Events taking place across Inishowen to mark National Heritage Week

A wide range of events exploring Inishowen’s heritage, culture, history and environment will take place across the peninsula to mark National Heritage Week.

Events take place across the country from August 17 to 25 and this year’s theme invites people to explore the ways they are connected to each other through physical or cultural connections.

The first Inishowen event of the week takes place on 17 and 18 August in Carndonagh where there will be an exhibition of old school essays and photographs of the town as well as a book sale as part of an event titled Carndonagh: Communication and Heritage down the years.

On Sunday there will be a guided tour of some local landmarks which are of historical interest.
That same Sunday there will be an excursion to Inishtrahull, Ireland's most Northerly island.

The excursion leaves from Bunagee. This journey offers a unique opportunity to explore shared ecosystems and understand how water connects rather than separates. Hear stories of the connections from Bunagee to Scotland, the role of the water in our early medieval history.

In Fahan there will be a walk and talk through over a thousand years of history. This will take place in the cemetery on August 21 and 25. The graveyard contains the burial place of Agnes Jones, a contemporary of Florence Nightingale, and a nursing pioneer in her own right.

On Thursday, August 23 at Lagg Presbyterian Church Car Park from 6pm to 8pm, there is an evening exploring Donegal and its nature in time and space.

This event features two thought-provoking presentations into the dynamic natural world of Donegal. Caroline Carr from Donegal County Museum will present Donegal Weather Through the Ages, offering a fascinating look at weather patterns that have shaped the region.

Following this, Aengus Kennedy will discuss Inishowen Ecosystems and Their Connections, providing a deeper understanding of the intricate relationships within our local environment and ecosystems connecting us to others.

The second weekend is the busier of the two. In Moville alone there will be seven different walks taking place throughout the Saturday. Each one offers a different insight into the area’s built and natural heritage under the heading The Moville Heritage Experience.

In Clonmany that weekend the Clonmany Genealogy and Heritage Group will host an event entitled Cures, Remedies and Old Wives Tales in the Market House, Clonmany.
This event is a celebration of the healing power of plants, as well as shining a light on important medical roles played by women in Irish rural society before access to modern medical practices became available.

The project also looks at traditional cures mentioned in Irish folklore and in local legends, and examines why some individuals were believed to hold almost magical curative powers. Sometimes it is believed cures can be achieved by prayer, by undergoing a pilgrimage or by visiting a sacred place, such as a Holy Well.

Greencastle will be hosting a talk on the Spanish Armada which landed in Kinnagoe Bay. Former diver David Atherton will give a talk on The Spanish Armada. David himself was one of the divers involved in the recovery of artefacts from La Trinidad Valencera which was run aground at Kinnagoe Bay in 1588.

There will be two events in Malin Head on Sunday. The first is an exhibition of connections through stories of music and dancing and the weather gathered by local primary school pupils. They will have displays of old letters home from emigrants, travelling trunks, radios with wet and dry batteries, old phones and the Marconi Station at the Tower.

There is also a guided heritage talk and walking tour that delve into the profound influence of water on the natural and cultural heritage of Ireland’s most northerly point. William McElhinney, local marine guide, will provide an entertaining, personal and insightful dialogue into exploring how water has shaped the lives, traditions, natural and cultural environment of Malin Head over centuries and how we continue to be influenced by water.

The final event of the week will take place in Buncrana where people can learn about the moths that are found in this area - when the moth trap is opened and also hear about what bats we have locally.

Many of the events that take place during the week are free and some events may require booking.
To find out more information about every event, you can check out the National Heritage Week website, www.heritageweek.ie.