Heritage week to be launched at special Port of Cork ceremony

The public will be able to tour more than 40 historic buildings and enjoy a medieval day as part of Cork Heritage Open Day.

Details of the events, which will take place on Sat, Aug 17, were announced at a special function in the Port of Cork last night.

The open day is being organised by the city council and will also feature free historical walking tours, talks on the Famine, exhibitions, workshops, and children’s treasure hunts.

For the first time the Maldron Hotel, which was formerly the North Infirmary, will participate in the open day and general manager Michael Lally will give a series of talks on the history of the building.

Other buildings which will be open to the public include the Masonic Hall, Quaker Meeting House and Gardens, Cork Baptist Church (pictured), Presentation Centre (formerly South Pres Convent), Customs House Port of Cork, Military Museum Collins Barracks, Cork Circuit Courthouse, the Lifetime Lab, Fota House, the Crawford Observatory, UCC, and the Elizabeth Fort.

Meanwhile, a special medieval day will take place in Triskel Christchurch where children can become an archaeologist for a day.

The Naval Service’s LÉ Ciara will be berthed in Albert’s Quay and open to the public while Denise Gabuzda from the Quakers will give a talk entitled A Measure of Love — Quakers and the Famine in Cork.

As part of the celebrations, the Cork Folklore Project has produced a DVD called If the Walls Could Talk, which explores the relationship between buildings and the people who use them.

It includes excerpts from interviews with historians and residents from around the city giving their own personal perspectives about the buildings.