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Celebrating our Heritage & Culture

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is once again delighted to partake in National Heritage Week 2026 from the 15th to 21st August.

Celebrating Ireland's cultural, built and natural heritage, our 2026 Heritage Week programme will feature an array of demonstrations, talks and interactive activities.

Standard Admission Rates Apply

17th to 19th August

Life of a 19th century Bean an Tí

Visitors are invited to listen and partake in a live onsite interview with the Bean an Ti of the Golden Vale Farmhouse. Here you will learn how the house functioned under the steady influence of the Bean an Ti who has so many roles to juggle running a busy household in atypical 19^th century farmhouse.

She'll tell you about the chores of the day including the baking of bread on an open fire, butter churning, doing laundry in an old style tub, ironing and of course the infamous Singer sewing machine! Visitors will share in the secrets of her delicious home baking.

Fair days and market days were very important, in Irish society and the family regularly made their way to the local village town on horse and cart or donkey and cart for those less well off. Carts as transportation systems are a regular feature of Irish households and can be seen dotted around the Folk Park.

Demonstrations take place from 12:00pm to 1:00pm

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Willow Weaver in today's Ireland

Tom Delaney Basket maker is the craftsman behind Ould Crafty. He is carrying on a tradition of basket making his grandfather, David Delaney, started a long time ago. It’s not all about baskets though; Tom makes willow domes and tunnels for gardens. You will see his work mainly featured close to the pond. He has also created boats made of willow called a coracle covered with animal hide which he has launched on the river Moy and in Bunratty Folk Park. Tom can often be found standing in a field in the middle of willow saplings, reeling off the various types of this versatile plant he feels a deep connection with. He loves working with willow. “It’s a natural material. It comes from the ground. It’s like working with wood and stone. It’s a connection to the land.”

The Claremorris man has built his business as a professional basketmaker. Everything he makes is fully handmade. All of his pieces are made from locally sourced willow in his native Mayo. His craft development is all about connecting with people of all ages and occupations and he delights in bringing his craft to a whole new generation.

Tom has made several television appearances and is passionate about passing on his age-old skills to the next generation ensuring his craft stays alive and is cherished.

Demonstrations take place from 10:30am to 4:30pm

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18th to 19th August

20th to 21st August

Life of a Blacksmith in 19th century Ireland

Visitors are invited to listen to and partake in a live interview with our resident Blacksmith Eoin McBride in the forge at Bunratty Folk Park. The forge was always a great location for swapping stories of local goings-on. Our resident blacksmiths have so many stories to regale people of all ages of times past.

Practically everyone in the community had recourse to visit the blacksmith – the items you see in a typical household came from the blacksmith, the small cast iron ‘iron’, the “last” for shaping leather to mend shoes, door hinges, and gates as well as all the cooking utensils, pots, cranes, bastible ovens. You will encounter these as you journey around the Folk park. Marvel to the sound of the hammer and anvil as he goes about his daily chores making vital ironworks for the community.

Blacksmithing in Ireland is increasingly recognized as an endangered craft, with traditional techniques at risk of being lost as the aging population of skilled practitioners retires. Preserving these skills is crucial for the conservation of historic Irish ironwork.

Eoin will illustrate the importance and durability of historic wrought and cast iron, frequently replaced by mild steel, which corrodes faster and strips historic buildings of their character. Organizations like the Irish Artists Blacksmith Association (IABA) work to promote best practices in heritage ironwork restoration and document traditional techniques.

Demonstrations take place from 12:00pm to 1:00pm

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Spinning on the spinning wheel and drop spindle

Jean Moran is a weaver living in Co. Clare. Being surrounded by the beauty of the natural world, influences Jean’s work on a deep level.

She has an appreciation and love for Irish traditions, culture and heritage, and aims to contribute to, and preserve this, through her weaving. In her work, she looks to the past for traditional styles, yet creates pieces with an alternative, contemporary, unique, one-off twist.

Aware of the environment, Irish Hand Weaves sources materials that are natural, organic, ethical, and sourced locally as much as possible. Pieces are woven with a wide range of fibres such as wool, homespun wool, alpaca, cotton, linen and silk. Local fleece is incorporated into the pieces, creating homespun rugs.

Demonstrations take place from 12:00pm to 4:00pm

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