National Heritage Week 2022 will take place this year from 13- 21 August and is coordinated nationally by The Heritage Council in partnership with Local Authority Heritage Officers.
Heritage Week 2022
Countdown on for Heritage Week in Sligo
At the launch of Heritage Week 2022 at City Hall, Sligo were (Left to Right) Frank Moylan A/DOS SCC, Martin Lydon Chief Executive SCC, Cllr. Tom MacSharry Mayor Borough District of Sligo, Cllr. Donal Gilroy Chairperson Sligo Heritage Forum and Siobhán Ryan Heritage Officer SCC.
Heritage Week 2022 is a nationwide celebration of our natural, built and cultural heritage and is all about engaging with heritage to create a more resilient world, enhancing sustainability and biodiversity. Heritage Week is an opportunity to build awareness and enjoyment of our heritage thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation.
Last year, in response to public health guidelines relating to COVID-19, National Heritage Week continued with a hybrid model, inviting heritage enthusiasts to create both digital projects and organise small in-person events. Project organisers met this challenge with great innovation and creativity, producing over 1000 heritage projects nationally — ensuring that National Heritage Week remained a vibrant celebration of Ireland’s heritage.
This year, the Heritage Council is delighted to welcome the full return of in-person events, as well as continuing to showcase digital heritage projects, which proved so popular over the last two years.
Siobhan Ryan, Heritage Officer with Sligo County Council outlined, ‘We are encouraging everyone to support the efforts of the many individuals and groups who have organised events for National Heritage Week in County Sligo.’ She added ‘The success of Heritage Week is wholly dependent on all the event organisers across the county, who are enthusiastic, committed and volunteer their time in order to make Heritage Week in Sligo the great success it is. Without their interest, hard work and voluntary commitment this week would not be possible.
National Heritage Week projects can involve creating something new, such as developing research about a particular place in your locality, organising a new community event or developing an oral history collection. Projects can also involve revisiting or building on a heritage project that you have already worked on, such as showcasing research you have carried out on a monument, waterway or traditional skill, and finding new ways to grow awareness of it.
It’s not too late to get involved in Heritage Week 2022. Events and completed digital projects can still be uploaded via the organiser’s portal at www.heritageweek.ie. The last day to submit a digital project to the National Heritage Week website will be Tuesday, 23rd August 2022. For those creating in-person events, you are encouraged to register your event as soon as possible to allow time for promotion of the event.
Sustainable heritage
National Heritage Week 2022 invites organisers to consider how we can conserve our rich built, cultural and natural heritage and how that can contribute to developing a more sustainable future. How can we connect with the skills and traditions of the past and pass them to the next generation? Can you research a particular part of Irish history to shed light on Irish society today? Is there a craft that has been passed down in your family or community that you can promote, such as thatching, tin-smithing, native plant foraging or traditional dancing? Preserving both tangible and intangible heritage plays an important part in keeping our culture alive and vibrant.
Biodiversity
In a world in which climate change is becoming more and more apparent, National Heritage Week 2022 invites organisers to encourage greater appreciation of the natural world, to look at the variety of plant and animal life in their locality, and conserve native species and natural landscapes. Can you get involved in the protection of indigenous plants and animals in your locality? Do you or does someone you know engage with sustainable farming practices? Can you contribute to urban greening or gardening? Increasing awareness about our local environment and taking actions to protect biodiversity are key to preserving our natural heritage.
Themed days
National Heritage Week will also see the continued celebration of themed heritage days, when project organisers can develop specific themed activities.
On Wild Child Day, The Heritage Council encourages kids and families to make the most of the outdoors to explore the heritage in their locality and beyond. This year’s Wild Child Day will take place on Saturday, 20th August.
Water Heritage Day will take place on Sunday, 21st August as a collaboration between The Heritage Council and the Local Authority Waters Programme. As an island nation, our history and heritage have been shaped by the sea and the great Irish rivers, lakes and wetlands. Water Heritage Day will highlight projects that celebrate water and our connections with it.
Each year, Heritage Week gives us the opportunity each year to revel in the best of the built and natural heritage of our County, whether it is attending a talk, going for a guided walk or visiting a local heritage site. This is just the beginning though. Most of the Heritage sites celebrated during Heritage Week are open all year-round. The museums of the County, many built heritage sites and wildlife areas are all there to be explored at any time. For more information on heritage in Sligo or to find out about events and updates for the rest of the year, check out Sligo Heritage Office on Facebook
Heritage Week in Sligo is coordinated by the Heritage Office, Sligo County Council. National Heritage Week is coordinated by The Heritage Council and its aim is to build awareness and education about our heritage, encouraging its understanding and conservation.
Want to find out more?
Updates and details of Heritage Week events nationally are available on www.heritageweek.ie. While regular Heritage Week updates for Sligo will be posted on the Sligo Heritage Office facebook page.
At the launch of Heritage Week 2022 at City Hall Sligo were (Left to Right) Siobhán Ryan Heritage Officer SCC, Cllr. Donal Gilroy Chairperson Sligo Heritage Forum, Wendy Lyons Vice Chair Sligo Heritage Forum, Cllr. Tom MacSharry Mayor Borough District of Sligo, Martin Lydon Chief Executive SCC and Frank Moylan A/DOS SCC