Events across Louth for Heritage Week 2024

National Heritage Week, the initiative by the Heritage Council celebrating Ireland’s cultural, built and natural heritage, returns next month, running from 17 – 25 August 2024, with events this year taking place across Louth.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, launched the 25th edition of National Heritage Week on 18 July at Connolly station in Dublin, before travelling by steam train to Drogheda and Beaulieu House in Co Louth.

Coordinated by the Heritage Council, National Heritage Week has become one of Ireland’s largest cultural events. This year’s theme, Connections, Routes, and Networks will explore the many ways we are linked through our heritage – from physical pathways like roads, canals, and trails to cultural ties through family, pastimes, history and traditions.

Since the Heritage Council assumed responsibility for National Heritage Week in 2005, it has grown from a small 500 event to almost 2,000 events last year. The Heritage Council assumed the role of coordinator of National Heritage Week from the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, and since then it has grown into a highly successful programme.

There are many events taking place across Ireland, and Louth, for National Heritage Week. Here are some of the events that will be taking place in Louth this year:

SEEK Urban Arts Walking Tour - 18, 25 August, 2pm - 3:30pm starting at the Market Square, Dundalk. SEEK Urban Arts are hosting two 90-minute walking tours featuring some of the amazing murals in Dundalk. It captures snapshots in time of Dundalk’s rich history and heritage. Learn about the artists and their techniques, and discover the stories behind the pieces they have created. For more information contact Dundalk Tourist Office on 042 9352111 or email [email protected]

Tour of the Hill of Faughart - Old Graveyard and Shrine - 21 August, 6pm - 8pm at Faughart Old Graveyard, Hill of Faughart, Faughart Upper, Co Louth. The Hill of Faughart and its surroundings is an area steeped in history, legend and tradition. 

Local historian Don Johnston, who has extensively researched the many aspects of Faughart history, leads this tour in which he will detail the history of the area and explore the principal features of Faughart Old Graveyard, including St Brigid’s Well, the medieval church, the base of Faughart round tower and the reputed burial place of Edward Bruce. The tour will then continue to the nearby St Brigid’s Shrine, which commemorates Faughart’s long-standing traditional association with the saint.

This event will be held on Wednesday 21 August. Participants should meet at 6.00pm in the carpark beside Faughart Old Graveyard. Booking is not required. Please note that the ground in the graveyard is uneven – suitable footwear is recommended. For further information, contact Co. Louth Archaeological and Historical Society on 086 2377256 or [email protected]

Carlingford Heritage Trust Medieval Festival Launch & Other Events - 17 August, 9am - 5pm; 25 August, 3:30pm - 5:30pm; 25 August, 4pm - 5pm at Carlingford Heritage Centre, Carlingford. Carlingford will be hosting a Medieval Festival mid September, where they will have a Viking Village portraying medieval and viking life and times in an accurate, informative and entertaining manner, including a Viking Long Boat and an artisan food fair.

They will also have during Heritage Week, a Free Photographic Exhibition from all the towns around the Lough, showing what life was like on the Lough in times gone by and daily Town and Castle Tours free of charge for the week. There will also be the annual summer concerts hosted by Zoe Conway & John McIntyre with friends, The Mulcahy Sisters, Bill Wheelan and Cathy Jordan. For more information, contact Carlingford Lough Heritage Trust on 042 9373454 or [email protected]

Free tours of the Abbey by guides in 12th Style Dress - 17, 18, 25 August, 11am - 4pm at Old Mellifont Abbey, Tullyallen, Drogheda, County Louth.

Take a step back in time and find out all about this beautiful site in the company of guides in 12th style costume. Travel through over 900 years of history and archeology and find out about the daily life of a Medieval Monk and the consruction and eventual ruination of the first Cistercian Abbey in Ireland. For more information contact Old Mellifont Abbey, Office of Public Works on 041 9826459 or [email protected].

Guided tours of Rokeby Hall - 17 - 25 August, 10am - 2pm at Grangebellew, Drogheda, Co Louth in association with Historic Houses of Ireland.

Rokeby Hall is an eighteenth-century country house in the Neoclassical style, designed by Thomas Cooley and built by renowned Irish architect Francis Johnston for Richard Robinson, Archbishop of Armagh and Church of Ireland Primate. it is considered to be one of the most significant historic country houses remaining in Co. Louth.

Guided tours of Rokeby Hall and the conservatory will be conducted daily during Heritage Week. Tours start each day at 10.00am, 11.30am and 1.00pm. Tours cost €10 for adults and €5 for children or students. Booking is advised as numbers for each tour are limited. For more details, see the website at https://www.rokeby.ie or contact 086 8644228 or [email protected]

Paint your own Medieval Tile - 18, 25 August, 11am - 3:30pm at Old Mellifont Abbey, Tullyallen, Drogheda, County Louth. 

During excavations of the Abbey beautiful medieval floor tiles were found. Copies have been made of some of these beautiful tiles and this is a chance for visitors to paint and keep their own tile. Tile painting sessions will run throughout the day, places are limited so booking is advised by email [email protected]. For more information contact Old Mellifont Abbey, Office of Public Works, on 0419826459 or [email protected].

Drogheda - Walk and Talk - 21 August, 7:30pm - 8:30pm - Meet at the junction of Georges St and West Street (Near Public Toilets), George's Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth. A walk and talk which will cover aspects of the history of the Laurence Gate, West Gate and Fair Gate Wards of Drogheda including The Municipal Reform Act of 1843, which established these. For further information, contact Drogheda Tidy Towns on 0872320101 or [email protected]

Musical Afternoon at Old Mellifont Abbey - 25 August, 2pm - 3:30pm at Old Mellifont Abbey, Tullyallen, Drogheda, County Louth. Brining Heritage Week 2024 to a close will see the return of the award winning Navan Silver Band to Old Mellifont Abbey. Sit back and enjoy the extensive repertoire of these talented musicians in the glorious setting of the cloister of this beautiful site. For more information contact Old Mellifont Abbey, Office of Public Works.