Heritage week 2025 kicks off nationwide on August 16th and Kylemore Abbey is offering a week of onsite and online talks, guided nature walks, and live music to celebrate this year’s theme; “Exploring Our Foundations”. Discover everything they have planned below...
Daily onsite talks and performances in the recently renovated Fordham Hall at the heart of the castle will explore themes such as the history and restoration of Kylemore Abbey’s Victorian Walled Garden, the development of monastic life in Ireland, and the cultural heritage of sacred and classical music.
Speakers will include Kylemore’s history guides, who will delve into the history of the garden’s development and the influence of monasticism on Irish culture. In the historic setting of Fordham Hall, visitors can enjoy live performances of traditional harp music by Caitriona Moskovskova and Lynn Saoirse throughout the week, along with a unique classic concert featuring piano and clarinet by Barbara Dunne and Damian Morrissey.
above: The Glasshouse at Kylemore Abbey before restoration
For those who want to get out and explore the estate, there will be two guided nature walks led by Kylemore’s Biodiversity Officer. Visitors will gain knowledge the rich flora, fauna, and ecosystems that characterise this historic landscape. These walks will take visitors through ancient woodlands, alongside the Dawros River. This year’s events encourage visitors to discover the various foundations that continue to shape life at Kylemore today, whether they concentrate on biodiversity, cultural traditions, or built heritage.
above: The Glasshouse at Kylemore Abbey after restoration
Heritage week is a celebration of Irish heritage which is for everyone, everywhere, and those who cannot make it to Kylemore Abbey for the onsite celebrations will not be left out. Throughout the week, Kylemore’s History Guides will be sharing rarely seen nuggets of Kylemore’s heritage, through a series of short behind-the-scenes videos online. From a Victorian hot water bottle to traditional gardening tools like the half-moon spade, these brief reels will provide an insight into the items that formerly influenced day-to-day activities on the estate. Two new YouTube videos will examine Kylemore’s natural Landscape and the story behind its historic lime kiln, in addition to Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok clips. This will encourage viewers to learn more about the foundations of Kylemore’s heritage from wherever they are located.
Speaking about Kylemore’s programme of events for Heritage Week 2025, Abbey Experience Manager and programme curator, Melena Hogan remarked: “Our History Guides and Experience Team eagerly anticipate the annual Heritage Week theme, and this year’s focus gives us a wonderful opportunity to share with visitors the remarkable natural and built heritage of the Kylemore Estate and its surrounding region. The timing couldn’t be more fitting, as we celebrate 25 years of restoring the magnificent Victorian Walled Garden at Kylemore. Heritage Week’s mission to preserve and promote our heritage, along with this year’s focus on built heritage, offers the perfect opportunity to celebrate the ingenuity and dedication behind the creation, restoration, and ongoing care of the Victorian Walled Garden.”
Kylemore Abbey is open daily from 10am to 6pm. National Heritage Week 2025 kicks off on August 16th. Details of times, admission, and updates on events for Kylemore Abbey’s National Heritage Week programme is available on their website kylemoreabbey.com and on Instagram and Facebook.
All photos courtesy of Kylemore Abbey
