Five music events to check out during National Heritage Week 2024

National Heritage Week 2024 is set to take place across Ireland from 17-25 August, with an array of cultural celebrations for punters to enjoy. Events on offer (the vast majority of which are free) include everything from tours to workshops to demonstrations to immersive experiences, with over 2,000 taking place during the nine-day festival.

Announced by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, last month, the 25th edition is centred around the theme of Connections, Routes and Networks. There’s plenty on offer, and we’ve picked out five music-related events for you to check out.

1. Screening of Farewell to Hughes's, Merrion Square, Dublin

One of Dublin City’s most scenic parks will host a screening of Brendan Gleeson’s Farewell to Hughes’s on August 23. The film features an array of interviews with musicians, dancers and singers, gathering to revisit the magical contribution which Hughes’s pub made to the trad community in Dublin and beyond before closing its doors in 2021.

2. Peatlands Immersive Installation, Moate, Co. Westmeath

Art and sound merge at the Peatlands Immersive Installation, taking place at the The Bob Traynor Gallery in Moate. Not too dissimilar to the renowned Van Gogh display which recently took Dublin by storm, the installation combines animated paintings, photography, field recordings, sound sculpture and video to create a world-class multimedia experience, exploring the ecological treasures lying amidst the wetlands of Ireland.

3. Various events, Rory Gallagher Music Library, Cork City

There's plenty for rock 'n' roll fans to sink their teeth (or ears) into at Cork City Library. On August 21, Ben Hussey chats the music of Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott, celebrating the inimitable Dub’s legacy by taking a deep dive into his biggest hits. Take a trip to the late 19th century with the Gramophone Recital on August 23, where tunes from the era will be played on an original antique device. A listening corner will also be running throughout Heritage Week – allowing punters to take a break from the hustle by listening to library’s vast collection of music on CD, vinyl and gramophone.

4. Science of Sound and Music, Carlow

The Science of Sound and Music is a free workshop for kids to investigate the origin of sound and waves and how our brains interpret them. Young ones will also have the opportunity to make their very own, unique sounding instruments, with two classes taking place at The Exchange at the Potato Market in Carlow on August 21.

5. Vinyl Sundays, Church Hill, Co. Donegal

The Glebe House and Gallery in Church Hill, Co. Donegal, will entertain via two Vinyl Sundays on 18 & 25. An undoubtedly chill way to enjoy a balmy late summer weekend, the free outdoor soirees feature a DJ spinning an all-vinyl set consisting of soul, funk, jazz and ambient gems with the venue’s idyllic surroundings providing a fitting backdrop.

The celebration doesn’t stop there, with a plethora of events, from festivals to old-fashioned steam train journeys, taking place nationwide. Find out what's going on in your locality here and use the search filter to discover events tailored to your interests. New events will be added right up until the start of Heritage Week.