Wild Atlantic Week
The Wild Atlantic Week festival kicks off this Thursday 4th August with a very special Ceilí & Irish Night in the GAA Clubhouse.
Recent additions to the packed programme include Basket and Creel Making workshops, Handknitting demonstration, Art Classes, Yoga and Meditation.
Walks and nature trails feature prominently in this year’s lineup, including a Guided Historic Walk led by Dr. Lochlann McGill and a Biodiversity Trail with expert guide Michael Bell from Nature Learn.
Highlights this year include a Magic Show, Family Fun Day, Dancing at the Crossroads, The Bart Whelan Lecture, Mystery Bus Tour, Storytelling Evening, Duck Race, and much more!
The festival concludes on Saturday 13th with the famous Ardara Agricultural Show at the GAA grounds, and the Big Show Dance at 10pm.
The full programme of events is now available on our Wild Atlantic Week page.
National Heritage Week Events
Biodiversity Hike around Dawros Head
14 August, 2pm – 6pm
Donegal GAP Heritage and History Group
Dawros Bay Hotel, Rosbeg
Led by Maurice Simms and Paula Harvey, the hike will commence (and finish) at Dawros Bay Hotel, Rosbeg starting at 2.00pm on Sunday 14th August. Exploring the rich natural heritage of the area, including the Wild flowers, Butterflies, and Bird life….the importance of plants and wildlife for a sustainable world. We may see the sulphurous spring near to the shore. On our walk we will stop at the early 19th century signal station on the foreshore of Dawros Head where we will get excellent visibility in all directions, especially to the south-west towards Glen Head Signal Tower. Looking to the north-east we will see the Crohy Head Signal Station all of which were part of coastal defences against a French invasion. We will pass by the grouping (hamlet) of ruined houses and a very fine lime kiln on our return journey.
Maximum: 25 People
Booking essential by Monday, 8th August to ardaraheritagehistory@gmail.com or 087 921 4206.
Children must be accompanied by an adult but not suitable for children under 10 years.
NO DOGS ALLOWED
Rough and rocky terrain: good strong walking boots, waterproof gear, walking sticks/poles, moderate level of fitness.
Complimentary Tea By The Sea at Dawros Bay Hotel afterwards
Further info: Biodiversity Hike around Dawros Head | National Heritage Week 13 – 21 August 2022
Plants: Local and Global by Liam Dolan
20 August, 7:15pm – 8:30pm
Donegal GAP Heritage and History Group
Beehive Bar, Main Street, Ardara
Plants play important roles in our lives. They provide humanity with food, medicine, clean air and fuel. They also play critical roles in the environment and buffer the planet against changes caused by humans. This presentation will highlight the importance of plants to humanity using examples from local, Donegal heritage and from around the world.
Liam Dolan is a senior scientist at the Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna and emeritus fellow of Magdalen College Oxford. His research uses genetics to understand how plants develop and evolve. His was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in recognition of his contributions to science. He was the Sherardian Professor at the University of Oxford until 2020 and Trustee at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, until 2022.
This event takes place before ‘An Hour with Charlie Boyle and Friends’.
Further info: Plants: Local and Global by Liam Dolan | National Heritage Week 13 – 21 August 2022
An Hour with Charlie Boyle and Friends – All Around the Bloomin’ Heather
20 August, 8:30pm – 9:30pm
Donegal GAP Heritage and History Group
Beehive Bar, Main Street.
Poetry from Glenties renowned local poet Charlie Boyle who will be joined by friends for songs and stories on nature and more.
This event follows the illustrated talk on PLANTS: LOCAL AND GLOBAL (Place of Plants in Our Lives) by Liam Dolan and will commence in the Beehive Bar, Ardara at 8.30pm.
Further info: An Hour with Charlie Boyle and Friends – All Around the Bloomin’ Heather | National Heritage Week 13 – 21 August 2022
Sympathy
The community this week offers sympathy to the family and friends of the late Connie Molloy of the Wood Road.
A town icon has gone. One of the characters has passed. The community of Ardara was saddened last Wednesday to hear of his death. A longtime owner of the Nesbitt Arms Hotel, there are many wonderful stories about the character Connie Molloy, but in his time almost all families had someone work in the Hotel and Connie was the best boss anyone could have.
