Heritage Week concludes

THE Clare Heritage Office has reported that hundreds of people have so far attended Heritage Week 2013 events across the county.

More than half of the 80 scheduled events focusing on Clare’s built, natural and cultural heritage will be held between now and Sunday.

Some of the events taking place daily include dolphin watching in the Shannon Estuary (9am-6pm), guided tours of Ennis Friary (10am-5pm), Cliffs of Moher, Discover the Roots of Your Family Name (9am-8pm), Historic Buildings, Gardens and Parks, Feakle (12pm-6pm), Vandeleur Walled Gardens and Exhibition (12pm-4.30pm), Tulla Arts Trail (8am-11pm), Scattery Island tour (10.15am-6pm), Dan Furey Weekend in Labasheeda, and Burren Geopark Heritage Walking Trails (10am-5pm).

This Thursday’s events include the annual Famine Memorial Mass in Tuamgraney (7pm-8pm), a talk on the effectiveness of smart-phone applications in promoting Clare’s heritage at Ennis Town Council (8pm-9.30pm) and Explore Burren Landscapes at Burren Outdoor Education Centre (10am-9pm).

On Friday there will be a guided walk of Templemaley Church and Graveyard and Ballyhee Cutting (7pm-8.30pm), an illustrated talk on renewable energy at De Valera Library (12pm-1.30pm) and a guided walk at Dromaan harbour by wildlife enthusiast Paddy Madden (7pm).

On Saturday, there will be tours of The Merchant’s House, Kilrush (12.30pm-3.30pm), Fossils, Flowers and Farming by the Seashore, Blackhead (2pm-6pm), Killaloe Ballina Heritage Week (10am-6pm), traditional skills at Scariff Community College (1pm-6pm), a treasure hunt and fun with Flowers, Caves and the Seashore, Doolin (11am-1pm) and readings and seminars at The Salmon Bookshop, Ennistymon (10am-6pm).

Heritage Week concludes on Sunday with Mooghaun Family Heritage Day (1pm-5pm), an open day at Loop Head Lightkeeper’s House (10am-4pm), a walking tour of Kilrush Great Famine Sites (2.30pm 5.30pm), a butterfly hunt in the Burren National Park (2pm-3pm) and a tour of the Clare Heritage and Genealogy Centre, Corofin (2-3pm).

Meanwhile, members of the public are being invited to upload their Heritage Week photographs and memories of a specific event to the My Heritage Facebook page or via www.heritageweek.ie. All submissions will automatically be entered into this year’s Event Organiser Awards under the new category, Best Submission to My Heritage.

Clare local authorities and The Heritage Council are coordinating Clare Heritage Week 2013 in conjunction with The Heritage Council, with support from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Fáilte Ireland. Heritage Week is also part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union.