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Lough Erne Heritage Skills Festival

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Join us on Saturday 18th September, from 10am to 4pm at Enniskillen Castle for the Lough Erne Heritage Skills Festival.

This unique event will celebrate a variety of different heritage skills, local talents, and heritage projects, from the grounds of Enniskillen Castle.  

A great day out for people of all ages, this free event is a part of Festival Lough Erne, and is not to be missed!

Enjoy a range of live demonstrations including willow weaving, leather work, blacksmithing, rope making, rush and straw craft, wool spinning, thatching and many more. See full schedule below! Try you own hand at a few of these skills and meet the people keeping them alive!

Take to the lake with Row the Erne in their 33ft Curragh, view a 85-year-old sailing craft restored by Lough Erne Heritage and enjoy a Foster 1914 steam traction engine in conjunction with Head Hunters Railway Museum. Also throughout the day listen to stories, traditional music and dance, and share in traditional crafts and games.

Vendors:

  • Willow Weaving – The Willow Woman
  • Wool Spinning – Craft Benbrae
  • Rush Craft and Rope Making – Steffi Otti
  • Straw Craft
  • Blacksmithing – Craft Benbrae
  • Living History – Time Steps Living History
  • Leather work – The Journey Man Saddler
  • Soda Farl Making – Craft Benbrae
  • Storytelling – Stephen O’Hara
  • Thatching – Eddie Black
  • Lough Erne Heritage, with dedicated talk about maritime heritage at 12:45pm
  • Row the Erne (with rowing tours leaving at 11am, 12noon and 1pm, contact olivia@rowtheerne.com to book a seat!)
  • Potter – Lichen Ceramics
  • Skittles – Mummers
  • Wool Crotchet and Irish Lace
  • Inishmacsaint Lace
  • South West College – promoting their heritage restoration project of Enniskillen Workhouse
  • Head Hunters Railway Museum with traction steam engine on display
  • Joe the Baker and traditional milling techniques 1:30pm onwards
  • Historical Tours of Enniskillen Castle 11.30am
  • Fermanagh Bee Keeper Association and their demonstration hive

Entertainment Schedule
10:30am – Fermanagh School of Music and Performing Arts
11:15am – Erne Highland Dancers
12noon – Sean Magee
1:30pm – Erne Highland Dancers
2:30pm – Fermanagh Concert Band

Refreshments available during the day, as well as music, talks and further displays.

Further details to be released. For more information contact info@lelp.org.uk

This event is being made possible with support from Fermanagh Omagh District Council and Enniskillen Castle Museum and through funding made available from National Heritage Lottery Fund and Enniskillen Bid.