15/05/2026
🎉📌Events📌🎉
Biodiversity Week
📅16 -24 May
There are lots of great events planned across Westmeath for Biodiversity Week Why not join a bat walk, a hedgerow walk or take part in one of the many workshops or the Bee Festival? All events are free of charge, thanks to funding from The Heritage Council and support from Westmeath County Council.
For full details see Biodiversity Week in Westmeath & be sure to book your place at the events of your choice https://biodiversityweek.ie/events/list/?tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Westmeath
There are still a few places left at events this weekend:
Bog Lab & Zine Workshop – at the Bog Bothy for Biodiversity Week
Sat 16 May
Bog Bothy, Miltownpass Bog Car Park
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Join Kate Flood and Elena Aitova for a hands-on peatland science and creative zine-making workshop based at the Bog Bothy in Milltownpass. Explore peat cores, bog plants, and water levels, then create your own zine inspired by the bog landscape.
All materials provided. Suitable for beginners. This workshop includes outdoor activity, so please wear suitable clothing and sturdy footwear. Light refreshments will be provided.
Booking essential- Email: [email protected]
Biodiversity Meadow Walk at Belvedere Estate - Part of the Great Irish Grasslands Trail
📅Sun 17May
3:00 pm – 5:00
📍Belvedere House, Gardens and Park
Join ecologist Linda Gilsenan for a relaxed guided meadow walk through the native wildflower meadow at Belvedere. This gentle session will explore the rich diversity of native meadow plants and the wildlife they support, including pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Participants will learn why native species are important for biodiversity, how species-rich meadows support wildlife, and what simple actions can help protect these valuable habitats in a changing environment.
This meadow walk forms part of the Great Irish Grasslands Trail, highlighting the importance of Ireland’s traditional wildflower meadows as some of our most valuable and threatened habitats.
Light refreshments provided. Suitable for all levels of interest.
Booking essential/ Email: [email protected]
Tour of Carn Famine Village -Part of National Famine Way
📅Remembrance Walk – Day 1
Wed, 20th May
🕕 6:00pm
🚌 Bus Pick-Up and return: 5:30pm from the Greville Arms Hotel Carpark, Mullingar (N91 W959) and return 8:00pm
📍 Carn Famine Village, Killare (N91 FY54)
📧 Booking: Essential via [email protected]
This special evening tour offers a fascinating insight into local history with guided commentary from historian Seamus O’Brien at Carn Famine Village, Killare.
It’s a free event, all are welcome!
📅Thurs 21 May – Day 2
🕝9:30am
📍Mullingar
Local events will take place along the trail. For more details see: www.nationalfamineway.ie
Survey of the Holy Wells of County Westmeath
There are over 70 known holy wells in County Westmeath and Abarta Heritage have been commissioned to undertake a survey of holy wells in the county.
📅 Thurs 28 May
🕝6pm
📍Moate Library
Archaeologist Tara O’Faoláin will introduce the project, the planned survey area, and attendees will have the opportunity to share any stories or locations of holy wells they might have in their area. We are particularly interested t hear about lesser-known wells.
The project will begin with a survey of 38 wells in the south of the county, focusing on townlands including and surrounding Athlone, Ballymore, Moate, Tang, Kilbeggan, Tyrrellspass, Loughnavalley, Castletown Geoghegan, Rochfortbridge, Milltownpass, Kinnegad and Killucan. The holy wells in north Co. Westmeath will be surveyed in 2027.
This project is an action of the Westmeath Strategic Heritage Plan, funded by The Heritage Council with support from Westmeath County Council.
New perspectives on climate change and our heritage
📅 Thurs 28 May
🕝 9.30am-5.00pm
📍Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin 2, D02 HH58
One-day conference aims to deepen our understanding of the complex and evolving relationship between climate change and cultural heritage across Ireland and internationally. The conference will be structured around two keynote presentations and two panel sessions. The first will present case studies on the preservation of heritage in the face of climate change, while the second will explore strategies for adapting to heritage loss and engaging communities and stakeholders in mitigation and adaptation efforts. In the afternoon, participants will break into groups to discuss and identify policy challenges and gaps, and to propose practical approaches for progress in this field. Outputs from these breakout sessions will contribute to a policy report.
Book your tickets here.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/royalirishacademy/2188502
🗞️📢News📢🗞️
Westmeath Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2031
is available online and a limited number of hardcopies of the Plan are available. If you would like a hardcopy email [email protected] with your name and postal address.
📣 New Transition Year resource! TY Adopt a Monument, a free classroom resource from The Heritage Council, supports students to carry out desk and field research on their local archaeological monuments, while taking action to promote and protect local heritage! 🔹 Free to download in English and Irish 🔹 Built on active, group based learning 🔹 Supports the key areas of the new TY Programme Statement, including personal growth, civic and community engagement and career exploration Access the guide here: https://ow.ly/7HKg50YVpRs
Masters Keepers of Tradition is a new TV series made with the support of The Heritage Council and Coimisiún na Meán. It aims to champion local master craftpeople, showcase their skills and trades, and show how they have endured and diversified since the series Hands finished. The series commenced in April with 3 of the 6 episodes still to air – you can watch it back on RTE player: https://www.rte.ie/player/series/masters-keepers-of-tradition/10011256-00-0000?epguid=IP10011264-01-0003
The National Lottery Good Cause Legends
celebrates the people and projects who are making a legendary difference across Ireland with the support of National Lottery Good Causes part-funding.
Heritage organisations or projects that have received funding from The Heritage Council over the past 5 years are eligible to enter. Following a judging process, 9 Good Cause Legends will be selected across three categories:
1) Sport & Wellness Legends, 2) Cultural & Heritage Legends, 3) Community Legends
Each of the nine Good Cause Legends will receive an award of €15,000 and a bespoke trophy.
How to enter You can check eligibility, review the full Terms & Conditions, and submit your entry online at: 👉 www.lottery.ie/goodcauselegends Entries are open until Friday 22nd May.
Conserving Ireland’s Architectural Heritage: New Life for Historic Buildings and Places through a Shared Culture of Adaptation & Reuse, was a recent conference delivered through a partnership between the Irish Georgian Society, the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland, the European Commission Representation in Ireland, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s National Built Heritage Service with support from the Office of Public Works and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. The conference is available to watch online. For conference details and to watch recordings see link
📰 Latest edition of The Walled Town Crier is out now! This issue of the Irish Walled Towns Network newsletter takes us to Youghal, exploring its remarkable walls, medieval heritage and long running Medieval Festival.Also featured are exciting new archaeological discoveries in Limerick City, uncovered during recent flood relief works, alongside news, updates and opportunities from across the Network. Read the full April 2026 newsletter here: https://ow.ly/9mHi50YWzFM
Tóchar Midlands Wetland Restoration is inviting applications for wetland restoration plans and projects across Ireland’s EU Just Transition Territory (Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, and parts of Galway, Tipperary and Kildare) funding is availablf for projects that enhance wetland conservation, biodiversity, climate resilience, restoration works hydrology, habitat mapping, and public access. Application deadline 3 June 2026 https://www.tocharwetlands.ie/blog/open-call-for-wetland-restoration-plans-and-projects/
2026 Heritage Week events can now be registered online see for details : https://www.heritageweek.ie/
Apologies for any cross posting,
If you have an item of Heritage or Biodiversity News or events that you would like to circulate please contact [email protected] / [email protected]
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