Events taking place across Louth for National Heritage Week

^{ABOVE: The last two known living Traveller Tinsmiths Tom McDonnell (left) and James Collins are joined by Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan and Heritage Council CEO, Virginia Teehan to announce the launch of National Heritage Week 2023 at their workshop in Finglas, Dublin. PHOTO: Mark Stedman} 

A number of events are set to take place across Louth this August as part of National Heritage Week, which takes place from 12 to 20 August 2023.

The Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, last week launched National Heritage Week 2023, at the workshop of Tom McDonnell and James Collins, two of the last remaining men practicing the dying trade of Traveller tinsmithing.

National Heritage Week is a nine-day celebration of Ireland’s natural, built and cultural heritage. The main aim of the week is to promote awareness of our heritage, thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation. It is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union.

The theme for National Heritage Week 2023 is "Living Heritage". This theme is centered around the practices, knowledge and skills that have been passed from one generation to the next, and are still in use today. 

Anybody interested in hosting an event or a digital project can register it up to the beginning  of National Heritage Week on August 12th and even during the week itself right up until the  final day on Sunday August 20. They can do so via the Organisers’ Portal  on www.heritageweek.ie. 

Nine different events are taking place across Louth during this year's National Heritage Week, from Cooley in north Louth to Drogheda in the south of the county. Here are some details on each:

Afternoon walking tour of Ardee

Taking place on 20 August from 2.30pm - 4.30pm, starting from Old St Mary's Catholic Church (across from Present Catholic Church), John Street, Ardee, with tour leaders John Rafferty and Seamus Roe.

The tour will take in: Old St Mary's Church - including the interior; The Irish Volunteer Memorial - (Patrick Tierney and Sean Carroll); St Mary's graveyard and Chantry College; Cappocksgreen (part of the townwall); Some other stops to be confirmed.

For further information, contact County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society on 086 2377256 or secretaryclahs@gmail.com.

Free guided tour of Old Mellifont Abbey by guides in 12th Century dress style

Taking place on 13 & 20 August from 10.30am - 4.30pm at Old Mellifont Abbey, Tullyallen, Drogheda, A92K682. Join the guides in 12th century style dress as they bring you on a journey through 900 years of history and archaeology. Learn about the history of the first Cistercian Abbey in Ireland founded by St. Malachy of Armagh in 1142.

Find out about conspiracies and treaties, monks and armies, and everything you ever wanted to know about the daily life of a medieval monk. Guided tours are free of charge and run throughout the day.

For further information, contact Old Mellifont Abbey, Office of Public Works on 041 9826459 or mellifontabbey@opw.ie.

Hooley Booley Cooley

A series of events in a weekend celebration of living heritage taking place at Mullaghbouy Hall and Ravensdale Hall on 18, 19, 20 August.

18 August: 

• Hill Walk experience of a Hooley Booley in Cooley - Exploring the tradition of booleying & stone heritage with Derek Watters, arriving to Mullaghbuoy Hall. 9km walk. Transport included, departing at 9am. Deep tread supportive walking footwear and layered clothing essential for all walks. No dogs allowed on walks.
• Basket Making Workshop 10am -5pm (demonstration only as workshop full).
• Celebration of Living Heritage at Mullaghbuoy Hall from 10.30am to 5pm. Demonstrations include bread and butter making; recollections; exhibitions; music & dance; traditional hospitality – free event.
• Stone Heritage of the Cooley Mountains Survey Project. An introduction to the Heritage Council Funded Survey at 2pm.
• Film viewing: The Mountains Of Cooley - Stone Heritage Placenames & Old Mountain Roads at 3pm.
• Baskets of Hope - tradition of women carrying goods to markets with Seamus Murphy.
• Mullaghbuoy Ceili Set Dance at 7.30pm, with music by Temple House Duo Ceili Band. Sets called By Padraig Mc Eneaney. Supper served in Mullaghbuoy Hall. Cost - €10.

19 August:

• Heritage Hill Walk: Lisnachiggle from Bronze age to Booleying Warrior Walks – Ravensdale 5km walk at 11am. Cost €10. Deep tread supportive walking footwear and layered clothing essential for all walks. No dogs allowed on walks.
• House Ceili: Experience a traditional Irish gathering – story & craic with Cornamucklagh story teller & historian Seamus Murphy visits Glenmore. Free family friendly event at 7pm.

20 August:

• Dancing at Lughnasa. Closing event - a remembrance of the harvest dancing & circle dance experience with Stephanie O’Hanlon in Ravensdale Hall at 2.30pm. Cost - €10.

For more information, see the Cooley Connect Well Facebook page here or email: cooleyconnectwellbeing@gmail.com or phone 083 3924117. 

Paint your own Mellifont Abbey Medieval Tile

On 13 and 20 August from 11am - 3:30pm at Old Mellifont Abbey, Tullyallen, Drogheda, A92K682. Free of charge.

Beautiful Medieval floor tiles were found in the site excavations of Old Mellifont Abbey. Copies were made of some of the more striking examples. This is your chance to decorate your own copy and the tile will be yours to take away. Places are limited and must be booked ahead of time. Please email mellifontabbey@opw.ie. 

For further information contact Old Mellifont Abbey, Office of Public Works, on  0419826459 or mellifontabbey@opw.ie or see the Old Mellifont Abbey Facebook page here.

Perspectives at Droichead Art Centre

Part of the FuturePastPresent project. The event will include guest speakers talking about the built heritage of Drogheda through the prism of their unique experience and expertise.

Speakers will include: Architect Grainne Shaffrey will review and share her findings on the Drogheda Town Centre Urban Design Framework, originally devised by Grainne for Louth County Council in 2014.

Alison Harvey of the Heritage Council will share her experience of town regeneration through heritage-led processes.

Artist and Model Maker, Nathan Wheeler will also speak on his involvement in the national campaign against the blight of dereliction in towns and villages across the country.

Booking can be made here. For more information, contact Upstate Theatre Project on 041 9844227 or email admin@upstate.ie.

Rokeby Hall House Tours

From 12 to 20 August between 10am and 2pm at Rokeby Hall, Grangebellew, Drogheda, A92 HX52. Rokeby Hall, a member of Historic Houses of Ireland, will be open for guided tours daily during Heritage Week.

Rokeby Hall is a Neoclassical country house built in 1786 for Richard Robinson, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of the Church of Ireland. Rokeby was initially designed by Thomas Cooley, but the construction and final detailing were executed by renowned Irish architect Francis Johnston. Rokeby is an elegant building with beautiful exterior and interior detailing which remains largely unchanged to this day.

The house is a testament to the architects and the skilled craftsmen of the Georgian era. It is one of the most significant historic country houses remaining in Co. Louth and is rated of National importance in Ireland's inventory of architectural heritage. 

Guided tours of the house will be run daily at 10am, 11am, 12noon, and 1pm. Tours cost €10 for adults and €5 for children and students.

Booking is not required but is advisable, especially for Saturdays and Sundays. Tours may be booked by emailing info@rokeby.ie. For further information, contact Jean Young on 086 8644228 or email info@rokeby.ie.

Tours and Garden Visits of Beaulieu House in Association with Historic Houses of Ireland

Taking place from 14 to 20 August at 1pm and 3pm at Beaulieu House, Drogheda, A92 PD3R. 

Located just outside Drogheda, Beaulieu has long been considered Ireland’s most important surviving 17th century house. Its estate, which overlooks the estuary of the River Boyne, has existed for more than 800 years.

In the hands of the same family for 11 generations, the Artisan-Mannerist-style Beaulieu has never been sold but has passed from mother to daughter on numerous occasions.

Guided tours of the house at 1pm and 3pm. Tours can be booked here. The garden is also open for self-guided visits with no booking necessary (free but donation accepted). 

For more information, contact Beaulieu House/Historic Houses of Ireland on 041 9838557 or email beaulieu.house.garden@gmail.com. 

Tours of Barmeath Castle and Gardens in association with Historic Houses of Ireland

Taking place from 12 to 20 August from 9am to 1pm at Barmeath Castle, Togher, Dunleer.

Home to the Bellew family since the 12th century, Barmeath Castle was built in around 1770 on the site of a previous medieval tower house.

Designed by the visionary architect Thomas Wright, Barmeath's extensive rococo pleasure grounds include an ornamental lake, a rustic bridge, an archery ground and an unusually large four-acre walled garden.

Enjoy conducted tours during Heritage Week in association with Historic Houses of Ireland. For further details and exact times, please phone 041 6851205 or email admin@ihh.ie in advance.

Future Past Present Interactive LEGO workshop

On 19 August from 10am - 5pm at Droichead Art Centre, Barlow House, Drogheda, A92CPF9. Join Jessica Farrell, Ireland’s leading professional LEGO® Brick Artist, for a family workshop to explore Drogheda's built heritage.

The workshop is a fun and interactive way for families to express their wishes and views on the built heritage of Drogheda town centre.

Using an interactive, hands-on, microscale model of an area in Drogheda town centre, built entirely from LEGO bricks, with the purpose of enabling local families, young people and all, to make representation of their hopes & desires on the town’s Built Heritage.

All materials are provided. Suitable for ages 8+. Booking is highly recommended and can be done here. For further information contact Upstate Theatre Project on 041 9844227 or admin@upstate.ie. 

Coordinated by the Heritage Council since 2005, National Heritage Week has become one of Ireland’s largest cultural events, celebrating Ireland's built, natural and cultural heritage and aiming to generate awareness, appreciation and preservation of our resources. 

The National Lottery and Fáilte Ireland are joined by the Office of Public Works (OPW), the Irish Landmark Trust, and the Local Authority Water Programme as partners of National  Heritage Week 2023. At county level, National Heritage Week is co-ordinated and supported  by local authority heritage officers, their colleagues and with numerous local heritage groups and organisations.