Starting from Drumlane Bar carpark loop trail includes Drumlane Abbey

3–5pm FREE

Guide to Beekeeping

Venue: Ballyconnell Recycling Centre (H14 PW18)

12–2pm FREE

Exploring Cavan Burren Forest

Venue: Cavan Burren Park Interpretive Centre, Blacklion

1.30-3.30pm FREE

Local Walk & Music Session

Venue: Forester Hall, Carrickallen, Mountainlodge

7pm FREE

The story behind the Castle

Venue: Castlesaunderson Demense Carpark

11am–12.30 pm FREE

MONDAY, AUGUST 15

Golden Communities – The Heritage of our Places

Venue: Waterloo Mass rock & Holy Well

7– 9pm FREE

Mullagh Historical Walk

Venue: Raffoney Graveyard

6.30pm FREE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16

History Lecture by Monsignor Liam Kelly

Venue: The Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre

7.30–10pm FREE not suitable for children U12

Sustainability and biodiversity of Deerpark Forest

7.30–9pm FREE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17

A Short history of the Coote Family

Venue: Church Street Graveyard, Cootehill

7– 8pm FREE

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18

In the Footprints of the Past

Venue: Drumlane Abbey Carpark

7 – 9pm FREE

Belturbet Railway Museum Traditional Craft Fair

Venue: Belturbet Railway Museum, Belturbet

12–5pm FREE

Mullagh Remembered

Venue: Mullagh Town Hall, Mullagh

7pm FREE

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

Stories and Flavours of our Past

Venue: Crafts of Ireland, Cnoc na Fia, Knocknaveagh, Virginia

3–5pm FREE Booking essential via 086-8205177

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

Music Event

Venue: Belturbet Railway Museum, Belturbet

6pm FREE

Vintage Car Exhibition

Venue: Cavan County Museum, Ballyjamesduff

10am – 5pm FREE

Photo & Film Exhibition

Venue: Carrickallen Community Hall, Mountain Lodge

6–9pm FREE

Deer Park Wild Child

Venue: Deer Park – Rugby Club car park

1– 3.30 pm FREE

Experience the Big Dig

Venue: Cavan Burren Park, Burren, Blacklion

11am – 5.30pm FREE

Heritage Week Treasure Trail

Venue: Turbet Island Carpark, Kilconny, Belturbet (H14 FN23)

1– 4pm │ FREE

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21

Butterflies and Moths

Venue: Castle Saunderson main carpark

2–3pm FREE

Clan McCabe International Rally

Venue: Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell

3–6pm FREE

In the Footprints of the Past

Venue: Car Park, Keepers Arms, Bawnboy

3– 5pm FREE

AUGUST 13-20

Reeling in the Years

Venue: Gallonray House, Gallonreagh, Maudabawn

AUGUST 13-21

Corravahan House: Architecture & History

corravahan@gmail.com 087 9772224

Booking €10 (€5 Concession)

Free Railway Museum tour

Venue: Belturbet, 12–5pm daily