Explore the eventful past of Medieval Athenry, scene of two battles, numerous raids and attacks.

Visit its major medieval monuments with their very own unique features and experience also Athenry’s more recent history.

Come along and join local historian and Fáilte Ireland Tour Guide Gerry Burke on this ninety minute free tour during Heritage Week.

Tours commence outside Athenry Castle and there's two times to choose from.

Morning 10:45am

Afternoon 2:15pm

Tickets for all tours can be booked through Eventbrite.

The tour is conducted by tour guide Gerry Burke.

Tour Times 10.45am and 2.15pm

The tour is of 90 minutes duration

Tour Groups limited to six people

Tour begins in front of Athenry Castle and ends at Athenry Heritage Centre

COVID19 Notice

If you are feeling unwell do not participate in the Guided Tour

Maintain a social distance of 2 metres (6 ft.)  from other participants

Hand sanitiser will be provided at the beginning and end of the tour

You are required to wear either a face mask or visor for the duration of the tour

The tour Guide will wear a visor

The Tour Guide will open entrance gates/entrance doors to sites

Tour participants are not to touch entrance gates/entrance doors or any surfaces during the course of the tour

If you become ill in the course of the tour with Covid-related symptoms Phone 112 or 999 or if you live locally call your GP.

Please note in the interest of Health and Safety a contact tracing log will be maintained. Your contact details will be retained for one month and then destroyed.

 Learning from our Heritage

Athenry Walled Towns Day has been in existence since 2006. It is a family focused heritage and educational fun day where all sectors of the community can gain a greater awareness, appreciation and knowledge of the medieval town walls and the town of Athenry.

The events are programmed to suit all age groups and have a strong educational and awareness building theme.

This year due to Covid19 Athenry Walled Town Day has gone virtual and the theme of this year’s event is ‘Learning from our Heritage’.  

Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer, Galway County Council said “Athenry Virtual Walled Towns Day 2020 has been designed to be inclusive, accessible, fun and free for all to view on our websites and social media platforms.”

Alan Burgess, Manager, Athenry Arts & Heritage Centre said “The programme reflects the medieval history of Athenry and is a platform to showcase craft, food, art weaponry music and the rich heritage assets of the town”.  

Join Dr Christy Cunniffe, Dr Jeff Dann, GK Media and Gary Dempsey as they take you on virtual tours of Athenry Walls, Castle, Dominican Friary, the Mace and Seal of Athenry, Loro Gate and St Mary’s Church, Athenry..

Loughrea Craft Club have two videos how to make a medieval castle and how to make medieval characters for your castle. The Athenry Medieval Times newspaper is a available to download and print and frame as it was designed for the virtual occasion.

There is also an online etching exhibition by Martina Passman of the main medieval features of the town. This exhibition is also on view in the Athenry Heritage Centre.

Gary Dempsey has created wonderful 3D models of Athenry Market Cross, the Mace & Seal of Athenry and elements of the Dominican Priory. Film maker Paul Murphy has produced an excellent film on the Art and Craft of Spinning with Sandra King, Irish Fibre Crafters and Medieval Combat Armour by Brian Quinn. Anna O’Donnell, Gastronomy Heritage Expert showcases the art of Butter making on the banks of the Clarin river and Dr. Jeff Dann presents 'Food Glorious Food, medieval style.  Follow Úna Ní Fhlannagáin as she takes you on a musical journey of Irish history.

Gary Dempsey of Digital Heritage Age has created 3D models of  various elements of the medieval heritage of Athenry including the market cross, the seal of Athenry and the tomb of Meiler de Bermingham.

Introduction of Athenry Walled Towns Day with Programme Coordinators Alan Burgess, Athenry Heritage Centre & Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer, Galway County Council 

Watch three historical videos with Gary Dempsey as he chats with Dr. Christy Cunniffe about the Market Cross and St. Mary's Church. Dr. Jeff Dann explains about the significance of Athenry's 14th century Mace & Seal which are displayed in the Athenry Heritage Centre.

Acclaimed film maker Paul Murphy from Merchants Gate Films presents two short films of two unique people showcasing their particular skills. Meet Sandra King who demonstrates the craft of spinning and Brian Quinn talks about full contact medieval combat which includes demonstrations from the Athenry 1316 Fight Club.

Meet Rachel from the Loughrea Crafts Club as she demonstrates how to make a medieval castle and fun figures to go with it. This is a family fun activity that children will love but make sure you have an adult to help. Discover the true meaning of fun when you make your very own castle. All materials should be in your home or very easy to find. Enjoy your castle making and medieval figures to live in it. 

 Galway3D is a part of the Digital Counties Initiative, which aims to assist local   communities in creating 3D digital collections of local heritage from their counties.   The Galway3D project has been recording heritage in Co. Galway since 2016. The   process of recording is called Photogrammetry, which creates 3D models from   photographs, and is an easy process to learn. 

 If people are interested they can discover more from the Digital Heritage Age   website  www.digitalheritageage.co 

Enjoy a musical journey with acclaimed harpist Una Ni Flannagain as she takes you on a tour of Irish history.

Winner of the Ó Riada Gold Medal for harp, Úna Ní Fhlannagáin is a harper and singer based in Galway, Ireland. Rooted in the jigs and reels of North Clare and the sean-nós singing of Connemara, she is also influenced by American post-minimalists and free jazz. 

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Experience the world of medieval food with Anna O’Donnell, Gastronomy Heritage Expert as she showcases the art of Butter making on the banks of the Clarin river and Dr. Jeff Dann presents 'Food, Glorious Food, Medieval Style" in the Athenry Heritage Centre.

Take a tour of Athenry with Dr. Christy Cunniffe and he tells the stories of Athenry's medieval gates and the 13th century Dominican Priory. Your tour is complete with Dave Swift as he demonstrates the weaponry of the middle ages.

Artist John Flynn has created excellent post cards on the Athenry Madonna at Lady's Well , the 14th century Mace and Seal of Athenry and the Market Cross. Copies of the postcard are available from the Athenry Heritage Centre and the Heritage Office, Galway County Council.

Choose one of three designs and post them to friends and relatives as a momento of Athenry's Walled Towns Day 2020.

 View the exhibition of etchings by Martina Passman, there's 8 specially commissioned works of art which are for sale in the Athenry Heritage Centre.  

‘Etching Athenry’
Martina Passman is a mixed media artist based in County Galway. In 1998 after graduating from GMIT in Fine Art and Design, Martina Passman joined Artspace Studios in Galway. She exhibited
extensively around Ireland with the Artspace group. On completion of an Honors Degree in Fine Art
in 2017, Passman continued her studies through an MA in Creative Practice in CCAM Galway in 2018.
Passmans work is part of the Irish state art collection.
These etchings are produced by needle point onto metal plate and are inspired by the medieval ruins in Athenry, County Galway.

'Read all about it' with Athenry's very own Medieval Times!

See all the news on the 16th August 1316. Print off your copy today. 

Click here for a printable version of this image

Listen to the podcast by Sally-Ann Barrett from Galway Bay FM as she chats to Alan Burgess, Manager of the Athenry Heritage Centre and senior tour guide Jeff Dann on the Heritage Trail of Athenry and the activities of the Athenry Heritage Centre.

The podcat is available to listen on this link

https://galwaybayfm.ie/podcasts/galway-talks-with-keith-finnegan/discover-athenrys-impressive-heritage-trail-with-sally-ann-barrett/

Athenry's Virtual Walled Towns Day was designed by the Athenry Heritage Centre in partnership with Galway County Council. The event was supported by the Heritage Council, the Irish Walled Towns Network and Galway County Council.

The Athenry Music School are proud to launch the Trees for Harmony campaign and urge you to pledge your time to help plant trees for the well-being of our children and their planet. 

On the morning of 29th February 2020, Athenry Music School, Esker Children's Music Group and Athenry Tidy Towns are joining the Children's Tree Campaign to invite the community to plant thousands of native trees in Athenry.

The project hopes to see the commitment of up to 300 people planting trees together in one day, with the aim of adding 10,000 new trees to the town's landscape. It involves only man/woman/child power, a spade and a few hours. 

The Children's Tree Campaign is a new campaign set up by Galway-based children in 2019. It aims to protect Ireland's native trees, and encourage the planting of many more, to help encourage wildlife and biodiversity and help tackle climate change.

In May 2019, the Daíl declared a climate and biodiversity emergency. Scientists have shown that planting trees is one of the most effective ways to tackle climate change. As the saplings grow into full trees, they absorb carbon dioxide - the main climate-changing gas - from the atmosphere. Native trees also support hundreds of species of animals that we need to save. Trees are beautiful, hold and make topsoil, reduce flooding and noise pollution around our homes, slow traffic around schools and help our physical and mental well-being.

All families, children and community groups are invited to pledge their support, bring their spades and their enthusiasm to plant a forest for our future.

The location is just off the Craughwell road (near the motorway bridge). The Gardai will be onsite during the day, with restricted road closures in place for everyone's safety. 

Farrells of Athenry has come on board and have pledged the donation of a shuttle bus from the Car Park beside Kenny Park to the planting site. This will avoid congestion around the planting areas and to coordinate with Tidy Towns, who will know which specific area planters are most needed. The bus will leave every 20mins from Kenny Park and shuttle you and your family back again to your car in Kenny Park after planting.