Bere Island continues its series of Celtic Calendar events with a Lughnasadh Festival this Heritage Week!

Join us & learn about the rich folklore & cultural traditions surrounding Lughnasadh – one of Ireland’s traditional Celtic festivals as part of Heritage Week 2015.

Join us over the weekend of Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August, to awaken and celebrate the ancient traditions associated with the festival of Lughnasadh which traditionally marked the beginning of the harvest season.

Celebrating Traditions

• Weave your own harvest knot with artist and basket maker Lynn Kirkham, and take part in full day basket making workshop with Lynn (bookings essential) where you will learn the ancient craft of making baskets from hand harvested willow.

• Learn about the Lughnasadh traditions and customs with UCC Folklorist Dr Marie Annick Desplanques.

• Enjoy an illustrated talk by Paula Barret on Turf Projects, which captures the quality of light and colour provided by the Irish landscape.

• Explore the wealth of history Bere Island has to offer, and explore its unique architecture and archaeology as island guide Barry Hanley leads you through the island’s extraordinary history.

Bere Island is the largest of West Cork’s inhabited islands and has a population of 200 people. After a day exploring the traditions and customs of Lughnasadh, take time to relax and enjoy ceol agus craic in one of the island bars!

Lughnasadh Festival Programme

Saturday August 20th

Venue: Lecture Theatre, Rerrin Village

11am-1pm

Make a Harvest Knot

Weave your own Harvest Knot with artist/basket maker Lynn Kirkham
Free event – all ages

2-4pm

Lughnasadh Traditions and Customs

Learn about the Lughnasadh Traditions & Customs with Dr Marie-Annick Desplanques – a folklorist from University College Cork. It’s your chance to connect with the rhythms and rituals that helped mark the progress of the Celtic year throughout the centuries.

Palettes Drawn From the Landscape

Visual Artist Paula Barrett of Turfprojects.ie will provide a short illustrated talk on her Irish visual artists projects. Paula’s postcard project painstakingly catalogues the particular quality of light and colour experienced in the Irish landscape, and is part of her work to produce a unique compendium of colour palettes for Ireland.

Raffle Draw
Free event – all ages

Enjoy Live Traditional Music in Dessie’s Bar from 9pm
Music from Bennie & the Jets. Musicians welcome.

Sunday August 21st

Venue: Lecture Theatre, Rerrin Village

10-5pm

Basket-Making Workshop

Learn one of the most popuar crafts of times gone by in this Basket-Making Workshop with Lynn Kirkham (€35 per person. BOOKING ESSENTIAL) – Call 027 75099 to reserve a place or use the booking form below to book online.

2-4pm

Guided Heritage Walk

Explore the architecture and archaeology of Bere Island when you join a guided walking tour with local historian, Barry Hanley.

Raffle Draw, sponsored by The Laughing Oyster, Beara Preserves, Bantry Candles, Sarah Walker Gallery, The Driftwood Craft Shop, turfprojects.iehttp://turfprojects.ie, Lynne Kirkham.

Getting to Bere Island

Two ferry services operate on Bere Island. Murphys Ferry sails between the Pontoon (adjacent to Berehaven Golf Course) and Rerrin Village. For timetables and fares see http://www.murphysferry.com
Bere Island Ferries operate between Castletownbere and the western end of the island. For timetables and fares see http://bereislandferries.com

Accommodation

For a list of B&Bs and self-catering accommodation on Bere Island see:
http://bereisland.net/accomodation

There is one room on offer on Bere Island with Airbnb – www.airbnb.ie

For further information, contact Helen Riddell on 027 75099 or at bereconservation@gmail.com

Book the Basket-Making Workshop