August 2026

The 2026 National Heritage Week will take place from Saturday 15th August to Sunday 23rd August. It is part of the European Heritage Days.

This year, the theme will be “ Heritage at Risk”. It suggests people to reflect on the fragility of heritage. Historic buildings, streetscapes, monuments, and archaeological sites are particularly vulnerable to climate-related impacts such as flooding, coastal erosion, rising damp, heat stress, and extreme weather events.

Also, traditions, languages, music, crafts, rituals, stories and everyday practices are at risk due to social change.

Mayo people proudly will make any efforts to promote this year’s theme and protect the natural and cultural heritage at risk

These events cater for all visitors to our County, families and children alike.

List of 2026 Events:

• Basilica 50, Guided Shrine and Basilica Tours, from Saturday 15th August to Friday 21st August from 11am to 12pm at Knock Balilica and Knock Shrine Grounds.
• From Classroom to Community Centre, Stories and Photos, 22 August from 11am to 2 pm, at Ballyglass Community Centre, Ballyglass.
• Lámha Ciúine: Ireland’s Quiet Loss of Traditional Skills, 23 August, from 3 pm to 4 pm, National Museum of Ireland, Castlebar.
• Lacken Heritage Day, 18 August, from 12pm to 3pm, Lacken Sensory Garden, Lacken Strand, Ballina.
• Lough CArra Bioblitz at Moore Hall, 22 August, from 10 am to 4 pm, Moore Hall Forest Recreation Area, Carnacon.
• The Living Wall:A Biodiversity Walk in Kiltimagh Park, 23 August, from 10.30 am to 11.30 am, Kiltimagh Emigrant Park, Thomas Street Kiltimagh.
• Traditional Craft Celebration, 16 August, from 1 pm to 4pm, National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park Castlebar.
• Urban Fossil Walk, 19 August, from 10 am to 11am, The Old Mart, Glendenning Monument, Octagon, Westport.
• Voices of Dún Chaocháin: Recordings from the Early 1990s, 21 August from 11am to 12pm, Carrowteige village, Erris.
• Ballyhaunis: Foundation of a Friary, 22 August, from 9.30 am to 4 pm, Friary Church, Abbey Street, Ballyhaunis.
• Pumps and Fountains: the History and Archaeology of Public Water Supply in Co. Mayo 1870-1950, 18 August, from 7 pm to 8pm, Ballina LIbrary, Ballina.
• Tóstal Bhreac-Cluana, Ballyhaunis, Bus Day Tour on 20th August from 9am to 9pm,and Special Night on 22nd August from 8 pm to 11pm, Ballyhaunis.
• Genealogy Consultation, 21 August, from 10 am to 3.30 pm, John Moore Road, Castlebar.
• Hands-on History: Kids Stained Glass Workshop, 21 August from 10.30 am to 11.15 pm and from 2 pm to 2.45 pm, Ballyhaunis Family Resource Centre, The Friary House, Ballyhaunis.
• Heritage Day at Jack’s Cottage, 16 August, from 2 pm to 5 pm, Jack’s Old Cottage, Islandeady.
• Horse Logging Demonstration with Alan Lynch, 18 August, from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm, North Mayo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe, Castlehill.
• LIstening to Mayo: Recorded Voices Across Time, 20 August, frm 7 pm to 8.15 pm, Castlebar Library, John Moore Road, Castlebar.
• Explore the landscape and Heritage of the Partry Mountains, 19 August from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm, Naionra an tSraith, Srah.
• Protecting Croagh Patrick-Walk & Talk, 23 August, from 11am to 1 pm, Croagh Patrick, Murrisk
• Restoration of Obelisk/Cenoteph at Raheens, Castlebar, 19 August from 11am to 1.30 om , Jack’s Cottage, Islandeady
• Traditional Achill Basket Weaving Workshop, 17 August, from 10 am to 4 pm, The Marquee at Pattens, Derrens, Achill Island.
• The Village Shops, 21 August, from 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm, Louisburgh Town Hall, Louisburgh.
• Activities at North Mayo Heritage Centre & Enniscoe Estate, 17 August, from 11 am to 1 pm, Enniscoe, Crossmolina.
• Tapestry Workshop & Talk on Decorative Cross Slab Inishkea South, 17 August from 4 pm to 7 pm, Solas Visitor Centre, An Eachleim.
• Ancient DNA of the Old Irish Goat, 21 August from 8 pm to 9 pm, Mulranny Arts, The Old Convent, Mulranny.
• Ceide Fields Free Family Heritage Day, 15 August, from 11 am to 4.30 pm, Ceide Fields Visitor Centre.
• Native Wildflower Seed Saving, 22 August from 2 pm to 5 pm, Cong Community Centre, Gortaroe, Cong.
• The Brehon Laws, 20 August from 8 pm to 9 pm, Mulranny Arts Oratory, The Old Convent, Mulranny.
• Traditional Window Repair Demonstration,19 August from 3 pm to 3.30 pm, The Costume Shop at The Former Church of Ireland School, Kevin Barry Street, Ballina
• Attymass Heritage Day, 23 August, from 2 pm to 5.30 pm, Attymass Community Centre, Attymass
• Seagrass in Clew Bay, at risk or thrivimg?, 16 August from 1 pm to 3.30 pm, The Mayo Sailing Club, Rosmoney, Westport
• The Secret World of Insects at Clare Lake, 20 August from 7 pm to 8.30 pm, Bandstand at Clare LAke Claremorris.
• Iorras ón gCartlann- TAispeántas Grianghraf Erris from the Archives-Photo Exhibition, from 17 August to 22 August from 9 am to 5 pm, Aras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet.
• Historich Photograph Archive Project, 18 and 19 August from 11 am to 3 pm, North Mayo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe, Crossmolina.
• Moffatt School of Irish Dancing Demonstration, 17 August from 1 pm to 2 pm, North Mayo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe, Crossmolina.
• Moiled Cattle & Grassland Management Walk at Enniscoe Estate, 17 August from 11 am to 12.30 pm, North Mayo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe, Crossmolina
• Organic Garden Heritage Walk, 19 August from 2 pm to 3 pm, North Mayo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe, Crossmolina.
• Tours Of Enniscoe House, 20 August from 12 pm to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 3 pm, North Mayo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe, Crossmolina
• Genealogy Consultations with Family History Researcher, 21 August from 10 am to 3.30 pm, Castlebar Library, Castlebar.
• Hands-on History: Swords and Shields, 22 August from 2 pm to 3 pm, Castlebar Library, Castlebar.
• Kids Nature Bingo in the Woods, 22 and 23 August, from 12 pm to 3 pm, North MAyo Heritage Centre, Enniscoe, Crossmolina.
• Hands-on History: Swords and Shields!, 22 August from 10 am to 11 am, Westport Library, Westport -Swifts in Mayo & the World-talk/poster exhibition, 18 August, from 6 pm to 7 pm, Castlebar Library, Castlebar
• Paper Conservation Workshop, 20 August from11 am to 12.30 pm, The Clarke Museum of Irish History, Pearse Street, Ballina
• Windows into History Exhibition, 21 August from 7 pm to 9 pm, Ballyhaunis Community Hall, Ballyhaunis.
• Admiral Brown Trail Foxford, 15 August from 10 am to 11 am, Brown Monument Church Street Foxford
• Handball Alley Event, 23 August from 12 pm to 4.30 pm, Shrule School Hall, Shrule
• Klimovee Heritage Trail, 16 and 23 August from 11 am to 1 pm, The Thatch, Kilmovee Community Centre, Kilmovee.
• Wildflower Walk with Wildflower Seed Saving, 22 August from 3 pm to 4.30 pm, Mickeys Way, Bohola.
• Yeats Revisited at The Ballinglen Museum of Art, 15 August from 5 pm to 7 pm, The Ballinglen Museum of Art , Ballycastle.
• Artic Char- surviving in Lough Mask since the. Ice Age, 23 August from 12 pm to 3 pm, lake shore adjacent to Tigh Phaide, Tourmakeady.
• Echoes of Aughagower Heritage Day, 16 August from 3 pm to 6 pm, Aughagower Community Centre.
• Fly the Green and Red- Make your own Kite, 15 August from 2 pm to 3.30 pm, Claremorris Library, Claremorris..
• Fly the Green and Red- Make your own Kite, 15 August from 10.30 am to 12 pm, Castlebar Library, Castlebar
• Free Day, 21 August from 10 am to 5 pm, The Clew Bay Heritage Centre, the Quay, Westport
• Guided Bat Walk, 21 August from 8.30 pm to 10 pm, The Old Convent, Ballinrobe.
• Guided Walk, 20 August from 11 am to 6 pm, The Clew Bay Heritage Centre, the Quay, Westport
• Hands-on History Childre’s Workshop-Making Medieval Ring Brooches, 17 August from 10.30 pm to 11 am and from 2 pm to 2.30 pm, Ballyhaunis Friary, Ballyhaunis
• Helping Shape Clare Island’s Heritage Audio Guide, 19 August from 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm, Clare Island Community Centre, Capnagower.
• Hidden Treasures of Lough Mask- The Importance of Brigit’s Well, Kilbride, Lough Mask, 20 August from 7.30 pm to 9 pm, Finny Community Hall, Finny
• River Mosaic Workshop, 21 August from 11 am to 1.30 pm, Book@one, Louisburgh
• Story Time at the Davitt Museum, 22 August from 10 am to 1 pm, The Michael Davitt Museum, Straide
• The Dynastic Development of Ballinrobe’s Built Heritage, 20 August from 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm, Parish Centre, Ballinrobe.
• The Holy Rood and the Cult of John the Baptist-Medieval Ballinrobe Reconsidered, 23 August from 3 pm to 4 pm, Parish Centre Ballinrobe
• The Story of. Old Ballinrobe in Music and Verse, 19 August from 3 pm to 4 pm, Parish Centre, Ballinrobe
• Where the River Remembers-Tales from Oatlands, 20 August from 5 pm to 7 pm, Oatlands House, Bonniconlon
• The Big Dig, 19 August from 11 am to 4 pm, Castlebar Library, Castlebar
• Archaeology: A Journey Through Time: Unearthing Our Past, 20 August from 2pm to 3 pm, Castlebar Library, Castlebar.
• Clown-Led Beach Clean-Up & Show, 23 August, 12 pm to 4 pm, Kell Playground, Achill Island
• Explore Pond Dipping, 18 August from 11 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm and 2 pm, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Ballycroy
• Explore the Landscape and Heritage of the Partry Mountains, 19 August from10.30 am to 1.30 pm, Naionra an tSraith, Srah
• Guided Walk Letterkeen/Srahrevagh Cottages, 23 August from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Ballycroy.
• Guided Wildflower Walk Wild Nephin National Park, 19 August from 1 pm to 2.30 pm, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Ballycroy
• Native Tree Workshop- Wild Nephin National Park, 20 August from 1 pm to 2.30 pm, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Ballycroy
• Ogham Stones of County Mayo Exhibition, 18-21 August from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, closed between 1 pm and 2 pm, Mayo County Council, The Mall, Castlebar
• Silent Ground, living Memory-A Cillini Community Drop-in Event, 21 August from 4 pm to 6 pm, The Ellison Hotel. Castlebar
• Talks, 19 August from 8 pm to 9 pm and from9 pm to 10 pm, PAtten’s Bar, Derreens, Achill
• Vooices of Inishturk: An Oral History of Island Life, Memory & Change, 16 August from 11 am to 1 pm, Inishturk Community Club, Inishturk
• Wildflower Meadow Guided Walk, 15-16 August from 2 pm to 3pm, Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Ballycroy
• Women of Ballinrobe Launch & Exhibition, Parish Centre, Ballinrobe.