What to expect from Waterford's Heritage Week 

National Heritage Week runs from August 16 to 24 and celebrates Ireland’s cultural, built and natural heritage.

This year’s Heritage Week celebrates routes, networks and connections with events spanning storytelling, archaeology, traditional crafts and re-enactments. 

In Waterford, there will be a wide variety of inspiring events taking place from the Áonach na nDéise Viking Festival, Waterford’s Sporting and Built Heritage and the Blue Plaques of Waterford to Waterford’s Victorian Thoroughfare, Lismore Cathedral’s Sustainable Flower Festival and much more.

A real family event, the Aonach Na Deise Viking Festival takes place at Woodstown on the Waterford Greenway, Carriganore, for Heritage Week 2025, and will feature battle re-enactments, Viking games, craft village and archaeology activities for children.

Also taking place this year, will be a guided tour of Ardmore village and round tower graveyard, highlighting points of interest marked around the village of Ardmore and also within its iconic round tower graveyard.

Meanwhile a talk by David Gazeley on the history of the Waterford to Limerick Junction Railway Line will take place will also take place.

On August 21, a talk on the 'History of the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception' Tallow and the Earlier Medieval Churches of the Parish' will be given by well-known local historian Niall O'Brien.

On August 19 there will be a Cheekpoint and Faithlegg story sharing evening.

In Carrickphierish Library from August 18 to August 22, there will be an exhibition capturing the Waterford Shipping Disaster 1917.

That disaster resulted in the complete loss of the crews and passengers of two ships, the SS Formby and the SS Coningbeg.

At Waterford County Museum, a series of illustrated panels will tell the story of handball alleys in county Waterford.

Taking place on August 21, will be a walk with a local guide through history, exploring the tales of kings, and famous Hollywood stars who once stayed in the beautiful Lismore castle and town.

St. Carthage's Cathedral in Lismore will be hosting a Sustainable Flower Festival from August 22 to 24.

Meanwhile, a Waterford Civic Trust Blue Plaque will be unveiled on the Fisherman's Hall in memory of its founder Nanette Malcolmson. 

The ceremony takes place on Sunday, August 24, at 3pm. 

Ireland’s Fossil Heritage will be hosting a public walk in Waterford on Thursday, August 21.

The walk will visit some of the best and most spectacular fossils visible in the building stones of the city’s walls and footpaths

The full programme of events is available to view at www.heritageweek.ie