Cloughoughter Castle, Co Cavan
Welcome
John Conlon Chairman of the Office of Public Works
As Chairman of the OPW, I am delighted to present this edition of the Heritage Ireland Magazine, a celebration of the extraordinary legacy we are privileged to steward on behalf of the Irish people.
Each year, our heritage sites continue to inspire, educate, and connect communities across the island, offering windows into the stories, cultures, and traditions that have shaped our nation.
This season has been a particularly exciting chapter in our custodianship of Ireland’s cultural legacy. In April, the OPW announced the much-anticipated reopening of Barryscourt Castle in Cork. After an extensive programme of conservation and enhancement by the teams in the OPW, this historic stronghold has once again opened its doors to the public, offering a renewed visitor experience at one of Ireland’s most evocative medieval sites. It will, I have no doubt, make a huge contribution to the tourism offering in the Cork area.
This edition of the Heritage Ireland magazine shines a spotlight on the remarkable work which is being undertaken in all parts of our organisation. This May marked our first programme of events and initiatives for Senior Citizens to align with the Bealtaine Festival “Celebrating Arts and Creativity as We Age”. From musical performances, to yoga, and drawing groups; there was a range of diverse and exciting events on offer at our heritage sites around the country.
Throughout the year, the OPW has continued to develop and support a vibrant programme of exhibitions at our Heritage
sites. This edition includes a spotlight on a recent exhibition dedicated to Casimir Markievicz at the State Apartment Galleries in Dublin Castle. With over 80 artworks and artefacts, the exhibition offers a fresh insight into a complex and creative figure of Ireland’s revolutionary era, and is the result of a wonderful collaborative effort between the OPW and the Embassy of Poland in Dublin.
Looking ahead, we are eagerly preparing for Heritage Week 2025, with this year’s theme, “Exploring Our Foundations”. This theme invites us to delve deep into the roots of our shared history – from ancient monastic settlements and medieval castles, to the early infrastructure of civic and social life. It prompts us, not only to consider the physical foundations of our buildings and landmarks, but also the social and cultural forces that have underpinned Ireland’s development through the centuries. I encourage everyone to take part; through attending events, sharing stories, or simply exploring the heritage treasures on your doorstep.
I wish to acknowledge the dedication and creativity of the OPW heritage teams and our partners who make this work possible. Their efforts ensure that Ireland’s heritage remains a living, evolving resource – one that informs not only our understanding of the past but also our vision for the future. Together, we ensure that these places and stories endure for generations to come.
Let us explore our foundations and continue building a future that honours and preserves the richness of our past.
Heywood Gardens
Credit: Laois Tourism
Front Cover image: Cloughoughter Castle, Co Cavan
Credit: Chris Hill Photographic
Aoibhe Kettle and Brendan O’Connell at Barryscourt Castle Credit: Cathal Noonan
Flowers, Emo Court Credit: Fáilte Ireland 2029
Welcome
Rosemary Collier Head of Heritage Services and Capital Works Delivery, The Office of Public Works
With the vibrant Summer season underway, I am delighted to welcome you to the latest edition of the Heritage Ireland magazine. This issue is a celebration of renewal, creativity, and community – values that lie at the heart of our national heritage.
Across the country, our sites are buzzing with activity. From the much-anticipated reopening of Barryscourt Castle in April to the innovative digitalisation efforts at the National Botanic Gardens, we are embracing both tradition and transformation in our work.
Senior Architect Shane Linehan tells us more about the exciting developments at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, and shares insights into the careful conservation underway at this iconic site – ensuring it continues to inspire future generations.
This edition also brings you behind the scenes and offers a snapshot of a “day in the life” of Executive Chef Martina Weir at Áras an Uachtaráin. Throughout these pages, we highlight the power of community in Tintern Abbey, Co Wexford; we explore the truly unique heritage of our offshore islands, and we reflect on the poignant history of Charles Fort, Co Cork.
Without our dedicated staff, who care for and continue to work diligently at our heritage sites, our visitors would not be able to experience all that is on offer. In this busy summer season, domestic and international visitors alike will have the opportunity to explore, learn and connect with Ireland’s past in meaningful ways.
Market at Portumna Castle Credit: Giacomo Di Blasi
Altamont House and Gardens, Co Carlow Credit: Fáilte Ireland
The Skellig Islands, Credit: Caspar Diederik
Contributors
Joanne Bannon is the Historic Collections Registrar for Heritage Services, with responsibility for Collections management and Collections care. Her studies include Art history, Ancient History and Archaeology with Italian from TCD, Digital Preservation at UCD and Museum Practice and Management at the University of Ulster. She previously worked on archaeological projects in Italy and Ireland.
Tá Cillian De Grás ina Bainisteor ar Dhún Aonghasa agus Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh, Conamara. Roimhe seo chaith sé tréimhsí ag obair in Árd-Mhúsaem na hÉireann agus Iarsmalann Hunt.
Shauna Fox has been working for the OPW for 9 years across multiple sites. She now works in Heritage Marketing, highlighting the OPW’s historical sites across Ireland. Her studies include English and History, Film, Journalism, and Marketing, all of which have allowed her to pursue her passions for writing, mythology, Irish history, and film.
Mary Heffernan read economics, politics and philosophy at Trinity College Dublin followed by postgraduate studies in art and design history completing the Purser Griffith diploma. Mary completed the Chartered Director Programme IoD/IMI. Mary is an Alumni of the Attingham Trust and a founding member of OMARC an archive project OPW/MU. Mary sits on the Fabric Committee of Christ Church Cathedral.
Dr Colin Kelleher is the Keeper of the National Herbarium in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. Colin has expertise in the Irish flora and has undertaken genetic studies tracing the origin of Ireland’s trees.
Dr Wuu Kuang Soh is a botanist at the National Herbarium in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. He is an expert in the systematics of tropical plants and has a broad interest in using herbarium collections for multidisciplinary research.
Dr Patrick Langan is the Project Manager for the DigiHerb project at the National Herbarium in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. Patrick has expertise in high-throughput imaging and plant phenotyping.
Shane Lenihan is a Senior Architect with the OPW Heritage Services –Conservation. Joined the OPW in 2017 following an extensive career in the private sector and his own practice. Specialising in conservation, Shane is Senior Architect on a number of OPW sites including the Natural History Museum, Royal Hospital Kilmainham site, Kilkenny Castle, Farmleigh Estate, 23 Kildare Street and a number of Merrion Square sites.
Contributors
Evelyn Long is a history graduate from UCC and holds a BA & M.Phil in British politics. She has a Diploma in the History of Art, a Higher Diploma in Safety Health and Welfare in the Workplace and has completed first year Law. As Supervisor Guide Evelyn manages the visitor experience at Charles Fort Military Fortress, Barryscourt Castle and Dungarvan Castle.
Dr. Breda Lynch is a Supervisor Guide/Manager with responsibility for numerous National Monument sites in the South East. Although her main area of interest is the expansion of the Cistercian Order in medieval Ireland, Breda has a keen interest in the broader evolution of church history across the ancient and medieval world and has lectured and published on these topics.
Ronan Maguire is an Architect with the Office of Public Works since 2019. Ronan previously worked in the private sector. He works on the conservation and care of National Monuments in the West of Ireland. He has worked as Project Architect on projects including Scattery Island, Rockfleet Castle and Clonmacnoise.
Lorcán Ó Cinnéide is Manager of the OPW Blasket Centre on Kerry’s Dingle Peninsula. He has a life-long interest in the heritage of the Blasket Islands and a wealth of senior previous public and private sector experience, particularly in the marine sphere.
Mary O’Sullivan is the Head Guide at Garinish Island (Illnacullin). Mary has lived in Glengarriff, Co Cork all her life and since 2016 feels privileged to welcome visitors to Garinish Island. She says she is honoured to keep the Bryce Family legacy alive by recounting their extraordinary achievements.
Martina Weir is the Executive Head Chef to the President of Ireland at Áras an Uachtaráin. She has been employed by the OPW since February 1986 and has always been based at the Áras. She currently heads a team of five chefs.
Andrew Whitefield was appointed Head Guide at Sligo Abbey in June 2023. Andrew has lectured in Archaeology at the University of Galway for the past 15 years
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Credit Credit Cathal Noonan.
Castletown suite of Anglo-Indian Giltwood furniture, 19th century
Joanne Bannon
Among the most significant recent additions to the Castletown House collection is a rare and beautifully carved suite of furniture, made in a part of India, formerly known as the Bombay Presidency.
This furniture suite, comprising of an intricately carved tub armchair, chaise longue, side cabinet, floor screen, stool and centre table was crafted in the 19th century in India. The suite was created in the AngloIndian style which combined traditional Indian craftsmanship with British
design features. A notable feature of Bombay Presidency furniture is the intricate pierced carving made from a local blackwood which is a variety of rosewood; as seen on this suite. This style peaked in the mid- 1800s and was featured in the 1851 Great Exhibition. It is noteworthy that the Castletown furniture is gilded, a practice rarely encountered, and therefore it was likely gilded when the suite arrived in Europe, making it particularly rare.
Bombay gilt armchairs, 19th century, Castletown House collection. Photograph courtesy of Adams auctioneers.
The Conolly family acquired this suite in the 19th century for Castletown House. In the 1893 inventory of Castletown furniture the suite is described as ‘Bombay’ furniture. The suite appears clearly in situ, in a photograph of the Red Drawing Room taken by Henry Shaw in 1880. The survival of the 1893 inventory and the 1880 photograph provide a valuable provenance trail, and confirms the suite’s presence in Castletown, placing it firmly within the house’s decorative history.
In 1966, the suite was dispersed along with much of Castletown’s historic contents in a major auction held on the estate. For decades, these pieces remained separated from the house. Through dedicated research efforts, the suite was located and reacquired in
2024. Its return coincided shortly after the restoration of the Red Drawing Room along with the acquisition of key pieces of original furniture connected to the Conolly family. Upon closer inspection of the 1880 photograph it is also possible to see a pair of Lady Louisa’s French corner cabinets by Lacroix. Following careful research, these were recently acquired and brought back to their original location in the Red Drawing Room.
The return of this suite to Castletown House highlights the important role of research in making informed decisions about the acquisition and display of objects within the OPW’s heritage portfolio.
Red Drawing Room, Castletown Credit: David Davison
Red Drawing Room circa 1880 Photograph courtesy of Chris Shaw.
The Royal Hospital Kilmainham North Range Project
Shane Lenihan
The Royal Hospital in Kilmainham (RHK) was established and built between 1680 and 1688 on a 60-acre site, originally part of the Pheonix Park, granted by King Charles II at the instigation of James Butler, first Duke of Ormond.
Inspired by Les Invalides in Paris, the building was to be a retirement home for old soldiers, designed by architect and Surveyor General William Robinson as a prominent entrance to Dublin.
The Royal Hospital remained an old soldier’s home until 1927 when the remaining pensioners left for the Chelsea pensioners Home in London.
After an extensive restoration project carried out by the OPW during the 1980s, part of the site became the home of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 1991.
In August 2022, the multi-million euro renovation and conservation works commenced on site for the RHK North Range.
The North Range comprises of the Great Hall, The Baroque Chapel, Master’s Quarters (now a meeting room suite) and the vaulted cellar with the 19th-century kitchen, currently in use as the IMMA Café and the state banqueting kitchen.
The North Range has a number of uses: its historic significance is recounted through guided tours led by OPW guides. It also has a dual use as an event space for our government, for meetings and banquets, as well as an event space for IMMA.
The refurbishment works involved the completion of essential mechanical, electrical and fabric upgrade works, life safety works and building fabric upgrade works including conservation of the timber paneling, historic plasterwork and historic stained glass. Included as part of these Fire & Security works is the installation of a Fire Suppression system in the Baroque Chapel. The 22 paintings comprising the portrait collection is currently undergoing conservation works and is being rehung in their original place within the Great Hall.
RHK North Range Great Hall
Credit: Paul Moore
North Range (from Formal Gardens)
Credit: Paul Moore
RHK Baroque Chapel
Credit: Paul Moore
An extensive OPW design team have been involved, which included the OPW Heritage Services – Conservation, Shane Lenihan Senior Architect, Richard Bannon Architect, OPW Intermediate Project Delivery Unit, Peter Duffy, Seán Boland, Noel Howley, OPW Fire & Safety Department Richard Calder, OPW M&E Department Conor Byrne Engineer, OPW QS Department Sven Johnson, OPW NHP Samir Eldin and Grace McMahon, together with external consultants including 7L Architects, Cundall M&E Consultants, FLN Fire Consultants, and Leonard & Williams QS Services and contractors to include Merrion Contracting, Quinn Downes Mechanical, Redmond Electrical and Jones Engineering
Minister Kieran O’Donnell, Minister of State at the Office of Public Works and Rosemary Collier, Assistant Secretary of the OPW, marked the reopening of the North Range of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on 3rd July 2024.
RHK North Range (from Courtyard)
Credit: Paul Moore
RHK
Barryscourt Castle Reopening
Barryscourt Castle, one of Ireland’s most significant and finest surviving medieval tower houses, reopened its doors in April 2025 following a transformative conservation project led by the Office of Public Works (OPW). Officially unveiled on April 24th by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the castle promises to become a cornerstone of Cork’s cultural tourism, blending centuries of history with a modern visitor experience.
Originally constructed between 1392 and 1420, Barryscourt Castle was once the seat of the renowned Anglo-Norman Barry family, who dominated the region for centuries. Its well-preserved structure—including a striking tower house, intact bawn walls, and historic gardens—offers a rare glimpse into Ireland’s feudal past. The castle played a key role in regional conflicts and stands as a powerful symbol of Norman and Gaelic Irish heritage.
An inscription over one of the fireplaces reads: “In 1588, David Barry and Eleanor Roche made me.” This ties directly to the castle’s 16th-century restoration and serves as a poignant reminder of its longstanding historical presence.
As Brendan Gleeson, foreperson with the OPW National Monuments team, notes: “It’s almost like the building’s voice is still speaking to us.”
The ground floor of the tower house even contains a dungeon, where prisoners were dropped through a dramatic ‘drophole’ from the second floor—a powerful testament to the castle’s defensive past. Closed to the public since 2016 due to structural concerns, Barryscourt Castle has now undergone meticulous and significant conservation efforts, extending over most of the past decade. These works were carefully designed to preserve the historic fabric while improving the visitor experience and modernising the castle’s facilities.
Pictured is left to right, Rosemary Collier, OPW; Taoiseach Micheál Martin; Minister of State with Responsibility for OPW, Kevin Moran; and John Conlon, OPW at the reopening of Barryscourt Castle Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
Orchard at Barryscourt Castle 2025 Credit: Clare Keogh
Barryscourt Castle picture in 1932 Credit: Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland
John Geraghty, Architect with the OPW, said:
“These include a comprehensive programme of conservation works, fabric repairs and a complete Mechanical and Electrical upgrade— undertaken by the OPW Mechanical and Electrical team. The conservation of Barryscourt is also a credit to the skill and commitment of the National Monuments Mallow District Works Team—some of whom were involved in the original restoration of the castle.”
To protect the site’s biodiversity, ecological consultants were also engaged to ensure that the work did not harm important bat maternity roosts present at the castle.
Master craftsperson Pearse Kearney, an external craftsman who specialises
in bronze windows and leadlights, was first brought onto the project in 2001. His work involved restoring the castle’s extremely narrow windows using traditional methods, creating diamond-shaped quarries of glass set in lattices of lead, surrounded by soldered, galvanised steel. These careful interventions show the utmost respect for the original structure.
The conservation project involved the expertise of highly skilled traditional tradespeople—masons, stonecutters, carpenters—whose painstaking efforts exemplify the OPW’s commitment to the preservation of Ireland’s built heritage. The project included critical structural repairs, a full mechanical and electrical upgrade, and landscape restoration, ensuring Barryscourt Castle remains a centrepiece of Cork’s heritage tourism offering.
OPW staff at reopening of Barryscourt Castle
Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
Guided tour of Barryscourt Castle with Evelyn Long, OPW and Taoiseach Micheál Martin
Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
John Geraghty, Architect, OPW, Senior Archaeologist Anne Carey and Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
As Brendan Gleeson explains, “We’ve done quite an extensive mechanical and electrical project within the building. It opens up the building to many uses in the future.”
The castle has been sufficiently upgraded so that it can enjoy practical use in the years to come, with facilities that support guided tours and cultural programming. Showcasing this, historians Dr. Jane Fenlon and Dr. Danielle O Donovan prepared a new interpretative exhibition for Barryscourt comprising text and illustrations. Jurga Rakauskaite-Larkin, OPW prepared and executed designs for the new Exhibition under the guidance and direction of Sabrina Commins and Des Lowry, National Monuments.
Visitors can now explore the ground floor of the Castle and Tower House, with guided tours available for the upper floors. The beautifully restored orchard will also be accessible, offering an atmospheric setting for cultural and educational events. To celebrate the reopening, admission will be free for the 2025 season. Throughout the season, a variety of heritage talks, guided walks, and special events will take place.
Festivities began with a very wellattended festival of history and music which took place in mid-June. The event, which featured renowned musicians and insightful talks on Ireland’s cultural heritage, was a fitting celebration to promote the reopening of the site.
At the official reopening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin spoke of the castle’s cultural and historical significance:
“As a proud Cork native, I am delighted to see Barryscourt Castle, a landmark of our county’s rich history, conserved to its former glory. This castle holds a special place in Cork’s heritage, and its reopening is a moment of pride for the region. The OPW’s investment ensures that future generations can experience and appreciate the fascinating story of Barryscourt. Beyond its historical significance, this project will also enhance tourism and cultural life in Cork, drawing visitors from across Ireland and beyond, and providing lasting benefits to the area.”
Barryscourt Castle reopening Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran at the Reopening of Barryscourt Castle Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
Minister of State for the OPW, Kevin Moran, added:
“Barryscourt Castle is one of the finest examples of a late medieval Irish tower house, and the conservation work undertaken by the OPW ensures its legacy for future generations. The meticulous works, led by our expert teams, not only safeguard the castle’s fabric but also enhance the visitor experience, allowing people to explore this unique site in an engaging and immersive way.”
Barryscourt Castle’s reopening stands as a proud example of the OPW’s broader mission to care for Ireland’s rich cultural assets. The OPW currently maintains almost 1,000 National Monuments and historic buildings at 780 sites throughout the country. Each restoration enlists expert tradespeople and traditional techniques to preserve the unique spirit of these monuments. With Barryscourt Castle brought back to life, the OPW reaffirms its deep commitment to the conservation of Irish heritage – ensuring these treasures endure for generations to come.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin cutting the ribbon at the reopening of Barryscourt Castle.
Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
Pictured left to right, John Conlon, OPW; Minister of State with Responsibility for OPW, Kevin Moran; Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Rosemary Collier, OPW at the reopening of Barryscourt Castle.
Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
Musicians perform at Barryscourt Castle Opening
Credit: Cathal Noonan Photography
Digitalisation at the Bots
Dr Colin Kelleher, Dr Patrick Langan and Dr Wuu Kuang Soh
Collecting and curating botanical samples as herbarium specimens dates back to the 16th century. The Italian physician Luca Ghini realised that dried plant specimens could be used for teaching medical students plant identification throughout the year, even when plant samples were not available during the winter.
Today there are over 3,500 herbaria across the world holding almost 400 million botanical specimens. The National Herbarium in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin holds approximately 600,000 herbarium specimens dating from the early 1800s to the present day.
It contains the most complete collection for the island of Ireland but also contains specimens collected across the globe, from the arctic to Australia. Some of our specimens represent the first encounters of western scientists with plant species, such as the Handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrata). As such, they hold a wealth of information on natural and cultural history.
Herbarium specimens have tremendous potential outside of their primary uses to discover and describe flora. They have been used to track the movement of invasive species, to monitor changes in species composition and biodiversity assessments, to determine atmospheric changes and to uncover genetic changes over time. They are physical records of biological interaction and can be used for both scientific and historical study. Each specimen represents a snap-shot in time and as a collection they are an extensive time-series to interrogate.
What makes herbarium specimens so useful is the data contained on the label or on the notes associated with the specimen. A specimen without a label is almost worthless. The details of the plant name, collection location, collector, date and often additional notes on habitat, altitude or plant condition are immensely important.
This specimen of the Handkerchief tree is the first time this tree was scientifically recorded and described. It was collected by Augustine Henry in 1888 and subsequently brought into cultivation in Europe.
The combined data from all these specimens allow us to track past changes and help predict future responses. However, to date we have catalogued data from only a limited number of the specimens within the herbariumapproximately 10% are fully digitised. This is mainly due to the large numbers within the collection but it is now changing with the help of digital cameras and automated imaging technologies. Images of herbarium specimens capture unique moments in history and represent hundreds or thousands of data points for each specimen. The National Herbarium has embarked on a project to take high-resolution images of all our specimens and to extract data from the collection. This is a long-term project, but to begin it we have started to work on the Irish collection of approximately 60,000 specimens. The DigiHerb project is co-funded by the North-West Europe Interreg programme and is a collaboration with two other herbaria
in the North-West Europe region, the State Museum of Natural History in Karlsruhe, Germany and Ghent University, Belgium. The project aims to digitise material in each herbarium and to share the data on a combined portal (https://digiherb.symbiota.org/).
We are using a high throughput imaging conveyor belt system to capture images of the specimens at each site. The data from the specimen labels is being manually extracted, but we are also running trials on AI data capture to speed up this process. The overall goal will be to have the images and data available to the public to facilitate further scientific and historical studies.
We are also working closely with the Digital Repository of Ireland, which is hosting the high resolution images and the associated data. In particular, we have started by sharing the Robert Lloyd Prager collection online on the DRI (https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/
kd17sp309). This project was funded by the Nowlan Digitisation Grant scheme of the Royal Irish Academy. The Praeger collection represents one of the most important subsets of our collection. Praeger deposited specimens from his fieldwork across Ireland during which he created lists of species in each county. These lists were compiled into a catalogue of plants in Ireland, giving the most comprehensive census of plants across the island. This initial census has been added to throughout the years and forms the basis of our conservation assessments of Irish plants.
Of course, we have much more than Irish specimens in the National Herbarium. We have specimens of global significance from across the world and these will also be imaged in time. The imaging of the Irish specimens will be finished in August 2025, after which we hope to continue onto digitisation of the World collection.
A specimen being imaged on the high throughput conveyor belt.
A specimen from the Praeger collection with his notes and a map showing the distribution of the species.
Sligo Abbey Coach Parking Boosts Heritage Tourism in the Northwest
Andrew Whitefield
Sligo Abbey, one of Ireland’s bestpreserved medieval monastic sites, has taken a major step forward in welcoming visitors from around the world with the provision of new dedicated coach parking.
The development is a timely boost for the abbey given the increasing popularity of Sligo Town as a stop-off on the Wild Atlantic Way. Sligo Abbey has established itself as the most-visited heritage site in the town and county, with visitor numbers for 2025 on course to reach 50,000.
The Abbey’s Head Guide, Dr Andrew Whitefield, said: “We have strongly advocated for dedicated coach parking at the Abbey to encourage tour groups exploring the Wild Atlantic Way to stop-off and enjoy the unique cultural experience that historic Sligo Town has to offer. Although the new coach bay has only been in place since mid-May, it has already contributed to a rise in bookings from tour groups. Our overall visitor
numbers for the spring are up more than 40% on the same period last year, so the signs are positive”.
Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Cllr Declan Bree also welcomed the move as a key step in facilitating heritage-led tourism and improving the visitor experience in Sligo. “Sligo County Council were delighted to collaborate with the team at Sligo Abbey and help facilitate this improvement to the visitor experience in Sligo. We place great value on our heritage and want to encourage more coach and school tour groups to enjoy this fascinating place that plays such a central role in the history of Sligo”.
Andrew concluded: “We’re working hard to support the objective of the ‘Sligo Destination and Experience Development’ plan to make Sligo a year-round must-see destination on the spectacular Wild Atlantic Way. Our season has been extended this year to meet the rising demand, and we have many exciting events planned through the year. Why not pay us a visit?”
Photography Credit: Andrew Whitefield
A Áras an Uachtaráin
B Arbour Hill Cemetery
C Casino Marino
D Custom House Visitor Centre
E Dublin Castle
F Farmleigh House and Gardens
G Garden of Remembrance
H Government Buildings
I Grangegorman Military Cemetery
J Irish National War Memorial Gardens
K Iveagh Gardens
L Kilmainham Gaol Museum
M National Botanic Garden of Ireland – Glasnevin
N Pearse Museum — St Enda’s Park
O Phoenix Park
P Phoenix Park – People’s Flower Gardens
Q Phoenix Park Visitor Centre and Ashtown Castle
R Rathfarnham Castle
S Royal Hospital Kilmainham
T St Audeon’s Church and Visitor Centre
U St Mary’s Abbey – Chapter House
V St Stephen’s Green
Heritage Services Ireland’s
Iconic Heritage Sites
Clonmacnoise Monastic Site
Corlea Iron Age Roadway and Visitor Centre
Doneraile Court and Estate 39 Famine Warhouse 1848 40 Fore Abbey
Nenagh Castle
Portumna Castle and Gardens
Rathcrogan Visitor Centre
52 Daniel O’Connell House – Derrynane House
54
56 Dún Aonghasa – Ancient Stone Fort
57 Ennis Friary
58
59
61
63 Listowel Castle
64 Lough Gur Visitor Centre and Lakeshore Park
65 Newmills Corn and Flaxmills
66 Ross Castle
67 Scattery Island and Visitor Centre
68 Sceilg Mhichíl UNESCO World Heritage Property
Harold’s Cross Walkinstown
Tallaght Dalkey
Dun Laoghaire
Miltown Rathfarnham Ballsbridge
A day in the life of the Executive Head Chef to the President at Áras an Uachtaráin
Martina Weir
Tucked away, almost hidden within the serene surroundings of the Phoenix Park, Dublin lies Áras an Uachtaráin, a national historical landmark and the official residence of the President of Ireland. Under the care of the Office of Public Works, is an elegant building steeped in rich endless history, diplomacy, and ceremonial grace. Behind its pristine white façade, works a dedicated team, each member playing a vital role in maintaining the high standards expected of the President’s household. Among them is the Executive Head Chef (EHC), whose role blends creativity, precision, and diplomacy on a daily basis.
The EHC works in unison with the Service Manager, Bernadette Carroll, the Head Chef Suzanne O’ Donohoe, the House Manager Dōnal Mc Coy, Chefs and the Household Assistants.
It is an early start for the Executive Head Chef and her team, at times when most of the country is still asleep! The lights in Áras an Uachtaráin’s kitchen flicker on as the day’s busy schedule begins with a review of the day’s planned events. This schedule is shaped not only by regular meals for the President and staff, but by official engagements, State dinners, working lunches, visiting groups & Diplomatic Receptions. Each demanding meticulous attention to detail.
Menus are never static. While guided by the seasons, they are constantly adapted based on the availability of fresh, local ingredients, the dietary requirements of guests, and any last-minute changes to the President’s agenda.
Trusted Irish suppliers provide organic vegetables, along with the produce provided by the Áras gardens, fresh fish from coastal waters, lamb and beef raised on this island’s green pastures, all of which are selected and approved. by both the EHC and the Head Chef, Suzanne O’ Donohoe.
The first meal of the day begins with breakfast service, an intimate yet understated affair. The options are endless: a hearty traditional Irish breakfast or perhaps a lighter choice of poached eggs, grilled tomatoes, and soda bread. Maybe even some homemade porridge or granola with fresh berries. Whatever the President decides upon, everything is prepared from scratch, with a key emphasis on presentation, flavour and freshness.
As the morning continues, the kitchen is filled with the comforting aromas of fresh baked brown bread, meat or vegetables roasting, and the sounds of a lot of kitchen utensils in use! The Head Chef personally inspects every plate before it leaves the kitchen, ensuring that it not only meets the highest standards of nutrition and presentation, but also offers a moment of quiet pleasure. By mid-morning, attention shifts to formal events. If a visiting head of state, ambassador, or a dignitary are scheduled for lunch or dinner, the EHC will meet with the President’s personnel and protocol staff to review every detail. Everything from menus, guest preferences and cultural sensitivities to wine pairings and timings are considered.
Culinary diplomacy plays a crucial role in these meals. Menus are planned to reflect and promote Irish heritage and Irish producers, while offering a contemporary twist. An example of such a menu could be, a starter of Burren smoked salmon paired with a carpaccio of pickled garden beetroot, followed by a rack of Wicklow lamb with wild garlic mash, and finishing with an apple tart made using the Áras garden heritage Irish apples.
Once menus are confirmed, the EHC meets with the chefs to decide on garnishes and presentation. ‘Mise en place’ ensues. Every sauce is started from base stocks. Every herb is finely chopped and each loaf of bread is baked fresh. In this kitchen, precision is not a preference, it is paramount.
At noon, lunch for the President is served. Depending on the day’s agenda, it may be a solitary meal, a working lunch with Ministers, or a formal gathering in the State Dining Room. For high-level occasions the EHC is present, ensuring every plate meets the highest standards, and adding final garnishes with precision and care.
Some days the midday window becomes a time for creative exploration, testing new recipes or refining old ones into potential new staples. Innovation is always balanced with respect for Irish culinary traditions.
Afternoons are quieter in terms of service, but not in responsibility. The EHC uses this time for team meetings, mentoring new chefs, and liaising with the Head Chef in relation to garden produce. Áras an Uachtaráin can proudly boast its own organic walled kitchen garden, which is an essential part of its sustainability ethos.
Then comes the essential but the not so glamorous side…paperwork: stocktaking, collection of invoices, preparation of accounts for payment, and ensuring the kitchen complies with stringent hygiene, allergen and safety protocols.
Occasionally, the President hosts afternoon teas or receptions, calling for the refined artistry of pastries and canapés. From delicate, bite size savoury morsels to cakes and pastries. The EHC ensures flavours are balanced and textures tailored to modern tastes.
State dinners are the pinnacle of all the chef’s day. Though service typically begins around 7 p.m., preparations are set in motion, days and hours earlier. Tables are laid with precision, every place setting pristine, and each course timed down to the second. The EHC leads the plating line, coordinating closely with Bernadette, the Service Manager, to ensure seamless synchronicity.
At the Áras from left to right: Kemi Osuagwu (Agency Chef), Elcio Da Cruz (Agency Catering Assistant), Jared Orora (Agency Kitchen Porter), Innocent Moyo (Agency Kitchen Porter), Philip Roberts ( Áras Chef). Credit: Seamus Travers
Credit: Seamus Travers
Meals are typically four courses, designed with a narrative: from starter to dessert, each element reflecting Ireland’s culinary identity. The EHC must be vigilant, ensuring no guest is left waiting and each plate upholds the exacting standards of the President’s table.
Following a state dinner, the kitchen team debriefs, and cleans meticulously, leaving the kitchen ready for the next day. By 11 p.m., the lights dim and the doors close, only for the process to start again in a few hours.
The Executive Head Chef at Áras an Uachtaráin occupies a unique role as a custodian of national identity expressed not through words but through food. In every plate served, there is a quiet diplomacy at play, a story of Ireland told through taste. The demands are high; the pace relentless, it is hard work but very rewarding!
Martina and Kitchen staff
Credit: Seamus Travers
Martina Weir at Áras an Uachtaráin
Scattery Island Furniture
The furniture in the restored cottages is based on the layout and type of furniture in documentation about Scattery Island and drawings and photographs from archive sources respectively. Don Scanlan’s book about Scattery Island provided details of the type and layout of furniture in the cottages including a kitchen table and set of chairs, a dresser against the internal wall opposite the main fireplace and a settle against the rear wall. Drawings of cottages around Ireland in the 1940s from the Irish Folklife Collection in the National Museum of Ireland included floor plans, which also provided information showing typical furniture layouts of similar direct-entry cottages around Ireland.
Ronan Maguire
Post Office, Credit: Ronan Maguire OPW
External image from the pier, Credit: Ronan Maguire OPW
All of the furniture details in the houses are based on details from drawings in the Irish Folklife Collection in the National Museum of Ireland, furniture from Clare and the surrounding counties, furniture in publications and furniture from the Museum of Country Life in Castlebar.
The furniture throughout ‘The Street’ consists of replica furniture made in White Deal by OPW Carpenters in Athenry with a set of kitchen chairs and children’s chairs from local suppliers. All of the dressers, settles, benches and a set of kitchen chairs were made by OPW Carpenters and apprentices. Due to the exposed location of the buildings on the island, and in order to prevent damage from dampness to original furniture, OPW Carpenters made replica furniture. The replica furniture also allows visitors to sit down on a guided tour or selfguided tour.
Local residents’ recollections of the Post Office at the northern end of ‘The Street’ have indicated that the layout was not based on a typical Post Office layout. The Post Office desk is based on furniture from a post office in a similar type of cottage in the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, with individual compartments for each house.
McMahon’s House at the centre of ‘The Street’ contains a settle based on the settle in the Loop Head Farmhouse in Bunratty Folk Park and a dresser based on an example from the Irish Folklife Collection with inset doors and drawers. Brennan’s House at the southern end of ‘The Street’ contains a low settle based on an example from the Irish Folklife Collection and a dresser based on a dresser from Co. Clare with inset doors and partially overlaid drawers. The low settle allows uninterrupted light to enter the house through the rear window, a feature on many of the Scattery houses.
The details vary between different items of each type of furniture, all of which are based on details in drawings and photographs of original furniture. Typical details vary and include tongue-andgroove boards to stop-chamfers and raised panels on settles and dressers. Details also include corbels, brackets, simple plain moulded cornices and simple plain moulded skirting boards on dressers. Brennan’s house and McMahon’s house contain different tables and chairs based on furniture from Clare and the neighbouring counties.
In order to mitigate the impact of the exposed location of the island on the furniture and to protect the furniture from the effects of dampness, the dressers and settles were raised slightly off the ground. Details were based on the sledge feet on traditional vernacular furniture, a detail also used to protect the base of furniture against water damage and dampness.
McMahon’s House, Credit: Michèle O’Dea OPW
The furniture was painted in different colours based on images of furniture in publications by Claudia Kinmonth and furniture from the Museum of Country Life in Castlebar. Colours vary from house to house and include red, blue and grey. All furniture was painted throughout, in order to protect it.
Similar typical vernacular details are used for other features in the restored houses, all of which will be made by OPW Carpenters. The new desk in the visitor centre is based on similar details to the houses with simple tongue-and-groove
boards and simple plain moulded skirting boards. The electrical board in each house will be enclosed by a press made of tongue-and-groove boards based on fireside presses in traditional cottages.
It is proposed to add to the furniture over time. OPW carpenters will make additional items of furniture including additional presses and bedroom furniture, all based on traditional vernacular furniture including further local examples.
Acknowledgements:
Terri Sweeney Meade, APA; Michèle O’Dea, Senior Architect; Frank Geraghty, District Works Manager; Michael Heraghty, Foreman; Tom Blunnie, General Operative/Skipper; Declan Furey, Carpenter; Kevin Skehill, Carpenter; Michael Cassidy, Apprentice Carpenter; National Museum of Ireland
McMahon’s House, Credit: Michèle O’Dea OPW
Brennan’s House, Credit: Michèle O’Dea OPW
Brennan’s House, Credit: Michèle O’Dea OPW
Post Office Desk, Credit: Ronan Maguire OPW
Credit Giacomo Di Blasi
Protect Our Parks
The OPW manages some of Ireland’s finest gardens and parks, be sure to visit and enjoy them.
You will love our deer, but they are wild. So please keep a distance of at least 50 metres. No selfies!
Don’t feed the deer human food – it damages their health and it can make them aggressive towards humans.
Feature
Earley Collection a new donation of artworks for public enjoyment presented to the Office of Public Works
Mary Heffernan
Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Views of Dublin and Wicklow
Over the course of fifty years Patrick Earley assembled an outstanding collection of Irish topographical art, focusing on portrayals of Dublin and Wicklow over the period 1770 to 1870. The collection has recently been acquired by the State and a selection will be exhibited in the historic Daniel O’Connell room at the City Assembly House. The exhibition will feature early nineteenth-century views of Powerscourt Waterfall and Grafton Street, of Georgian College Green and Victorian Bray. Among the artists represented will be William Sadler, John Henry Campbell and Patrick Vincent Duffy.
James Arthur O’Connor (1792-1841), Dargle Gorge, Enniskerry, oil on canvas, Signed and dated, 1830.
Credit: Adam’s
It is wonderful that a few months after this important donation a selection from the collection will be put on public display in an exhibition that will run over the summer months of 2025 at the City Assembly House, Dublin. This is a most appropriate venue, as the building was erected in the mid-1760s by the artists of Ireland as the first purpose-built, public exhibition space for the display of art in Britain or Ireland. William Laffan,
author and art historian, who has written a catalogue to accompany the Exhibition states that “ Here at the City Assembly House, artists such as Thomas Roberts and William Ashford competed for public approval and the Irish – specifically Wicklow – landscape was very often their subject matter of choice. In 1772, for example, Roberts, William Ashford and James Coy (c. 1750-80) all exhibited views of Tinnehinch at the Society.”
William Laffan in his catalogue further elaborates on this special cause for celebration outlining how the Earley collection, the product of decades of shrewd and insightful collecting, has been acquired by the State under the provisions of section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act (1997) which has not only brought entire individual masterpieces to the National Gallery of Ireland and the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork (among other institutions) but has allowed collections, such as that formed by Richard Wood, now at Fota, County Cork, to be acquired for the enjoyment of the Irish public. The OPW has benefited too with the Carton paintings of the Mallaghan family coming to the State under the Section 1003 Act and the paintings handsomely displayed at Castletown. Similarly, the cultural heritage of Waterford has been immensely enhanced by the acquisition, under the same scheme, of superlative collections of Irish Georgian silver. The legislation specifically limits its applicability to outstanding examples of works of art which are manifestly ‘pre-eminent in their class’, whose acquisition would ‘significantly enhance’
William Ashford, Charleville, Rocky Gorge, Oil on canvas, Signed, Earley collection_Hayes Edwin_Dublin Bay after the Storm
John Faulkner, Bushy Park, Enniskerry John Henry Campbell (1757-1828), Old Court from Killarney Road
Credit: Adam’s
Ireland’s cultural patrimony – a high bar indeed, and a validation of Patrick’s connoisseurship. For this collection to be donated to OPW a number of people were instrumental in facilitating this initiative. I would like in particular to acknowledge the assistance of Sir Robert Goff, John Kennedy of the Department of Culture, Communication and Sport, Joanne Bannon and Roisin Flynn of OPW’s Registrar’s Office and Stuart Cole of Adam’s. My thanks also to the OPW’s Art Management Group who have providing guidance and governance on the donation throughout.
recommended. It is planned that some of the Earley collection will be on display at Damer House, Roscrea from the Autumn of 2026 onwards as part of the new schemes being unveiled under the grant aided EU Just Transition Funds Failte/ OPW project. The cataloguing of all the Earley Collection is being undertaken by Joanne Bannon, Historic Collections Registrar, OPW.
William Sadler II , Royal Canal Basin, Broadstone 1820 ‘The flower of Mullingar
William Sadler II (1782-1839), Dublin Bay from Gracepark Road, Drumcondra
Richard Brydges Beechey (18081895), Holyhead Steamer, Leinster Credit: Adam’s
The arrival of the Patrick Earley Collection at OPW comes at a very suitable time. Both Emo Court, Laois and Damer House, Roscrea are both undergoing conservation works and new picture hang displays are in planning. A selection of Earley paintings are already on display for Season 2025 in the newly re-hung Drawing Room of Emo Court. The House has just reopened following conservation works and a visit there to view both the Earley paintings and all the displays at Emo Court is strongly
For the summer of 2025 the Irish Georgian Society at The City Assembly House a large selection of the Patrick Earley Collection can be viewed in Dublin by visitors prior to their display and as a preview to their presentation at Damer House, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary.
Our thanks to Donough Cahill, Director of the IGS and his team for presenting the collection for public enjoyment this summer. Our very particular thanks to William Laffan for researching and writing up the excellent catalogue entries for the paintings and for coming up with the proposal to display the collection to visitors this summer at the Irish Georgian Society’s home.
Exploring Ireland’s Beautiful Islands
Cillian De Grás, Mary O’ Sullivan, Lorcán Ó Cinnéide and Therese Madden
This summer, step beyond the mainland and discover Ireland’s treasured islands. With accessible ferry routes, guided tours, and the promise of unforgettable scenery and stories, there’s no better time to explore these six gems.
Clare Island
Nestled in the heart of Clew Bay, Clare Island is a captivating blend of history, archaeology, and natural beauty. At the island’s core stands the ruins of Clare Island Cistercian Abbey, a formidable medieval stronghold dating back to the 15th century. It is thought the original building dates from the early 13th century and is now under the care of the Office of Public Works. This medieval church is significant for the extent of its surviving medieval wall paintings.
Officially known as ‘St. Bridget’s Abbey’ it is more correctly termed a ‘Cell’. The building contains tombs of the local ruling family, the O’Malleys- including
that of the legendary Grace O’Malley or Grainne Mhaol - the pirate queen of Connaught. The abbey is a testament to Ireland’s monastic heritage and monastic craftsmanship.
Access is available via ferries from Roonagh Pier, with facilities to explore the site unguided, though caretakers are on hand during the summer months. The OPW’s ongoing conservation efforts ensure the preservation of this rich heritage for future generations.
Clare Island Abbey Credit: Fionnán Nestor
Garinish Island (Illnacullin)
Garinish Island (Illnacullin), sitting in the picturesque Glengarriff Harbour within Bantry Bay, is home to beautiful gardens designed by Harold Peto on behalf of the owners, Annan and Violet Bryce. The Bryces, had holidayed in Glengarriff for a number of years prior to purchasing the Island in 1910 from the British War Office.
After four years with a workforce of up to 100 people, the Bryces’ dream of building a beautiful garden was realised. Due to changes in the Bryce family financial situation, the planned mansion was not built. The very mild climate, due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, was a factor in choosing Garinish Island to home a great variety of plants from around the world.
Having moved permanently to the Island on the death of her husband Annan in 1923, Violet opened the gardens to the public in 1925. Roland Bryce, eldest son of Violet and Annan, moved to Garinish
in 1932 to assist his mother in the care of the gardens. Roland took ownership of the Island on the death of his mother in 1939 and the Island has been in the care of the Office of Public Works since Roland’s passing in 1953. Murdo Mackenzie, Head Gardener on Garinish Island from 1928 until 1971, contributed hugely to the gardens. Under the current stewardship of Glyn Sherratt and his team, the gardens are maintained and continually evolving, thus ensuring the Bryce Legacy continues.
We welcome over 60,000 visitors annually to Garinish Island, with a recommended visit time of at least one hour for the garden. In 2015, a refurbishment of the former home of Bryce family members was undertaken and is now open for guided tours.
Garinish Island is home to a pair of sea eagles and many visitors are delighted to catch a glance of these wonderful birds whilst visiting the gardens.
Sherkin Franciscan Friary
Perched on Sherkin Island, County Cork, the Sherkin Friary is a captivating relic of Ireland’s rich monastic heritage. Overlooking a rocky strand, the ruins evoke a sense of history and tranquillity, inviting visitors to reflect on Ireland’s monastic traditions. Founded in 1460 by Chieftain Fineen O’Driscoll, this Franciscan friary—also known as ‘The Abbey’—stands as a testament to Ireland’s spiritual and historical legacy. Its resilience was tested in 1537 when it was attacked and burned in a reprisal against the O’Driscoll clan.
Despite this, it continued to operate until 1650, when Cromwellian forces confiscated the site.
It later came into the hands of the local Beecher family before being handed over to the Office of Public Works (OPW) in 1895. Accessible by boat, visitors are advised to exercise caution during their visit, as the site is unguided.
A visit to Sherkin Friary is a journey into Ireland’s storied past—a must-see for those exploring Cork’s rich heritage. Each of these islands offers a distinctive glimpse into Ireland’s natural beauty, history, and culture. Whether you’re wandering through the exotic gardens of Garinish, exploring the wild landscapes of the Blaskets, immersing yourself in Irish tradition or uncovering medieval history on Clare Island — they all promise memorable summer adventures.
Sherkin Island Pier Credit: Cora Sheehy
Ilnacullin (Garinish Island), Credit: Government of Ireland National Monuments Service Photographic Unit
Hill Photographic
Oileáin Árainn
Ón chéad lá ar thosaigh daoine ag cuir fúthú sna hOileáin Árainn, bhí daoine ag teacht go Árainn, Inis Méain agus Inis Oírr ar cuairt. Do mhairnéalaigh na Cré-Umhaoise, ba stop áisiúil é ar a n-aistir aníos an chósta thiar, mar aon le deis maith roinnt copair a thrádáil le haghaidh fionnadh agus iasc trimithe. Sa ré Chríostaí, le himeachta ama, ba lár-ionad léinn a bhí sna hoileáin, agus tháinig ábhair naoimh sna sluaite ag Mainistir Naomh Éanna, chun teagasc a dhéanamh leis an fear naofa. Níos déanaí, leann oilithrigh lorg na naomh, iad ag súil go dtuillfidís am saor ó phurgóid agus máthúnas dá bpeacaí. Do Rómánsaithe an 19ú aois, ba ídéal ar Éire ‘Ghaelach’ a bhí in Árainn, áit nár fhág an saol nuaaimsirthe a lorg, más fíor.
Tá Árainn go mór faoi thioncar a dúnta móra cloiche. Tá Dún Aonghasa agus Dúchathair suite go guagach go hard ar ailtreacha theas an oileáin, agus tá Dún Eoghnachta agus Dún Eochla lonnaithe ar an talamh ard i lár an oileáin. Bhí cónaí ar uasaicme an oileáin sna dúnta le linn ré na luath-mheánaoise 800AD – 1100AD, ach i gcás Dún Aonghasa ar a laghad, bhí daoine ag cuir fúthu ann siar sa Chréumhaois, 1100BC. Tá ballaí arda na dúin dochreitde tiubh, agus is léiriú soiléir iad
ar an buíon oibre suntasach a bhí faoi cheannas muintir an dúin.
Ar cósta thuaidh Árainn, tá na séipéil agus mainistreacha suaimhneacha suite. Lá den saol, bhí Cill Éinne beo le scolairí, cléirigh agus oilithrigh, agus bhí an oiread rath ar an mhainistir go raibh sé d’achmhainn acu cloigtheach ard a thógáil san 11ú aois. Sa lá atá inniu ann breathnaíonn Teampall Bheannáin, an séipéil is lú in Éireann más fíor é, amach ar chuan Cill Éinne, agus in aice láimhe tá Teaghlach Éinne leathcheilte faoi gaineamh. Ar taobh thiar an oileán, is é an suíomh ar a dtugtar na Seacht dTeampaill sa lá atá inniu ann is tábhachtaí. Tá grúpa suntasach d’fhoirgnimh agus séipéil meánaoiseacha le fáil ann, chomh maith le iarsmaí thrí ardchros mionsnoite.
D’fhág an 17ú céad a lorg ar Árainn chomh maith. Nuair a ghéill Gailleamh do forsaí Chromaill in 1650, cuireadh forsa saighdiúirí ar an oileán, agus tógadh Caisleán Aircín. Níor mhair go dtí an lá atá inniu ann ach balla amháin den caisleán ach is meabhrú sonrach dúinn é ar suímh stráitéiseach an oileán feadh béal Chuan na Gaillimhe.
Cloughoughter Castle
Perched on a man-made island in Lough Oughter, Co. Cavan, Cloughoughter Castle—also known as the Castle of Crannog O’Reilly—is a striking reminder of Ireland’s medieval heritage. Built in the 13th or early 14th century by the O’Reilly family, the castle’s strategic location on a crannog made it a formidable stronghold amidst the lakes and waterways of the region. Accessible only by boat, the castle’s remote setting offers visitors a sense of stepping back in time. When water levels are low, remnants of a causeway may be visible, hinting at the once-sophisticated means of access. Historical records recount numerous events at Cloughoughter, from
sieges to political upheavals. Notably, during the Irish Rebellion of 1641-1642, the renowned scholar and bishop William Bedell was imprisoned here.
Today, Cloughoughter remains a National Monument under state guardianship. Recent restoration efforts, including the removal of overgrown ivy and old structures, have enhanced visibility of its historic fabric. Visitors should note that the site is unguided, requiring care and caution during exploration. As a powerful symbol of Ireland’s medieval past, Cloughoughter Castle continues to inspire those seeking to connect with Ireland’s rich heritage.
Inishmore, Aran Islands Credit: Chris
Cloughoughter Castle Ruin Credit Credit: Fáilte Ireland
Explore Ireland’s unique islands this summer –each offering a glimpse into the country’s natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture. From the gardens of Garinish to the wild Blaskets and historic Clare Island, unforgettable adventures await just a ferry ride away.
Centre Credit: Lorcán Ó Cinnéide
An Blascaod Mór
Is beag duine in Éirinn nách bhfuil eolas éigin acu faoi’n mBlascaod Mór, príomhoileán na mBlascaodaí, ar chósta thiar Chorca Dhuibhne i gCiarraí. Mhair pobal uathúil ar an oileán go dtí 1953 agus tháining raidhse saothair litríochta as, ó na 1920idí amach – An tOileánach le Tomás Ó Criomhhtain, Fiche Bliain ag Fás le Muiris o Súilleabháin agus Peig le Peig Sayers mar cheannródaithe orthu. Lean mórán leabhair eile iad, a fhágann go bhfuil cúntas cuimsitheach ar conas a mhair an pobal sin, ar chuma nách bhfuil le fáil in aon áit dá leithéid, ní amháin in Éirinn ach ar domhan. Deintear ceiliúradh an an oidhreacht shaibhir sin in Ionad an Bhlascaoid ar an míntír i nDún Chaoin.
Tá mórán taighde agus saothair foilsithe ag scoláirí iomráiteacha faoi ghnéithe do chultúr, béaloideas agus stair na mBlascaodaí fiú go dtí an lá inniu, as Gaeilge agus i dteangacha eile. Léiríonn siad saibhreas agus tábhacht na hoidhreachta atá fágtha ag pobal an Bhlascaoid Mhóir.
Is fiú go mór turas a thabhait at an t-oileán féin. Tá áilleacht, uaisleacht agus uaigneas thar na bearta ag baint leis. Tá teacht ar an oileán ar sheirbhísí farantóireachta príobháideacha a ritheann ó Dhún Chaoin, ó Cheann
Trá agus ó Dhaingean Uí Chúis idir an Aibreán agus Meán Fómhair – ag brath ar aimsir, gan amhras. Bíonn turasanna treóraithe á gcur ar fáil go laethúil ann ag treóraithe ó Ionad an Bhlascaoid, a thugann léargas ar bhaile an oileáin, scéalta na ndaoine agus na tithe inar mhair siad, sar a tréigeadh an áit i 1953. Taobh amuigh den oidhreacht agus stair, is áit fíor-álainn an Blascaod Mór ina bhfuil radharcanna iontacha mórthimpeall. Tá siúlóidí den scoth ann a thugann éachtaint ar an tírdhreac agus muirdhreac ar gach taobh. Tá an áit mar chuid de Pháirc Náisiúnta na Mara a ainmníodh i 2024 agus tá tóir ar an mBlascaod Mór mar láthair chun na rónta glas agus éanlaithe mara atá flúirseach ann a fheiscint.
Tá mórán oibre idir lámha faoi láthair le go ndéanfaí caomhnú fad-téarmach ar an mBlascaod Mór agus chun áiseanna túirlingte a fheabhsú ionas an láthair fíorthábhachtach seo a bheith cosanta agus ar fáil do chuairteoirí in sna blianta agus glúnta atá rómhainn. Is é is lú atá tuillte mar omós ag an bpobal eisceachtúil a mhair ann, do chuimhne na n-údair iomráiteacha agus saibhreas oidhteachta agus nádúrtha an Bhlascaoid. Faoi mar a dúirt an Criomhthanach, “mar ná beidh a leithéidí arís ann”.
Blasket
Before It Fades Remembering Miss Colclough – An Oral History Project at Tintern Abbey _
Breda Lynch
The Before It Fades voluntary group, proudly supported by The Office of Public Works has, over the past 18 months, created a memory bank of an oral history of Tintern secured now for the future in audio and video form. Through the camera lens we see modern architecture while also catching glimpses of the vernacular. We hear accents and colloquialisms native to Tintern and we see how fact, myth and folklore intersect. The ‘Remembering Miss Colclough Festival’ held in the vicinity of Saltmills and Tintern Abbey in 2023 and 2024 revived the local memory of the Colclough influence on the area and the oral history project - which evolved from this and is due to be launched later this year.
In the latter part of the twelfth century, William Marshal granted to the community of Tintern in Wales land on the shores of Bannow Bay, for t he foundation of a monastery of Cistercian monks.
Significantly, in the foundation charter, William notes that he holds his lands through the inheritance of his wife, Isabella de Clare, daughter of Strongbow and Aoife, the human embodiment of the clash of Gaelic and Anglo-Norman traditions and cultures.
The monks at Tintern lived in the Abbey and worked its land from c.1200 until the Reformation led to the suppression of the religious houses during the reign of King Henry VIII and so the era of monastic life at Tintern came to an official end in 1536.
After a slight hiatus Henry’s daughter, Elizabeth, who succeeded to the throne in 1558 granted Tintern Abbey to Sir
Anthony Colclough, a soldier loyal to the Crown with the stipulation that the former monastery be converted into a fortified residence and the scars of that transformation are clear to see in the fabric of the building today.
Anthony’s tenure as owner of Tintern is bookended by the stewardship of his distant descendant Miss Lucy Marie Biddulph Colclough, last owner and last Colclough resident of Tintern Abbey. Miss Colclough lived in the family home, from her childhood, until 1959 when she left a much dilapidated residence, a place wholly unfit for life in the 21st century.
Miss Colclough bequeathed the Abbey and its lands to the Irish State and so, today, Tintern sits in a unique landscape, untouched by modern building incursion. The place names and family names and layout of the old monastic complex turned landed estate are still easy to identify.
The House at the Old Abbey Credit: The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
Some extracts from the oral history project are recorded here
The Abbey and Walled Garden with the meandering walks traversed by the monks and before them the earlier native settlers are now waiting for us to enjoy and explore; we are invited to follow in their footsteps….
But the past is a complex place.
History can be a thorny subject.
It can challenge us.
It can upend preconceived ideas.
Ideas that may have been handed down to us through family lore, through careful editing, through the powerful force of forging a national identity, through the crafting of a narrative that has been made to fit a predetermined outcome.
History can also be a place of comfort, of refuge and of pride; national, regional, local, familial and it can be shared and disseminated in many different ways.
Within living memory rural Ireland was dotted with rambling houses. These were places of welcome and of retreat from long days of hard manual labour, from
Tintern Abbey View from Bridge
Credit: James Barry
Colclough Library at Tintern Abbey today
Credit: James Barry
loneliness and from solitude. Inside these homes neighbours gathered and shared sustenance and whiled away the dark winter evenings and by the dim light of oil lamps and smoky fires they shared stories of the present but most often, of the past.
Here the storyteller began to weave their tale with the awkward edges of dates and lauded titles polished smooth the story was rounded to fit the shape of those gathered eager to hear the past retold.
But oral history is so much more than reminiscing or storytelling. At its best it is an evocative retelling of the history of a time or place recalled through the fog of memory and of experiences; through deep connections to place and culture.
It is that sense of connection that forms the foundation for this exciting initiative, ‘Before It Fades: Remembering Miss Colclough - An Oral History Project’ happening in the vicinity of Tintern Abbey.
In an age of social media where time is everything, where snapshots and three second sound bites are the order of the day we are humbled by the longevity of the memories still retained and by the mastery of those who tell them.
Lulled by the cadence of the storyteller we seem to slip back through time.
Their memory becomes our conduit to the past.
Their language is our way-finder through history.
Through the recording screen we have been welcomed in, offered a seat at their table where they share the traditions of this place.
Here we pause.
Time settles.
Memories blossom.
History comes alive.
Their past becomes our present. And we look to the future nourished by their generosity and awed by their memory.
Tintern Abbey Miss Colclough and Louis Feeley
Credit: Jim Bambury OPW
Miss Colclough at Tintern
Credit: The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
Oral History Participants
Credit The Before It Fades Group
Credit: Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland
The Pirate Queen of Mayo’s Monuments
Shauna Fox
Credit: Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland
For the past year I have been working on a multi-team project to highlight Ireland’s unguided National Monuments in OPW care. There are approximately 790 of these monuments, dating from various periods, encompassing castles, tombs, abbeys, forts, and standing stones. Many of these different sites connect with each other through their historical context, within this extensive portfolio.
The monuments of County Mayo are an example of this historical connection, with many of them linked to the powerful families of Burke and O’Malley. Its castles and abbeys are forever connected because of their association with one woman. One woman who broke the mould, who kept fighting, and who has gone down in Irish legend as The Pirate Queen.
There are many names The Pirate Queen is known by today, but she is probably best known as Gráinne O’Máille (Grace O’Malley) or Granuaile. Three castles in Mayo are referred to by her name: Rockfleet Castle, Kildavnet Castle, and Clare Island Castle are also known as Granuaile’s Castles/Towers. Both Kildavnet and Clare Island Castle were built, in the 15th and 16th centuries, by
the O’Malley family, a powerful Gaelic clan within Connaught. Rockfleet, a 15th/16th century tower, was owned by the Burke family, descendants of the Anglo-Norman de Burgos. It was this castle that became Gráinne’s base of piracy operations through her marriage to her second husband, Richard-anIarainn Burke.
Gráinne spent her childhood between the family castles of Belclare in Co. Galway, and Clare Island in Co. Mayo. It is likely that her education was delivered by the monks who lived in the abbey on Clare Island, an abbey of which the O’Malley’s were patrons. The original abbey is said to date back to the 13th century, while the church that exists on the island today dates to around the 15th century and contains the tomb of the O’Malley family. A plaque with the family motto ‘Terra Mariq Potens’ (Powerful by Land and Sea), sits beside a canopied tomb, believed to be the burial place of Gráinne O’Máille herself. Today, the church contains some of the finest medieval frescoes in Ireland.
Gráinne returned home to Clare Island after the murder of her first husband, Dónal O’Flaherty, by a rival clan in
1565. It was then that she established her fleet of three galleys and an army of 200 men. This army was partially made up of O’Flaherty men, who followed her leadership after her husband’s death. Such loyalty was a testament to her prowess as a leader, as well as her tenacity; something which was displayed from a young age. Wanting to join her father on a voyage to Spain, Gráinne cut her hair like a boy, earning her the nickname Gráinne Mhaol (Grace the Bald).
The castle on Clare Island was situated near the harbour, making it the perfect place for Gráinne to begin her career as a ‘sea merchant’. The castle is three storeys tall, with the main living room likely situated on the first floor, and there is evidence that gun-loops existed which are now blocked up. A parapet walk is situated along the top of the north and south walls, a typical security feature of castles from the medieval period.
Gráinne was strategic in where she operated her fleets from, and her second marriage to Richard-an-Iarainn Burke was one driven by material convenience. She wanted access to his castle at Rockfleet, ideally located on a quiet inlet of Clew Bay, not too far from the O’Malley Kildavnet Castle overlooking the Achill Sound. Both castles are four storeys high, with stunning views over the surrounding
O’Malley Tomb - Clare Island
Credit: Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland
water and land, perfect for observing oncoming attacks. It was known that Gráinne launched attacks on trading ships from Galway during her time at Rockfleet, leading to an attempted siege of the castle in 1579 by Captain William Martin. The Captain very nearly became Gráinne’s captive.
Gráinne and Richard agreed to a trial marriage of a year, with folklore claiming that after the year was up Gráinne locked Richard out of Rockfleet Castle and demanded a divorce. This is unlikely given that the couple were married right up to his death in 1584.
It was after Richard’s death that life became increasingly difficult for Gráinne in the form of newly appointed Governor of Connaught, Richard Bingham; whose sights became set on the fearsome queen of the sea. After enduring imprisonment in Dublin Castle, the capture of her youngest son, and the confiscation and destruction of her fleet and lands over a number of years, Gráinne took a stand and appealed directly to Queen Elizabeth I to end Bingham’s vendetta. They met in 1593, with the Queen granting Gráinne’s return to the sea and rebuilding of her fleet, believing the Pirate Queen would be fighting the Queen’s cause on the waters. Gráinne now had a fleet of three galleys capable of carrying 300 men each.
It is said that Gráinne O’Máille died in 1603 at Rockfleet Castle, and now rests on Clare Island. Her strength and her fierce nature did not go unnoticed by the men she dealt with throughout her life. Sir Henry Sidney (English Lord Deputy) stated that she was the most ‘notorious woman in all the coasts of Ireland’, while Sir Nicholas Malby (Governor of Connaught) claimed ‘she thinketh herself to be no small lady’. Gráinne lived an adventurous and vivid life, and her monuments in County Mayo reflect the larger than life character of this extraordinary woman.
More information on these unguided monuments in Mayo can be found at: https://heritageireland.ie/unguidedsites/?locationcounty%5B%5D=mayo
Sources:
Chambers, Anne. Ireland’s Pirate Queen: the true story of Grace O’Malley, 2003.
Dib.ie/biography – contributed by Emmet O’Byrne Harbison, Peter. Guide to National and Historic Monuments of Ireland, 1992.
Heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com – Historic Environment Viewer
Tuatha.ie
Possible portrait of Gráinne O’Máille Credit: OPW
Submit your entry to the lottery to attend this year’s Solstice here
Experience the magic of the rising sun at our UNESCO World Heritage Property
Credit Ken Williams
The Fall of Charles Fort
Evelyn Long
As one of the largest military installations in the country Charles Fort has been associated with some of the most momentous events in Irish history. The most significant of these include the Jacobite-Williamite War in 1690 and the Irish Civil War in 1922 – 1923.
As a military fortress Charles Fort is an outstanding example of star-shaped fort with five bastions. Built between 1678 and 1682, Charles Fort was designed by William Robinson, Architect of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham and Superintendent of all fortifications in Ireland. In his design of Charles Fort, Robinson was influenced by the work of the French Engineer, Sebastien de Vauban, who perfected this form of military architecture. These forts were the most effective form of defence during the age of cannon and musket fire.
At its height, there were 94 canons in Charles Fort in 1690 – a formidable deterrent for any attacker. Its walls are low and thick and are circa 12 metres wide. The fort is strong on its seaward side but the landward defences were never fully completed. This would contribute to its fall in the siege of 1690.
The succession of James II to the throne of England in 1685 ultimately lead to the War of the Two Kings. James’s refusal
to accept the rights of parliament and his continued devotion to Catholicism was unacceptable to the majority of the English Lords. In 1689, Civil War broke out as King James landed in Kinsale in an attempt to regain the throne.
In 1690, the Williamite forces, under the joint command of John Churchill, Earl of Marlborough, and Ferdinand Wilhelm, Duke of Wurttemberg, arrived in Kinsale and attached both Charles Fort and James Fort. James Fort was besieged first but was forced to surrender when a barrel of gun-powder exploded, killing many of the garrison and destroying the main gate. After James Fort was captured, William’s army seized the defender’s cannons and turned them on Charles Fort. They opened fire pinning down the defenders on the western side. The capture of James Fort made front page news on the London Gazette on the 16th October 1690.
Charles Fort had one great weakness in that, it was essentially, unfinished. The three landward facing bastions were only supposed to be temporary and were thus un-mortared. The masonry slipped along the face and flank of the Cockpit Bastion, which was described by the Jacobite engineers, as very weak. It was thus an obvious target for the attackers.
Charles Fort, Kinsale, Co Cork
Credit: Cahir Davitt
Churchill and Wurttemberg commanded 10,000 men. Williams’ army was a coalition of European forces which included, English, French Huguenots and Danish forces. The Jacobite Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Scott, had close to 1,200 soldiers defending Charles Fort. Despite the odds against them, the defenders put up a fierce fight holding out for thirteen days. When seven Williamite warships appeared on the horizon, the defenders found themselves stretched to breaking point as the Williamite’s focused their efforts on the venerable eastern flank. From the high ground looking directly into the Fort, they positioned eight 24 pounder iron cannons and fired 60-80 cannonballs per hour for three days into that vulnerable position.
Eventually, the wall collapsed and the defenders were offered the choice of surrender or death. Facing over 5 to 1 odds and armed with obsolete weaponry, with many of the garrison unable to fight due to illness and battle wounds, the defenders had no choice but to submit. They were allowed to surrender under terms and to leave Charles Fort with their flags and weapons and march to Limerick where they continued to fight until the end of the war. Churchill and Wurttemberg took over command of Charles Fort while Churchill appointed his brother Governor of Charles Fort and Kinsale.
News that Charles Fort had been captured arrived just as the London Gazette went to press for the 16th of October edition.
Charles Fort Aerial View
Credit: Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Ireland
Charles Fort, Kinsale, Co Cork
Credit: Cahir Davitt
Casimir Markievicz
A Polish Artist in Bohemian Dublin (1903-1913)
DUBLIN CASTLE
This project, organised to celebrate Poland’s Presidency of the EU Council, is a joint initiative of the Office of Public Works and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Dublin.
This exhibition explores the artistic life and work of Constance Markievicz, Irish revolutionary heroine’s, Polish husband, Casimir Markievicz – painter, playwright, and larger-than-life personality – and his place in Dublin’s bohemian circles on the eve of the Revolution.
Over 80 artworks and artefacts presented in Dublin Castle’s State Apartment Galleries have been loaned from major state collections including the National Gallery of Ireland, National Library of Ireland, National Museum of Ireland, Hugh Lane Gallery, Crawford Gallery, The Model in Sligo, and the
Public Records Office of Northern Ireland; as well as from private lenders including Lissadell House, United Arts Club, Sir Josslyn Gore-Booth, and the family of Irish radical Thomas MacDonagh.
The exhibition also explores links between Ireland, Poland, and Ukraine (where Casimir’s family lived). Displayed in the galleries are unique photographs of Ukraine’s lands and people taken by Constance, and paintings of its countryside made by both, on special loan from Casimir Markievicz’s relatives in Poland. Many of these have not been seen in Ireland for more than a century.
The exhibition runs from 22 April until 14 September.
Photography Credit: RafaĹ Kostrzewa
Events
Looking Ahead Heritage Week 2025
16-24 August 2025
We are delighted to announce a free day entry this year on Saturday 16th August, the opening day of Heritage Week.
This year’s theme is ‘Exploring Our Foundations’ and it invites us to delve into the building blocks of our heritage; not just the structures, but the landscapes and cultural activities that have shaped us.
Through meticulous craft and conservation efforts, the Office of Public Works are the dedicated custodians of Ireland’s unique heritage.
This important conservation work enlists the expertise of highly-skilled traditional tradespeople and master craftspeople such as masons, stonecutters and carpenters. Their painstaking efforts show the utmost respect for each building’s needs while the beautiful restorative results allow us and the generations to come, to enjoy and appreciate these treasures of Irish heritage.
traditions, folklore, and the landscapeboth natural and built -which have had a significant effect that people can now learn about and enjoy.
Having reopened in late April following extensive renovations, Barryscourt Castle is central to the community of Cork and plays hosts to numerous cultural activities. A recent celebration highlighted the Castle’s conservation through music, talks and tours.
Emo Court, a quintessential neo-classical mansion, set in the midst of the ancient Slieve Bloom Mountains, has been carefully and expertly restored by the OPW and has new exhibits and displays to explore. Visitors to Emo Court can enjoy the lake and woodland walks or a meander through the gardens before relaxing in the charming tearooms
* Free admission to all fee-paying sites except for Kilmainham Gaol and Brú na Boinne. For a full list of Heritage sites, please see heritageireland.ie
* National Heritage Week 2025 runs from 16th - 24th August.
* Visit heritageireland.ie for a full list of 2025 events
Portumna Castle in Co. Galway is an early 17th-century semi-fortified manor house prominently located on the northern shores of Lough Derg. Portumna Castle, not only highlights the historic evolution of Irish architecture and skills, but also has an impact on local
Our events this year range from a Family Fun Day at Glendalough which includes a tour and lego workshop to a tour of Ross Castle and hear about the transformation from the medieval home of the Gaelic O’ Donoghue’s to an English military barracks and now a world-famous tourist site. Step back in time with Laoch Living History and find out what it was like to be a 17th century soldier under the forbidding gaze of a Drill Sergeant at Battle of the Boyne.
Minister of State with Responsibility for the OPW, Kevin Boxer Moran, Chair of The Heritage Council, Martina Moloney, Head Guide, James Heenan at the launch of Heritage Week at Portumna Castle.
Credit: David Hehir
Events
Looking Back Seachtain
na Gaeilge
1-17 March 2025
Siobhán Treacy, Fionnuala Doherty agus Eoin O’Flynn
Chun Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025 a cheiliúradh, eagraíodh sraith imeachtaí ag suíomheanna ar fud na tíre a chuir béim ar an nGaeilge agus a chinntigh go mbeadh sí inrochtana agus tarraigngteach do chách.
Ag An Casino Marino d’oscail na ndoirse go luath chun fáilte a chur roimh chuairteoirí le haghiadh turas i nGaeilge faoi striúir Liam Ó Cullbáird. Fuair cuairteoirí an deis foghlaim faoin Thiarna Charlemont agus a chuid taistil le linn a chaumchuairt mhóir féin sna 1700í agus féachaint ar an gcuma a bheadh ar thírdhreach Bhaile Átha Cliath ag an am sin. Ar ndóigh, ní raibh Gaeilge ag ciorcal sóisialta Charlemont, ach i bhfianaise character Charlemint gan amhras bheadh fáilte curtha aige roimhe
an teanga a chloisteáil ina mhaoin féin. Chomh maith le sin, fuair an grúpa deis chun dul isteach sna tolláin thíos, áit ar chleacht Michael Collins agus Oscar Traynor gunnaí a úsáid le linn Chogadh na Saoirse. Ár mbuíochas arís le Liam as an turas seo a chur ar fáil.
Chur an bhfoireann oideachas Chaislean Bhaile Átha Cliath sraith bhríomhar imeachtaí dírithe ar an nGaeilge agus ar an oidhreacht ar fáil mar chuid dár gclár oideachais leanúnach. Bhain daltaí ón Gaeilscoil áitúil chomh maith le baill den phobal leas as turasaí trí Ghaeilge. Bhí Turas Trí Gaeilge amhrán Sean-nós ar siúl sna Árasáin Stáit i gCaisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath, faoi stiúir an treoraí Tadhg Carey. Tríd amhráin traidisiúnta sean- nós, mar shampla, Caoineadh na trí Mhuire agus ag Cuan Bhinn Éadair, d’fhreagair Tadhg go dtí roinnt den ealaín ar taispeáint, ag nasc ceol, teanga, agus amharcealaín i dtaithí chumhachtach uair an chloig. Bhí ciorcal comhrá chun Lá na gCiorcal a céillúireadh comh maith le ceann de na ceardlanna a bíonn móréilimh ann, ‘Freagairt don Ealaín’, ina bíonn páistí ag breathnaigh, ag tabhairt tuairisc agus ag léirmhínigh róbaí na ridirí a caomhnaíodh la déanaí i Halla Naomh Pádraig inár cruthaigh siad Suaitheantais Réalta Naomh Pádraig féin ag baint úsáide as teicnící origami agus ábhair mheaschtha, ag comhcheangal foghlaim phraiticuille le caomhnú oidhreachta. Buíochas ar leith lenár bhfoireann treoraithe agus
lenár gcomhoibritheoirí, lena n-áirítear an caomhnóir teicstílí Karen Horton, as na himeachtaí seo a chur ar fáil.
I gCaisleán Ráth Fearnáin, eagraíodh turas treoraithe trí Ghaeilge chomh maith le an maidin chaife seachtainiúil atá ar siúl sa Chaisleán le breis agus dhá bhliain (gach maidin Dé Sathairn) agus ghlac roinnt cairde ón gciorcal sin páirt ann. Ach tháinig roinnt daoine nua nach raibh ar an eol faoi roimhe chun blás a fáíl den stair agus oidhreacht an Chaisleáin. Mhair an turas uair a chloig agus bhí teacht ar na seomraí stairiúla galánta thuas staighre a bhí in úsáid ag na huaisle mar aon leis na seomraí seirbhíse thíos staighre.
Tá turais threoraithe trí mheán na Gaeilge ar fáil ag roinnt suíomhanna de chuid OOP i rith na bliana, ní hamháin le linn Seachtain na Gaeilge. Tabhair cuairt ar Turais Ghaeilge | Oidhreacht Éireann le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais.
Rathfarnham Castle
Credit: Liam Ó Culbáird
Turas Dublin Castle, Credit Fionnula Doherty
Casino Marino Credit Paul Burke
Events
Looking Back Biodiversity Week
16-25 May 2025
A series of fun and educational events took place in the OPW locations nationwide to celebrate National Biodiversity Week. Nature enthusiasts had plenty to enjoy across the week, with a range of workshops, tours, trails and other fun activities.
In Parke’s Castle, Co. Leitrim the local schools who took part in a Hands-on Biodiversity Workshop: A Series of Fun and Interactive Workshop Exploring the Aquatic Life of Lough Gill. There was also a mini bio-blitz at the castle where they joined Michael Bell of Nature Learn and became citizen scientists for the day!
Students commented it was “Very cool” and asked “when can we visit again?” Their teacher said it was “A very educational and enjoyable morning”.
Botanist and ecologist, Dr Dolores Byrne, of Atlantic Technical University, also led a hands-on, family-friendly exploration of the biodiversity at Parke’s Castle. Families had a chance to look at plants and animals up close under a microscope and take measurements of light and soil temperature.
Portumna Castle and Gardens offered free guided tours of the walled kitchen gardens. Craft Gardener, Lynn O’Keeffe presented an informative talk entitled ‘Gardening for Birds’.
A collaborative exhibition ‘Wild Matters’, curated by Elodie Rein, featured the work of eleven artists from Gort Arts, comprising fifty-one pieces. The collection was inspired by plants, fungi, and the animal kingdom.
JFK Arbortum, had a 24-hour Bioblitz event as they tried to spot and record as many birds as possible. Head Guide at JFK Arboretum, Gerry O’Neill, said “Bioblitz is an exciting way to engage visitors of all ages in biodiversity exploration. It was a fun and informal way to learn the field craft of natural history recording alongside specialists. Highlights of the event were the Bat Walk and Dawn Chorus.
While the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, visitors were invited to explore the legends that trees inspired, the different types growing in the grounds and why they would have been chosen.
Emo Court was the venue for a Bat Walk and Talk with Principle Ecologist, Pat Moran. While Director of the National Botanic Gardens, Matthew Jebb gave an interesting lecture entitled Bees and Climate Change.
Biodiversity Glendalough
Credit: Aodhan Clarke
Biodiversity Week Parke’s Castle
Credit Emma Timoney
Biodiversity Week Parkes Castle
Credit: Heritage Council
Events
Looking Back Bealtaine
May 2025
The Office of Public Works held a programme of events and initiatives for Senior Citizens at various heritage sites across the country to align with the Bealtaine Festival – “Celebrating Arts and Creativity as We Age” for the month of May.
From musical performances to yoga to drawing groups; there was a range of diverse and exciting events on offer including a free admission day for senior citizens at fee paying heritage sites on Friday May 23.
This initiative aimed to encourage all senior citizens to get out and engage with their cultural heritage and avail of the OPW’s carefully curated and engaging visitor experiences.
Sligo Abbey hosted a ‘Seniors Appreciation Day’ as part of the festival on Wednesday, May 7. There were events throughout the day, including talks and tours, which catered for different levels of mobility, and an afternoon sing-along music session with abbey guides Barry Mulligan and Harry Keaney – The Cloister Boys.
Head Guide in Sligo Abbey, Dr. Andrew Whitefield commented: “We were blessed with fantastic weather for our Seniors and Carers Appreciation Day, which helped bring in a great crowd for our programme of special tours, refreshments, live music and chat. The Cloister Boys – Sligo Abbey Guides Barry Mulligan and Harry Keaney – were on top form with trad-fusion music in the Abbey Church, and Trisha’s Treats – handmade by Abbey Guide Patricia O’Loughlin – went down a treat as always.”
In Co. Leitrim, a peaceful Chair Yoga session was held in the serene surroundings of Parke’s Castle
Head Guide, Siobhan McGowanLoughlin said: “This gentle, slow-paced practice focused on mindful movement, gentle stretches, breath awareness, and relaxation.” She remarked that one participant said: “I closed my eyes and all I could hear was the sound of the birds and the lake water lapping” while another commented it was “A truly wonderful and a very different experience”.
Meanwhile in Co. Galway, James Heenan and Noel Larkin directed an informative tour of Portumna Castle entitled ‘Creativity in Portumna Priory - Medieval Masonry and Craftsmanship’.
The tour focused on the building phases and the functioning of spaces within the priory, including the architecture of the doors and windows, as well as the various stone features.
Each Thursday morning throughout the month of May, the Custom House Visitor Centre welcomed the opportunity to open its doors for free to senior citizens as part of Bealtaine.
Supervisor Guide Siobhán Treacy says: This was a chance for us to engage with some of our older visitors who had never been to the Custom House Visitor Centre before. Many of them were locals who were able to tell us stories about growing up in the area, and, we were able to fill them in on parts of history they never knew about. Some of the tours ended up being more of a chat and we learned just as much from them as they did from us! We also ran a drawing and sketching morning so they could relax and take in James Gandon’s architectural triumph; they were also lucky enough for the sun to be shining and could talk with each other outside on the benches while admiring the many statues and designs on the outside of the building. A number of our Bealtaine visitors enjoyed their visit so much they’ve come back with some of their other friends and family members too.”
In recognition of ‘National Arts in Nursing Home Day’ on May 16th, participants from St Attracta’s Residence in Co. Mayo had the opportunity to use virtual reality headsets and experience a virtual tour of OPW heritage sites including the Céide Fields and the Battle
of the Boyne Visitor Centre, from the comfort of their armchair.
Chair Yoga Parkes Castle
Credit: Kathy Burke
Nursing Home Bealtaine
Credit: Sean Flynn
Portumna Castle Kitchen Garden
Credit: Giacomo Di Blasi
TFI Local Link
Credit: Photocall Ireland
Sligo Abbey Bealtaine (below)
Credit: Kathy Burke
The OPW teamed up with Global VAM, a Belmullet-based XR company, which specialises in creating immersive experiences, for this initiative. Brian Lavelle, Managing Director, was present to provide the Virtual Reminisce Activity headsets to the residents.
The initiative was so successful that it caught the attention of Marty Morrissey and was featured on RTÉ’s Today show with Maura and Dáithí. Highlighted in their national round-up of the week’s events, it received a glowing review for its remarkable success and unique appeal among participants.
General Manager St Attracta’s Residence, Ms Trina Donohue, welcomed the initiative, saying: ‘’The visit to St. Attracta’s Residence from the OPW and Global VAM was a resounding success. The residents enjoyed every part of their simulated visit to heritage sites while sitting in the comfort of their armchairs. This development in technology has amazing potential for those who are unable to travel as much as they did before and can really bring the world into their home.”
As well as the diverse programme of events and initiatives, the OPW once again collaborated with Transport for Ireland (TFI) and announced a special nationwide initiative offering free access
to selected heritage sites for older people who use the TFI Local Link service throughout the month of May.
This initiative highlighted a shared aim between the OPW, the Department of Transport and Transport for Ireland to encourage sustainable travel.
Senior citizens were offered free entry to 11 OPW sites on the Local Links network when they present their Local Link ticket or travel pass.
Welcoming the Bealtaine festivities, Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kevin “Boxer” Moran said:
“The OPW was delighted to collaborate with Age and Opportunity on this initiative. It was wonderful to see the wide range of events that our sites had on offer to support the Bealtaine festival.
Our partnership with Transport for Ireland highlighted the Local Links service and encouraged Senior Citizens to avail of this magnificent service and get out to visit your local heritage site.”
Events
Looking Back Bloom
29 May to 2 June
Images Credits:
Nico Rylands and Jake McLaughlin
Heritage Ireland’s Visitor Services Team presented a vibrant and engaging stand highlighting the country’s rich cultural legacy and promoting a selection of our most magnificent heritage sites at the Bloom Festival 2025.
A variety of staff from various sites, the Marketing Team, Press Office and the Communications Team promoted the sites offerings over the five days.
The team worked with the Furniture Unit to design large O P W letters which were on display outside the marquee.
A large map of all heritage sites was on display with large backdrops around the inside of the tent displaying a selection of sites:
– Ireland’s Historic Gardens – Portumna Castle, Annes Grove House and Gardens, and National Botanic Gardens
– New Heritage Experiences –Emo Court, Barryscourt Castle and Ormond Castle
– Educational Programmes –Dublin Castle, Rathfarnham Castle and The Custom House
– There was a large banner with The Rock of Cashel for visitors to take pictures at this iconic site.
The team collaborated with the Irish Landmark Trust to offer a prize of a guided tour of Annes Grove Castle and Gardens and a two-night stay in one of their properties.
Barryscourt, Credit: Cathal Noonan
Acknowledgements
A sincere thank you to the Editorial Team and all the contributors to the Summer edition of the Heritage Ireland magazine.
The knowldege and passion for heritage across the organisation is wonderful to see, and we welcome your submissions for the Winter 2025 edition.
Maeve McCormack, Assistant Principal, Visitor Services
Editorial Team:
Sinéad Maye (Editor)
Therese Madden (Deputy Editor)
Shauna Fox
Connie Keaveney Anna Dunne
Graphic Designers: Penhouse
Glendalough Monastic Site, Co Wicklow
Credit: Fáilte Ireland