More than 40 events to mark Heritage Week

ANTICIPATION is high as the county gears up for National Heritage Week, starting on Saturday and ending August 28. 
It promises to be an exciting week in Clare, with more than 40 events taking place throughout the county, celebrating, exploring and reliving our indigenous culture and ethos.
A special effort has been made this year to involve children under 12, with a family activity trail in Dromore Wood and create-a-clay-pot with Scariff Library or Ballymorris Pottery taking place. The majority of events are also free.
A wide range of activities are planned for each day, covering topics such as artist impressions and renewable energy. There are tours, including of Scattery Island and Scarriff Community Garden, as well as venues such as Dromoland Castle, Michael Cusack Centre and the recently opened Loop Head Lighthouse open to visit. Participants can research their genealogy and attend an array of history presentations on diverse topics such as The Holocaust and The Book of Kells. Nature lovers can go bird and bat watching, hear a talk on the spirit of the Burren and learn about medicinal herbs in Clare.
Pat Hayes, chairman of the Clare Heritage Forum and Mayor of Clare, acknowledged, the effort made by landowners and Heritage organisations throughout Clare. “Not just during Heritage Week,” he said, “but for all the local action and activities achieved throughout the year. The participants in Heritage Week work tirelessly to showcase the county’s heritage and make our towns and villages special and unique places to live in and visit. Heritage is the basis of our leisure and tourism industry and will be a key asset in our national recovery.”
Throughout the week, De Valera Public Library in Ennis will be hosting an event called The Power of Civil Society: The Fate of Jews in Bulgaria during library hours from Monday until September 17. Scarriff Public Library will host a session for children aged nine to 12 on August 25 at 3pm, where an archaeologist will teach how to create and decorate a clay pot used by our ancestors.
This Saturday will also see the age-old tradition of storytelling celebrated as part of National Tell Tale Day.
Conor Newman, Heritage Council chairman said, “Storytelling is a tradition that for many of us has been lost due to a lack of time and an over-reliance on technology. The simple act of telling a tale brings an added dimension to our sense of place, connecting us to our landscape and historic sites, as they are brought to life,” he said.
To enter the National Heritage Week Tell Tale Storytelling Competition, simply record an audio or video file of your tale or memory about your favourite place, favourite folk tale or fictional story about Irish or European heritage and send it to heritageweektelltale@gmail.com. Stories can be recorded on a smart phone or camera. Those entering should give their story a title and state which age group they are entering and should be no more than three to five minutes in length. The competition is open to those 15 years and older. The competition closes on Tuesday, September 13.
Information on Heritage Week in Clare is available on the Clare County Council website and Clare.ie and in your local library. Details on other events taking place in Clare libraries during the week are also available on www.clarelibrary.ie or by phoning 065 6821616.
Get an update of events on line at www.heritageweek.ie or callsave 1850 200 878 for any queries.