The County Donegal Heritage Office, Donegal County Council has compiled the County Donegal ‘Heritage Week’ Event Guide which is a free, pocket-size booklet that outlines 108 Heritage Week events taking place across County Donegal and most of them are free.
National Heritage Week takes place from Saturday, August 20 to Sunday, August 28, 2016 and is coordinated by The Heritage Council and Local Authority Heritage Officers.
The County Donegal Heritage Week Event Guide will be launched by Cllr. Terence Slowey, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council in the County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny on Monday, August 8 at 12 noon.
Event organisers can collect their copies of the County Donegal ‘Heritage Week’ Event Guide at the launch. Everyone is welcome to attend and light refreshments will be served.
The aims of Heritage Week are to raise awareness of our heritage and to encourage its preservation, conservation and promotion.
County Donegal is the county with the most events taking place per head of population and Cultural Services, Donegal County Council has organised, or is hosting 24 of the 108 ‘Heritage Week’ events planned in County Donegal. Events include heritage open days, guided walks, fieldtrips, exhibitions, conferences, illustrated talks, historical re-enactments, birds of prey, whale watching, garden tours, traditional skills demonstrations, craft fairs, skills training, launch events, film screenings, storytelling, traditional music and children’s activities.
“As we commemorate ‘100 Years of Heritage’, people from across County Donegal have come together to organise another great programme of events for National Heritage Week” said Joseph Gallagher, Heritage Officer, Donegal County Council.
He added “Museums, heritage centres, heritage organisations, community groups, individuals and Cultural Services, Donegal County Council have again demonstrated their commitment to conserve and promote our natural, built and cultural heritage. In these challenging times for our heritage, their efforts help to raise awareness, foster interest and generate pride in our heritage, convey our sense of place and identity as well as attract visitors, support jobs and sustain local economies. Credit for the success of ‘Heritage Week’ in County Donegal must go to the people who organise events (many on a voluntary basis) and the communities that support them.
“Last year, the West Inishowen History & Heritage Society scooped the National Heritage Week ‘Cool for Kids’ Award for its family fun day in Buncrana.” At national government level, Heritage is part of the newly-reconfigured Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs. In the new Programme for a Partnership Government, there are commitments to prepare a new National Heritage Plan, to publish the first National Cultural Policy and to strengthen the role of Local Authority Heritage Officers.”
Copies of the County Donegal Heritage Week Event Guide will be available in tourist offices, libraries, public service centres, museums and heritage centres next week and on-line at www.heritageweek.ie or www.donegalcoco.ie/heritage