National Heritage Week 2022

We are delighted to announce a series of fascinating demonstrations at Craggaunowen in celebration of National Heritage Week 2022.

Demonstration & Talk on the Art of Wool Spinning and Textiles
Sat 13^th,  Sun 14^th,  Thurs 18^th, Fri 19^th, Sat 20th August
10am & 2pm.

Join our animator Geraldine as she discusses and performs the ancient Irish craft of wool spinning on a traditional spindle. Wool Spinning is the processing of the fleece of a sheep. This craft has been practiced in Ireland since sheep were first introduced by Neolithic farmers over 6000 years ago. Originally, women spun the wool using nothing more elaborate than a spindle with a weight attached. Later, spinning wheels became more widespread and these simple devices enabled the spinner to twist the fibres into a single continuous thread more efficiently.



Tales of Irish Mythology
Mon 15^th, Tues 16^th, Wed 17^th Sun 21st August at 11am 

Join our costumed character, Stefan, as he delves into Irish Mythology and enthrals you with tales of Ireland that have been preserved in the oral tradition and later transcribed in the manuscripts of early Celtic Christianity. The Ancient Gaels were a Celtic people and their mythology developed from the diverse beliefs and stories told by the Celts. Since the Irish recorded many of their old stories, Irish mythology is the form of Celtic mythology that is best known to us.



The Origins of Wool Dyeing
Mon 15^th, Tues 16^th, Wed 17^th, Sun 21^st August at 1pm
Join Annika as she showcases and discusses the origins and the art of the ancient practice of wool dying.
The dying of wool using plants would have been commonplace in ancient times. Plants growing in the local environment would be used to create colour for the wool. For example, weld found growing in the ringfort at Craggaunowen is used to create a yellow dye for wool while nettles growing along the woodland trails are used to create a green dye.



Food Display and Bread Baking 
Mon 15^th, Tues 16^th, Wed 17^th, Sun 21^st August at 2pm

Locally sourced seeds, grains and oats would have been used in ancient Ireland for the making of bread and oat cakes.Our animators at Craggaunowen still practice this skill daily in the ringfort.
Witness Annika as she grinds oats in the tradition way with a smooth rock and a patient hand and bakes bred over an open campfire.



Ogham Trail 
Mon 15^th, Tues 16^th, Wed 17^th August at 3pm

Join Stefan as brings you on a trail exploring the ancient Irish writing tradition of Ogham. An Early Iron age Alphabet used primarly to write the early Irish language and later used in the old Irish language. There are roughly 400 surviving orthodox inscriptions on stone monuments throughout Ireland)




Interactive Trails  
Sat 13^th & Sat 19^th August at 11am & 3pm

Join our characters and relish in the opportunity to experience and learn about everyday life during the Pre-Historic and early Christian periods in Ireland as you navigate through the reconstructed and restored dwelling houses, farm sheds and hunting sites at Craggaunowen. 



Blacksmith Demonstration
Fri 19^th, Sat 20^th, Sun 21st August 10am to 5pm

As part of our Herritage Week schedule, we are delighted to welcome by the old Irish tradition of iron-working to Craggaunowen. Visitors to the attraction will get to see firsthand how these farm tools are made, hear about the history of blacksmiths profession in Ireland and how skills were nurtured and lovingly passed on from generation to generation.
 


Pole Lathe Demonstration
Wed 17^th  and  Thurs 18^th August from 1pm to 5pm

Witness the ancient skill of timber craftwork on the traditional pole lathe.
A pole-lathe is a wood-turning lathe that is operated manually. Pressing on a foot treadle pulls on a cord that is wrapped around the piece of wood being turned. Watch our master craftsman create wonderful wooden implements and objects on this traditional apparatus. 



The Art of Ancient Cooking at the Fulacht Fiadh 
Sat 20^th August from 11am to 3pm.
Meat will be prepared and wrapped in sugan about 11am and taken out cooked by 3pm

Did you know Craggaunowen is also home to a Fulacht Fia - an ancient cooking site used from early Bronze Age right up until the Elizabethan period.These rectangular holes were dug in low-lying land where it was sure to fill with water. This was clad on four sides with wooden sections and stones heated on the campfire were then put in and used to boil the water in the wooden trough.Often a joint of venison or other meat was wrapped in straw and put into the boiling water and cooked. Join our characters throughout Heritage Week as they demonstate how this ancient cooking site operated

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