August 2021

The National Heritage Council launched the National Heritage Week to showcase the best of Ireland's Heritage.

It will take place all around Ireland from Saturday, 14th August to Sunday, 22nd August 2021.

As a result of continued public health restrictions due to COVID-19 National Heritage Week 2021 will retain the project element and the most of the projects will be online. Only a small events will be in presence.

This year communities and participants will have to submit their projects focused on heritage of newcomers, heritage for share and heritage for all ages.

Also there will be two themed days:

• Wild Child Day on Wednesday, 18th August.

• Water Heritage Day on Sunday, 22nd August.

Mayo people proudly will make any efforts to share, enjoy and promote with everyone their sense of place and the natural and cultural heritage.

Here are the Projects in Progress for County Mayo:

• An Island of Dark Skies by Georgia MacMillan. It will offer 3 special live online events for teachers, educators and anyone with an interest in astronomy, archaeology or dark skies. The events will take place on 17th, 18th & 19th August 2021, at 5 pm.

• Interactive bodhrán workshop by Denny O'Brien, The Irish folk The Irish folk experience.This event takes place at Glenisland National School, Castlebar, on Saturday, 14th August 2021, 12.00 pm

• Straide Biodiversity Plan by Keith McGreal, Straide Community Development Group.

• Biodiversity Walk & Talk by Keith McGreal, Straide Community Development Group on 14th August

• Nature Tours of Turlough Park, National Museum of Country Life, These free guided tours take place outdoors in the grounds of the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life as follows: Saturday 14th, 1pm / 2pm/ 3pm Sunday 15th, 2pm/ 3pm/ 4pm Saturday 21st, 1pm/ 2pm/ 3pm Sunday 22nd, 2pm/ 3pm /4pm.

• Guided Walks, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Wild Nephin National Park, on Monday 16th August , 11am.

• Pollinator and Wildflower Workshop, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Wild Nephin National Park, on Saturday 21st August, 2pm.

• Wildflower ID and Seed Collecting, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Wild Nephin National Park, on Sunday 22nd August, 2.30pm.

• Guided Walk of Riverside Trail, Letterkeen, Wild Nephin National Park,on Tuesday 17th August, 10am.

• Guided Walk, Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail, on Wednesday 18th August, 3pm

• Bat Walk and Dark Sky Walk, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Wild Nephin National Park, on Saturday 14th August, 9.30 pm.

• Bat Walk and Dark Sky Walk, Letterkeen, Wild Nephin National Park, on Sunday 15th August, 9.30pm.

• Belcarra Riverside Guided Walk - Pollinators and Edible Wild Plants, by M. B. Prendergast, Belcarra Tidy Towns, on Saturday 21st August at 10am.

• Belmullet Water Heritage Walk, by Tom Carolan, Belmullet Tidy Towns, on Sunday 22nd August, at 2pm.

• Exploring Aquatic Life Of The Manulla River in Belcarra, by M. B. Prendergast, Belcarra Tidy Towns, on Sunday 22nd August from 11am to 12 noon.

• Farming with Barn Owls, by John Lusby, BirdWatch Ireland and the Heritage Office of Mayo County Council, on Sunday 22nd August at 9:00am on line.

• Free guided tour of Kilmovee Heritage Walking Trail, by Lorraine Campbell, Kilmovee Heritage & Tourism, on Tuesday, 17th and Thursday, 19th August 2021.

• The Marl Crusts 'Krustenstein' of Lough Carra, by Linda Huxley, Lough Carra Catchment Association,

• Wildlife on your Doorstep - Bumble & Butterfly Observation Workshop, by Cecilia Graebner, Frogswell Garden, on Tuesday August 18th from 11.00am to 12.00pm.

• Ask your geologist: Tourmakeady, by Benjamin Thébaudeau,Joyce Country and Western Lakes Heritage Network, on Wednesday 18th August, from 2.00 to 4.00 pm.

• Daoine agus Áit: Connecting Our Communities, by Lorna Elms, Irish Community Archive Network (iCAN).

• Exploring landscape history, using Google Earth and Ordnance Survey maps., by Liam Alex Heffron St Cormac's Society, on Thursday August 19th at 20:00.

• Mayo County Library website project, by Paula Leavy McCarthy, Mayo County Library,

• Newport 300 Family Tree Projectby Peter Mullowney, Newport 300 Committee.

• The Big Dig, by Angela Wallace, North Mayo West Sligo Heritage Group, on Saturday 14th August, at 11.00 am and 3.30 pm.

• The Natural and Cultural Heritage of Lough Carra, by Lynda Huxley Lough Carra Catchment Association, Video available on  Water Heritage Day, 22nd August on the Lough Carra Catchment Association youtube channel.

• Wetlands of Mayo Booklet by Deirdre Cunningham, Mayo Heritage Office.