16th to 24th August 2025
NATIONAL Heritage Week runs from Saturday, 16 August to Sunday, 24 August with a fascinating range of events for all ages and interests right across Waterford City and County.
This year’s theme ‘Exploring our Foundations’ invites us to delve into the building blocks of our heritage; not just the structures, but the landscapes and cultural activities that have shaped us.
In Waterford, Heritage Week kicks off this weekend with Áonach na nDéise – Woodstown Viking Festival at the Waterford Greenway. This signature event of Waterford’s Heritage Week Programme, supported by Waterford City and County Council, is now in its eight year.
The free, family-friendly event draws great crowds every year for those who want to enjoy vigorous Viking fighting in battle re-enactments and explore the range of crafts in the Viking Village from blacksmithing to spinning and weaving, jewellery making and leatherworking, to pottery and woodturning.
There’ll be Viking games and storytelling for children, along with the outreach education team from the National Museum of Ireland and TVAS Archaeologists with their Dig in a Box for the aspiring Indiana Joneses.
The Discovery Programme will also have a display explaining very exciting findings from three years of geophysical surveys from the site.
A Viking Boat, Birds of Prey Display and Irish Wolfhounds are always very popular with attendees. With plenty of food trucks and green spaces available on site, it’s the perfect picnic spot.
The great Viking spectacle takes place from 1.00 p.m., to 5.00 p.m., on Saturday, 16 August and from 10.00 a.m., to 5.00 p.m., on Sunday, 17 August.
The event may be accessed by walking /cycling (10 minutes) from Carriganore Car Park along the Greenway (adjacent to X91 XD96) turning left on crossing N25 flyover.
You can check out all the fantastic events taking place in Waterford during National Heritage Week at https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings.
Photo: Áonach na nDéise which will take place this weekend (Saturday, 16 and Sunday, 17 August, on the Greenway at Carriganore.
