Athlone Castle Celebrates Heritage Week 2025 with Immersive Events Honouring Ireland’s cultural, built and natural heritage.
Athlone Castle Visitor Centre is proud to present a vibrant and engaging programme for National Heritage Week 2025, running from Saturday 16th August to Sunday 24th August. This year’s nationwide theme celebrates the richness of craftsmanship, historical knowledge, and shared heritage, and Athlone Castle is marking the occasion with events designed to inspire, educate and delight visitors of all ages.
Funded by the Heritage Council through the Irish Walled Towns Network 2025 Interpretation Fund, this exciting programme weaves together stories of medieval tradition, community life, and sustainable heritage practices.
The programme kicks off with the return of the much-loved ‘Storm the Castle’ event on Saturday 16th August, offering free admission for all. From 10:30am to 5:30pm, Athlone Castle’s courtyard will be transformed into a bustling medieval village, alive with craftspeople, musicians, and living history enthusiasts.
Visitors will experience;
• Live combat demonstrations, jousting, fencing, and medieval cooking, calligraphy, nail binding, costume-making, and herbal medicine practices by the Society for Creative Anachronism
• Live medieval music and dance from the Red Earl’s Consort
• Wickerwork crafts by Westcountry Willows
• Traditional longbow-making by archer Jack Pinson
• Pole-lathe woodturning by Steve Ryan
• Spinning, dyeing, and weaving with Sandra King of Irish Fibre Crafters
• Leatherworking by Fabian Ragnar Craft
• Historical artefacts and weapons from Viking to medieval Ireland, presented by Dave Swift of Claíomh
• Tóla Collier of Laoch Living History portraying a medieval barber-surgeon
Visitors will be invited to try on period costumes provided by Athlone Castle and explore the Visitor Centre in true medieval fashion. Admission to the event will be free for all visitors and will start from 10.30am to 5.30pm.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to try on authentic period costumes and explore the Visitor Centre through the lens of the Middle Ages.
In the run-up to the event, Athlone Castle collaborated with the Athlone Family Resource Centre and Gateway Youth Project to host children’s creative workshops, led by artist Aoife Doolan of Abbey Road Artists’ Studios. Young participants designed and crafted their medieval armour and weapons, which they are encouraged to showcase during the open day.
“Heritage Week is a special opportunity to connect people of all ages with Ireland’s rich cultural and historical legacy. We are thrilled to welcome visitors back to ‘Storm the Castle’ for a day of unforgettable family-friendly fun,” said Carmel Duffy, Manager, Athlone Castle. “This event brings history to life in an exciting and engaging way. Whether you’re a history buff, a family looking for a unique day out, or someone simply curious about Ireland’s medieval heritage, ‘Storm the Castle’ promises an unforgettable experience — and it’s all completely free.”
Throughout Heritage Week, visitors can also enjoy ‘GUIDED TOURS OF ATHLONE CASTLE AND HISTORICAL GARDEN’, a unique opportunity to explore the evolution of the castle through the centuries and its Middle Ages-inspired Historical Garden. Led by expert guides, these tours offer insight into the legacy of native herbs and plants in medieval daily life, the role of medieval gardens in daily life, and the importance of pollinator-friendly gardening in today’s sustainability efforts.
Tours are available throughout the week, and pre-booking online is essential as places are limited. Guided Tours are included with standard admission, but pre-booking is essential due to limited capacity. Book online at: www.athlonecastle.ie/events
All the 2025 Heritage Week events at Athlone Castle, County Westmeath are supported by the Heritage Council under the Irish Walled Towns Network 2025 Interpretation Fund. For further details on events and bookings, visit www.athlonecastle.ie/events
