Ireland’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Showcase at the National Ploughing Championships 2024
Ireland’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage was showcased during this year’s National Ploughing Championships (NPC) which took place from 17th – 19th September 2024. The Ploughing Championships is one of the largest agricultural shows in Europe, with over 244,000 people attending this years’ event. The Championships exhibits a cross–section of everything associated with rural Ireland.
Over the course of the three-day festival an average of 5,900 people visited the marquee where practitioners of Ireland’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) performed, gave presentations, and held workshops to promote their practices and engage new audiences including school children and young adults. The Irish Department of Culture was also on site to promote Ireland’s ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention, the International Day of ICH 2024 and Ireland’s National Inventory of ICH.
Participation in NPC provided an invaluable opportunity to engage face to face with the public to raise awareness of Ireland’s National Inventory of ICH and the application process. NPC also provided the opportunity to support Ireland’s inscribed ICH practitioners through providing a platform for them to showcase, educate and promote their practices and their work to safeguard their practices for future generations.
Over the three-days, 5 practices from Ireland’s National Inventory of ICH were showcased:
Uilleann Piping – A hands on experience of playing the pipes as well as a reedmaking demonstration and live performance on stage.
Limerick Lace – A demonstration with pre-recorded videos in a loop and an engaging talk to the public. They brought beautiful heirloom pieces with them and had high quality photos of museum pieces.
Dry Stone Construction – An interactive demonstration aimed at children to learn about the practice as well as the opportunity to build mini dry stone constructions.
Fingal Mummers – A fantastic performance of music and folk drama dressed in their handmade straw costumes.
Traveller Cultural Heritage - Interactive session on elements of Traveller cultural heritage - beady pockets, flowermaking, singing, CANT, tinsmithing
Text as provided by the organiser(s).