National Heritage Week has something for every family

National Heritage Week is coming up at the end of the month, running from Friday, August 15 to Sunday, August 23. Actually, the events run for nine days, so it is a sort of Irish week with ‘a tilly for the cat’.

National Heritage Week is now in its 26th year. According to the organisers, and has become Ireland’s largest celebration of built, cultural and natural heritage. Every year, more than 2,500 events take place across the island, attracting almost half a million participants.

The programme includes guided walks, historical tours, biodiversity events, craft demonstrations and family-friendly activities, with most events free to attend.

This year though the overall theme is ‘Heritage at Risk’. The threats to our heritage come from many sources, indifference, prejudice and social change. Anyone involved in the life of their parish, village, town or country will be well aware of this.

But the task is not only of protection, it is one of participation. That aspect depends on people across the country getting involved in what goes on locally. The over-absorption of the rising generation is social media might seem to create an added barrier to participation, but this need not be the case.

A visit to the website of the organisers of Heritage Week will reveal what is going on near every reader of this paper.

There are too many events to pick and choose among them, but families will not be starved of choice. Among them are many with connections to our religious and spiritual traditions, as well as old skills, old games and old places. Participation and involvement are the watchwords of the week. Even the briefest visit to the website will reveal just what a varied and absorbing programme will be on offer.

This is the part of an annual event that local parishes should see their way to taking part in. If the churches do not promote their heritage, no one else will do it for them: don’t leave it all to the overburdened parish clergy.

The Heritage Council publishes online a booklet by Tamlyn McHugh on The Holy Wells of Ireland, which is a useful place to begin an exploration of Ireland’s built religious heritage. It is also available in an Irish language version and as a printed pamphlet.

To contact National Heritage Week, under the auspices of the Heritage Council, telephone 056-777- 0777; or visit the website heritageweek@heritagecouncil.ie.