Whale watching, 13th Northburg Castle and Beefest in Inishowen for Donegal Heritage Week

The wild landscapes, stunning nature and ancient sites of Inishowen will feature strongly in the forthcoming Donegal Heritage Week with dozens of evetns taking place across the county.
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Northburg Castle, Inishowen Head, Malin Head, Carrowmena, Dunree and numerous other places of historical and ecological interest will be among the locations focused on.

National Heritage Week takes place from this Saturday, August 13 until Sunday, August 21 and there are about 60 free events taking place across County Donegal as well as some digital projects on-line.

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“It’s wonderful to see the return to in-person events after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer.

Some of the people who attended the lunchtime event for Heritage Week event organisers in the County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny on Friday, August 5.  National Heritage Week starts on Saturday, August 13 and runs until Sunday, August 21.Some of the people who attended the lunchtime event for Heritage Week event organisers in the County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny on Friday, August 5.  National Heritage Week starts on Saturday, August 13 and runs until Sunday, August 21.
Some of the people who attended the lunchtime event for Heritage Week event organisers in the County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny on Friday, August 5. National Heritage Week starts on Saturday, August 13 and runs until Sunday, August 21.

“The continued success of Heritage Week in County Donegal is due to those people who organise events for Heritage Week and those people who support them.

“This year’s theme is Sustainable Heritage and the concept of sustainability is explored through our natural, built and cultural heritage. There are a variety of activities planned including guided walks, heritage site visits, fieldtrips, heritage open houses, exhibitions, illustrated presentations, workshops, launch events, storytelling, historical re-enactments, children’s activities and traditional skills demonstrations.”

The National Heritage Week website aincludes a ‘My Events Trail’ facility on the Heritage Week website that allows people to highlight the events that you’d like to attend which they can then print out, e-mail or share on social media.

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National Heritage Week is an integral part of European Heritage Days, which is celebrated in over 40 countries across Europe. It is coordinated by The Heritage Council & Local Authority Heritage Officers with support from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

A Whale Watching event will be held at Inishowen Head above Stroove. (Photo: Brendan McDaid, Derry Journal.)A Whale Watching event will be held at Inishowen Head above Stroove. (Photo: Brendan McDaid, Derry Journal.)
A Whale Watching event will be held at Inishowen Head above Stroove. (Photo: Brendan McDaid, Derry Journal.)

EVENTS IN NORTH WEST

Sunday, August 14: Beefest 2 talks and demonstrations organised by Boomtreebees in Tullyarvan Mill, Buncrana from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; A Walk through 1400 Years of History with Colm Ó Tuathaláin starting in car park at St. Mura’s Church of Ireland, Fahan at 3 p.m.

Monday, August 15: Lifford Old Courthouse Open Day in The Diamond, Lifford from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; St. Lugadius’ Church of Ireland Open Day in Lifford from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tuesday, August 16: Ards Friary Nature Walk & Talk with Aengus Kennedy from NatureNorthWest sponsored by Local Authority Waters Programme at Ards Friary car park, Creeslough at 11 a.m. Booking essential.; Unveiling of plaque to commemorate poet William Joseph Gallagher by Raymochy Historic Society at Raymochy Old Graveyard, Manorcunningham at 7 p.m.

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Wednesday, August 17: A walk through 1400 Years of History with Colm Ó Tuathaláin starting at the car park at St. Mura’s Church of Ireland, Fahan at 3 p.m.; Storytelling Evening in memory of Dermot McLaughlin organised by Fort Dunree Museum at 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Thursday, August 18: Kinny Cally Hall Restoration Project Celebration Event at St. Johnston & Carrigans Family Resource Centre, Chapel Lane, St. Johnston at 7 p.m.; Historical Guided Tour of Manorcunningham Village organised by the Raymochy Historical Society starting at the Manorcunningham Resource Centre at 7 p.m.

Friday, August 19: History of the Church of the Sacred Heart Graveyard, Carndonagh organised by the Colgan Heritage Committee in Colgan Hall, Carndonagh from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday, August 20: History of the Church of the Sacred Heart Graveyard, Carndonagh organised by the Colgan Heritage Committee in Colgan Hall, Carndonagh from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Whale Watch Ireland at Inishowen Head, Inishowen Peninsula with Brendan Farren meeting at the Inishowen Head Tower car park at 2 p.m.; Malin Head Heritage Exhibition organised by Malin Head Heritage Group at Malin Head Community Hall, Malin Head from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission: Adults €2, children free.

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Sunday, August 21: Celebration of the recent visit by the US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin to her ancestral home, hosted by Liam Mc Dermott at Carrowmenagh Community Centre, Carrowmenagh at 2 p.m.; Malin Head Heritage Exhibition organised by Malin Head Heritage Group at Malin Head Community Hall, Malin Head from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Admission: Adults €2, children free.

Digital Project: How the Normans built Northburgh Castle in 1305, an on-line presentation by Northburgh Castle Conservation Group.

Full details of all events across Donegal can be found website at: www.heritageweek.ie

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