Exploring Our Foundations: Some Must-See Events for National Heritage Week

FROM FELT MAKING TO HISTORIC BUILDING TOURS, THIS YEAR’S HERITAGE WEEK INVITES YOU TO RECONNECT WITH IRELAND’S HERITAGE ACROSS THE REGION.

National Heritage Week returns from 16th–24th August, and this year’s theme, Exploring Our Foundations, highlights the deep-rooted cultural, natural, and built traditions that shape Ireland today. Find all events happening across Ireland on heritageweek.ie.

Here is just a sample of events you can experience across Ireland for National Heritage Week:

18 Ormond Quay Upper – An 1840s Merchant House
21st / 22nd August
A specialist tour of a restored Georgian merchant’s townhouse in central Dublin, led by the Civic Trust.

135th Museum Anniversary Tour with Royal Irish Academy & National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology
22nd August
A curator‑led tour of the Royal Irish Academy and archaeology collections at Kildare Street—ideal for those interested in national institutions and history.

Altidore Castle Guided House Tours
16th – 24th August
Part of the Heritage Open Doors initiative that see historic properties across Ireland open their doors for National Heritage Week, Altidore Castle will offer tours of this splendid early 18th century house.

Dark Side of The Custom House
17th – 24th August
Explore the history of the Custom House that you might be familiar with. Learn some of these stories in this tour of James Gandon’s designed building.

Enhancing Conservation at Crawford Art Gallery
19th August
Learn the story of the conservation of a true national treasure; The Goose Girl (1888), a much-loved oil painting by Edith Somerville in the collection of Crawford Art Gallery.

Fiadhúlra sa Pháirc (Bilingual Biodiversity Tour of Phoenix Park)
21st / 24th August
Guided tour in both Irish and English focusing on the biodiversity and heritage of Dublin’s largest public park at Phoenix Park Biodiversity Centre.

Discover the Lesser Horseshoe Bat
19th August
A number of bat walks take place around the country for National Heritage Week. This one in Galway focuses on the Lesser Horseshoe bat and its habitat in Coole Park, once the home of Lady Gregory.

Seán Ronayne, Dawn Chorus Walk
17th August
Renowned Cork-born ornithologist and sound recordist Seán Ronayne leads a dawn chorus walk at Townley Hall Woods to learn more about the beauty and wonder of Irish nature through sound and story.

For more events across Ireland during National Heritage Week visit heritageweek.ie