Cork Heritage Open Day bigger than ever!

Cork Heritage Open Day returns this year on Saturday 18 August 18 and sees a huge mix of special events, tours and exhibitions taking place all over the city.

The day will see over 38 buildings open their doors to the public for free for one day only. Experience magnificent views of Cork from the top of the Elizabeth Fort, from the Clarion Hotel Penthouse and fro St Anne's Church, Shandon. Visit the Masonic Hall, home of the Freemasons since 1844, the Quaker Meeting house and Graveyard and the Princes Street (Unitarian) Church which is the oldest documented surviving building in Cork.

Organised by Cork City Council, this year the programme of events is larger than ever. And all events are free!

To mark the 1902/1903 International Exhibition, the Cork Public Museum will give tours around Fitzgerald Park examining the site and layout of the exhibition as well as visiting the remaining exhibition structures. Cork Public Museum will also host their own antiques roadshow. 

Several guided walking tours will also take place all over the city.

To mark Cork Heritage Open Day, Cork City Council will host a series of maritime events, exhibitions and boat displays in Cork City Hall including a talk on the traditional boats of Ireland project 'Digitally Recording our Maritime Heritage' by Pat Tanner, a demonstration and tasting entitled the 'Art of Sushi Making' by renowned chef Seamus O'Connell of the Ivory Tower and 'Old Father Story', a character led maritime family show with Arran Towers from the Cork Circus.

Venues such as the UCC Boole Library, the Cork Circuit Courthouse, the South Presentation Convent, Fota House, Crawford Art Gallery, Backwater Studios, Cork Printmakers, Triskel Christchurch and St Fin Barres Cathedral are offering guided tours of their premises while one can meet Cork's Woodturning Community in CIT Wandesford  Quay Gallery or explore the inside workings of an artist's workspace in the National Sculpture Factory.

The LÉ Eithne, which will be located on Horgan's Wharf, will be open to the public while in the port of Cork Customs House, Dr Colin Rynnes from UCC will discuss the port of Cork and its role in the provisions trade from 1700 to 1830.

Behind the scenes tours of the Everyman Palace Theatre and the Cork Opera House will take place while a tour of Cork City Hall and its Council Chambers by Cllr Kieran McCarthy is a must for those interested in history. CIT Crawford College of Art and Design is marking its centenary this year an will feature an exhibition of memorabilia gathered over the last 100 years while a special festival celebrating Cork heritage and music will take place on the Coal Quay.

Blackrock Castle Observatory will host a historical talk on Blackrock Castle and its surrounds. Dr David Butler, UCC will give a talk in Triskel Christchurch on Christchurch, Cork, in the early 20th century while Blackpool Library will host a photographic exhibition on the history of Blackpool.

Upstairs in the Cork Public Museum, Jo Goodyear will speak about native plants in urban gardens while Michael O'Callaghan will discuss beekeeping in urban areas.

There are a wide range of children's events including a special Water Open Day in the Lifetime Lab with activities such as bubble making and making and launching water rockets, Family Fun Print Workshops in the Crawford Art Gallery, A Children's Illustration Workshop in Blackpool Library and a historical Treasure Hunt for children in various historic buildings around the city. 

This year's programme of events for Cork Heritage Open Day is jam-packed and all events are free. Some events and guided tours have limited places and therefore need to be booked in advance. See www.corkheritageopenday.ie for a list of events which need to be pre-booked and those events which will require the presentation of an official Cork Heritage Open Day Ticket to participate. 

Cork Heritage Open Day promises to be a unique day which is not to be missed.