National Heritage Week 2023
12th – 20th August 2023
National Heritage Week celebrates Ireland’s cultural, built and natural heritage.
It brings together volunteers, community groups and heritage enthusiasts to share their experience, knowledge culture and practices.
Leave No Trace Ireland is passionate about the education and protection of our built and natural heritage, and we are delighted to be involved in Heritage Week again for 2023. Find out about the incredible events we’re involved with this year, as well as links to the overall events programme, and information on the digital projects you can check out!
Leave No Trace Ireland & Heritage Week 2023
1. Our Shared Cultural Heritage of the Night Sky at Blackrock Castle Observatory
When: Saturday 12th August 2023
Where: Blackrock Castle Observatory
Register here. Free but booking essential.
Join Dark Sky Ireland at MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory as they explore the history of this iconic castle and the shared cultural heritage of the night sky.
2. St. Annes Park Awareness Course
When: August 13th 2023
Where: St. Annes Park, D05 EA31
Register and more info here.
The course takes place entirely outdoors and will share tools and techniques for sharing the Leave No Trace message far and wide! Learn new low-impact skills to help protect our different environments, discuss responsible outdoor recreation ethics, and engage in fun activities to learn about our 7 principles.
This course is free but numbers are limited and booking is essential.
3. Accredited Trainer Online CPD – Review of the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace
When: August 15th 2023
Where: Online
This event is for accredited Leave No Trace Trainers. Register here.
This presentation will delve into the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace Ireland and explore their relevance in shaping a sustainable future. This presentation will highlight the significance of the principles in research, practical applications, and legislative measures. In addition, the presentation will reflect on pertinent questions for the future
4. Dark Sky Bat Walk at Moore Hall
When: 16th August 2023
Where: Moorehall, Co. Mayo
Registration is currently full, but you can apply to be waitlisted. More info here.
The beautiful ruins at Moorehall, on the shores of Lough Carra, are home to several bat species attracted by the availability of suitable day roosting sites, night flying insects, and dark skies.
Dr. Kate McAney, Dark Sky Ireland Committee Member and Vincent Wildlife Trust’s Ireland Mammal Programme Manager, will lead a walk along the woodland paths and the lake, and explain how and why bats navigate and hunt at night. Bat detectors will be available to help identify the bats encountered!
5. Discover the Beach – An Trá Mhór
When: 18th August 12 – 2pm
Where: An Trá Mhór, Indreachán
Register and more info here.
The Environment Section of Galway County Council & working in partnership with Galway Atlantaquaria, Leave No Trace and Clean Coasts, are hosting the Discover the Beach event at An Trá Mhór, Indreabhán. The event will include a:
- scavenger hunt
- seashore bioblitz
- sand sculpture challenge
- beach clean up / litter survey
This event will be bilingual (English & As Gaeilge). The event is free, but preregistration is required.
6. Doneraile Estate Awareness Course
When: August 19th 2023
Where: Doneraile Estate, Cork, P51 XR66
Register and more info here.
This is a one-day certified awareness course, designed to teach the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, and equip attendees with the skills and knowledge to incorporate Leave No Trace skills and ethics into their lives and outdoor recreation. The course takes place entirely outdoors and will share tools and techniques for disseminating low-impact skills across the Island of Ireland, and beyond.
This course is free but numbers are limited and booking is essential.
7. The Hike Psych & Leave No Trace Ireland Clean-up Hike for Heritage Week
When: August 19th 2023
Where: Ticknock & Tibradden
Register and more info here.
On the 19th of August we’ll be joining Cara Byrne of The Hike Psych on a clean up of the Dublin Mountains, as part of Heritage Week 2023. This event is tying in the #LoveThisPlace messaging and combining it with a love of our natural heritage. Throughout the day we’ll be conducting two litter picks, sharing Leave No Trace skills and talking about the importance of protecting our outdoor spaces .
This event is also sponsored by Craghoppers, with spot prizes and giveaways on the day, organised by The Hike Psych.
Places are limited and registering is required, follow the link above.
The wider Heritage Week 2023 Programme
Heritage Week is a nine-day celebration of Ireland’s natural, built and cultural heritage. The main aim of the week is to promote awareness of our heritage, thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation. It is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union.
The Heritage Council first began coordinating the week in 2005 and since then it has gone from strength to strength with over 1000 events and projects organised and shared on the National Heritage Week website last year!
Want to get involved for 2023?
Check out their events listings page, where you can filter by county, or explore events held island-wide. There truly is something for everyone!
There are also a wealth of Digital Projects to check out on the Heritage Week website.
These projects will be shared throughout Heritage Week (Aug 12th – 20th), with pre-recorded talks and videos shared online to celebrate the deep and detailed work that has gone into each of these projects.
