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seasonal · Saturday 15 August 2026 · Various 
National Heritage Week 2026 in Cavan
At Various venues across County Cavan · Various locations, Co. Cavan
At Various venues across County Cavan · Various locations, Co. Cavan
Every August, Heritage Week gives people a reason to look properly at the places they pass every day - old graveyards, museum archives, community halls - and County Cavan makes the most of it. The 2026 programme, running 15 to 23 August under the national theme Heritage at Risk, is organised by Cavan County Council’s Heritage Office and brings together guided walks, storytelling events, archival sessions, and expert talks right across the county. All events are free. It suits anyone with a genuine curiosity about local history, from families with children to researchers and graveyard committee members who want practical guidance.
The confirmed highlights span several distinct strands. Tales from the Trenches at Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff is a family storytelling walk through the museum’s WWI trench - the largest outdoor replica trench open to the public in Ireland or Britain. Stretching over 350 metres and built to the specifications used by the Irish Guards at the Somme in 1916, the trench includes sound and visual effects. A storyteller guides visitors through the experience, focusing on Cavan men who served - some of whom never came home. Booking is essential: contact the museum on 049 854 4070 or info@cavanmuseum.ie.
Echoes in Stone: Exploring Historic Graveyards is hosted by Johnston Central Library in Cavan Town, in partnership with the Heritage and Biodiversity offices. Archaeologist Camin O’Brien of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland leads a talk covering the importance of local graveyards in historical research, along with practical guidance on preservation and the application process for grant support. Spaces are limited; book via library@cavancoco.ie or 049 437 8500.
Voices of Ballinagh draws on the 1930s Duchas Schools Collection to bring local oral history back to the community in Ballinagh village. The full programme, including additional events not yet confirmed, is published on heritageweek.ie as August approaches.
Cavan Town sits roughly 120 kilometres north-west of Dublin, an easy 90-minute drive via the N3 or the M3 motorway. Bus Eireann runs daily services from Dublin Busaras (route 30) to Cavan Town, with the journey taking around two hours. Ballyjamesduff is about 20 kilometres south of Cavan Town on the R194, just off the M3 - there is free parking at the museum. Cavan Town itself has several car parks close to the centre, and Johnston Central Library is a short walk from the bus station.
Cavan County Museum alone is worth the trip - the trench aside, it holds one of the more underrated collections of early Irish artefacts outside the national institutions. The county’s lakelands stretch in every direction if you want to extend the visit into a day or two. There is more to see in Cavan and across Co. Cavan.
Heading to Various venues across County Cavan in Cavan? Cavan has plenty more to see. Read the Cavan area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.