Discover Laois through local libraries this Heritage Week

With National Heritage Week 2024 fast approaching, local libraries in Laois will host a wide range of free events.

With events suitable for all ages, there will be creative workshops for children, and informative talks and a genealogy clinic for adults.

Take a look at what Laois Libraries will be offering:

Events for Children:

Discovering our Hidden Wildlife: Bats & Moths  Portlaoise Library, Saturday, 17 August, 2pm.

Join Albert Nolan, Heritage in Schools Bat and Biodiversity specialist, in Portlaoise library on Saturday the 17th of August, and discover the amazing world of bats and moths. These misunderstood creatures are a vital and fascinating part of our wildlife
and play an important role in keeping our environment healthy. The first part of the workshop will take place in the library where we will learn about bats and moths, with some live specimens to be examined, followed by a walk outside to discover
how we can help insects and bats in our community.

Lego Brick Workshop Exploring Irish Heritage- Wednesday 21 August, 

Mountmellick Library  10.30am-12.30pm

Portlaoise Library, 2-4pm.

Join professional LEGO Brick artist Jessica Farrell for a heritage themed Lego brick family workshop that explores Irish heritage in a unique way through creative expression. In small groups, families build custom models which represent aspects of Irish culture whilst learning the importance and value of the topics through open discussion. This is a family workshop. Spaces must be booked for both adults and children.

Hands on History: Making Medieval Brooches- Wednesday August 21

Stradbally Library, 10.30am-11.15am; 

Durrow Library, 12.45pm-1.30pm; 

Rathdowney Library, 3pm-3.45pm.

Children can get hands-on with the medieval past by joining Donna Gilligan from Scéal Heritage to create medieval ring brooches, a common piece of jewellery worn by men, women, and children in the Middle Ages. Children are introduced to
information on jewellery and fashion in medieval times and are guided to make their own gold or silver ring brooch, which they then personalise with colourful gemstones and metallic messages. The brooches provide a unique visual souvenir of what they learned about their medieval past!  Suitable for children between the ages of 7-13 years. Spaces are limited so prior booking is required.

Weaving Workshops- Thursday 22 August

Mountrath Library, 10.30am 

Abbeyleix Library, 12.30pm; 

Portarlington Library, 3pm.

Join Beth Murphy from Willow Wonder for a workshop on the ancient art of weaving, using willow and other natural materials. Beth will guide each child through the process of creating their very own craft piece to take home with them on the day. Suitable for children aged 8 – 12 years. Spaces are limited so prior booking is required.

Events for adults:

Laois Cumann na mBan Exhibition

Portlaoise Library, Monday 19 August, 6pm.

This is an exhibition highlighting Laois women of the revolutionary period. It was curated by Bernadette Dunne with the support of Laois County Library and Decade of Centenaries funding. The stories of local women featured in the exhibition are
compiled from official records housed in the Military Archives and the oral histories gathered by Bernadette Dunne. The Cumann na mBan exhibition and related events are part of a long-term and on-going engagement by Laois Local Studies in projects bringing back into the light women’s experience of the revolutionary era. The exhibition will be on display in Portlaoise Library until the end of August.

Genealogy Clinics, Portlaoise Library

Monday 19 August-Friday 23 August, 10am-1pm.

A series of family history clinics facilitated by local genealogists, to introduce and aid members of the public to research their family history using Laois Local Studies and online resources. Places are limited. Booking is essential.

Beneath the Sky of Stars Book Launch,

Stradbally Library, Tuesday 20 August, 7pm-8pm.

Laois writers, in collaboration with Laois County Council and Creative Ireland, have the pleasure in inviting you to the launch of Beneath the Sky of Stars. Through the lens of mythology and fairy tale, this collection of short stories re-imagines the
landscape of County Laois, offering new and imaginative insights. Beneath the Sky of Stars also features art work by Harry Clarke and Jim Fitzpatrick. Prior booking is advised. Light refreshments will be available on the evening.

Dereliction, Decay and Conservation: Saving Portarlington’s Historic Buildings

Portarlington Library, Wednesday 21 August, 8pm-10pm.

Portarlington Arts & Heritage Group presents a talk on the recent restoration of the Victorian buildings at Portarlington Railway Station and the ongoing work of conservation and restoration of the Market House or Tholsel in Portarlington. They will also talk of the challenges in trying to save some of the town’s historic houses which are now derelict and in danger of demolition. Arlington House will be used as a case study to illustrate what measures are required to save similar historic buildings.

Hidden Portlaoise: a talk by John Dunne

Portlaoise Library, Thursday 22 August, 7pm.

Join local writer and Portlaoise enthusiast John Dunne for a talk as he reveals lesser-known aspects of the town’s history including many old photographs and interesting facts which may surprise you.

Newspapers as a Resource for Family & Local History

Portlaoise Library, Saturday 24 August, 11am-12.30pm.

Join Sinead Holland, Laois Local Studies, for a presentation on how to use newspaper archives for family, local and national history. Participants will be given a demonstration of the newspaper archives available in Laois Local Studies and library
branches in Laois, including the Irish Newspaper Archive containing the Leinster Express, Laois Nationalist and many more regional and national Irish newspapers, and the British Newspaper Archive containing over 81 million historic newspaper
pages held by the British Library. Places are limited. Booking essential.

Life in the Mountmellick Malt Factory Exhibition

Mountmellick Library, 17 August- 24 August during library opening hours.

An exhibition on the Mountmellick Malt Factory containing documents, photographs and stories, including the life of Dr
Werner Schwarz who fled Nazi Germany and found love in the Malt Factory. The exhibition was researched and prepared by Sean O’Driscoll with the support of Mountmellick Heritage Society.

Here is a full timetable of all events for Heritage Week in Laois:

From August 17 to August 25, National Heritage Week, an initiative by the Heritage Council, celebrates all things heritage.
It brings together communities, families, organisations, cultural institutions, academics and enthusiasts, to build awareness about the value of heritage and support its conservation. For more information on events this Heritage Week, visit the official Heritage Week website, or Laois Local Studies.