Seven Events To Check Out During National Heritage Week 2025

Looking for something different to do to close off this summer? National Heritage Week 2025 will see over 2,000 events taking place across the country, offering opportunities to engage with Ireland’s built, natural and cultural heritage.

This year’s theme, Exploring Our Foundations, encourages communities to reflect on the traditions, values and stories that shape the Irish identity.

With events – most of which are free! – varying from talks, walks, tours, demonstrations and workshops, the week offers a wide range of immersive activities, from learning new crafts to discovering the history behind your local area.

Here's our pick of seven music and cultural events to check out across the nine days:

1. Music @ the Museum: Mohammad Syfkhan

Location: Chester Beatty, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
When: August 20, 6 pm - 7:15 pm.
Kurdish-Syrian singer and bouzouki player Mohammad Syfkhan brings his exhilarating blend of Middle Eastern and North African musical traditions to Chester Beatty. The event is free and no booking is required.

2. Music Network Presents Patrick Stefan

Location: Ionad Culturtha an Dochtúir Ó Liongsigh, Ballyvourney, Co. Cork.
When: August 22, 8 pm - 9:30 pm.
Acclaimed guitarist and singer Patrick Stefan will be joined by Jayne Pomplas (fiddle) and Jason McNamara (percussion) for a unique performance. Patrick was the first artist to take part in a residency specifically designed for a professional autistic musician. Influenced by such writers as John B. Keane and Barbara Derbyshire, his debut Wayfare album was described by 2FM's Jenny Greene as "Very Paul Simon-esque, I love it!"

3. Folksongs with Ruairí O’Shea

Location: Tullamore Library, O’Connor Square, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
When: August 19, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm.
Folk artist Ruairí O’Shea performs traditional Irish songs that reflect on heritage and identity. The event uses music as a lens to consider Ireland’s cultural past and present.

4. Mumming and Music Evening at Sigginstown Castle

Location: Sigginstown Castle Coach House, Sigginstown Castle, Tacumshane, Co. Wexford.
When: August 23, 8 pm - 11 pm.
This event explores the tradition of mumming – a form of folk theatre with roots deep in Irish history. The Sigginstown Mummers will perform a short traditional play featuring characters such as the Dragon, Doctor and Prince George, followed by an open live music session. If you would like to be a mummer and are available for a rehearsal that day or the day before, you're invited to contact [email protected]. Something to note: The Coach House Cafe has ramps and an accessible toilet; however, the fields and gravel paths are not fully accessible by wheelchair.

5. Exhibition: Cork Rocks for Rory

Location: Rory Gallagher Music Library, The City Library, Grand Parade, 57-61 Grand Parade, Co. Cork.
When: August 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 & 23. 10 am - 5:30 pm.
A must for all fans of the legendary guitarist who spent his formative years in Cork, this exhibition charts Rory's journey from 1960s showband member to international blues rock superstar. The City Library is also hosting an exhibition of images from the two graphic novels that he featured in, Kickback City and Prince Valiant.

6. Shane MacGowan Mural

Location: Nenagh Tourist Office, Town Hall, Banba Square, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
When: August 16, 19, 20, 21, 22 & 23. 10 am - 5 pm.
Unveiled in 2024, the Shane MacGowan mural created by local artist Neil O'Dwyer has been widely praised by Pogues fans, for whom it's become a place of pilgrimage. The event includes a behind-the-scenes look at its creation, all the way from a blank canvas to the vibrant work we see today. Also on display in the Tourist Office will be a collection of images of MacGowan, the Shannon Rovers commemorative jersey he's wearing in the mural and books by Shane's sister, Siobhan and his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke.

7. Documentary Screening: In the Opinion of the Censor

Location: Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO), Blackhall Walk, Smithfield, Dublin 7.
When: August 19 - 21, 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm.
Narrated by Ireland's last film censor, John Kelleher, this feature-length documentary tells the story of the Censorship of Films Act 1923 and how, over successive decades, it both mirrored and was at odds with the country's evolving social values. Incorporating classic scenes from the likes of Gone With The Wind, Casablanca, Ulysses, The Graduate and Monty Python’s Life Of Brian, along with footage you mightn't previously have seen, it explains why thousands of movies were considered "indecent, obscene, blasphemous or contrary to public morality."

Even with this busy schedule, the festivities across the country don't stop there! You can check out here what's on in your local area, and use the search filter to find events tailored to your interests. New events will be added right up until the start of Heritage Week.