Stories in Stones: Inishowen Heritage Festival 2026

What to Expect

Stories in Stones is a brand-new heritage festival for 2026, timed to run through National Heritage Week and spread across sites on the Inishowen Peninsula rather than a single town. It is built around a programme of guided walks and heritage experiences led by local historians and experts, taking in the ancient pathways, coastal heritage and historic settlements Inishowen is known for. As an inaugural event, backed by Donegal County Council’s Regional Festival and Participative Events Funding and organised by Go Visit Inishowen, the explicit aim is to make the peninsula’s history accessible to locals, visitors and different generations together rather than presenting it as a specialist or academic programme. Given the council funding and the framing around building an annual identity for the peninsula’s heritage, this reads as the start of what organisers hope becomes a fixture on the Inishowen calendar rather than a one-off.

Good to Know

Dates: Saturday, August 15 to Sunday, August 23, 2026, across multiple sites on the Inishowen Peninsula, coinciding with National Heritage Week. Admission is free, but booking is required for the guided walks and heritage events, since numbers on each walk are likely to be limited by the historians leading them. At the time of research, the full programme and booking system were still being finalised, with organisers stating that booking information and the detailed schedule would be published on their website in July 2026, so check govisitinishowen.com closer to the date for specific walk locations, times and how to reserve a place. General queries can go to Go Visit Inishowen on +353 74 936 3451 or marketing@govisitinishowen.com.

Getting There

Inishowen is Ireland’s largest peninsula, reached via Buncrana or Carndonagh from Letterkenny on the N13/R238, or from Derry via the Buncrana road. Because the festival runs across multiple towns and rural sites rather than one venue, transport and parking depend on which walk or talk is being attended: some events are likely to be based in town centres such as Carndonagh or Moville, others out on coastal paths with informal roadside parking. Check each event’s specific location once the full programme is published.