Heritage Week 2019 programme launched: 2,000 events

National Heritage Week, which will take place 17–25 August, was officially launched yesterday by Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The nine-day event is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the EU to promote awareness and involvement in our natural, built and cultural heritage.

Josepha Madigan, TD, with children at
the Heritage Week launch

It is Ireland's most popular cultural event and at least half a million people are expected to participate in some 2,000 heritage events. Nearly all events are free and this year's theme is Pastimes | Past Times.

For family historians, whether they live in Ireland or will be visiting during August, Heritage Week will present a diverse programme of walks, workshops, talks, re-enactments and have-a-go events that can help you understand more about the lives of your ancestors and find out how and where you can discover more. Free genealogy advice, tours of national and local repositories, Open Days at historical venues, 'Living' history experiences, graveyard tours... they are all featured in the line-up. Really, if you can't find at least a handful of events to interest and motivate you, you should check for a pulse.

Search the HeritageWeek.ie database of events using keywords such as Genealogy, Archives, Family history, Ancestors etc.

As the launch was held in Dublin's Henrietta Street, I'm going to call out just one venue for its events likely to be of interest to genealogists: the Registry of Deeds. Not only will it be running lunchtime tours of its very special archive (Monday to Friday, 19-23 August, Booking essential), it will also present an evening seminar exploring some of the recent discoveries made in its collection (Eureka! 22 August, 6-7:30pm. Booking essential.)