Padric Fallon Poetry Competition Entry Form

The Athenry Arts & Heritage Centre launches the Padric Fallon Memorial Poetry Competition with a top prize of €500 to the winning entrant. The competition is open however entrants must be over 18yrs old. The judge will be Ciaran O'Driscoll, a Limerick based poet and a member of Aosdana. The closing date is the 14th April and winners will be  announced in May.

Athenry Heritage Centre presents Redmond o'Toole, Saturday 3rd May 2008 in the Great Hall of Athenry Castle.The concert commences at 8:00pm and doors open at 7:30pm.

Redmond will play a varied programme including music from his new album 'baroque'. Tickets are available from the Heritage Centre and on the night at the castle entrance. Admission is €15 per person. Further information on redmond o'toole can be found at www.redmondotoole.com

Full programme details available here

Athenry Heritage Centre celebrates National Walled Towns Day 2008 with a family fun day in Athenry Castle and Athenry Heritage Centre. The programme will be launched by Cllr Peter Feeney at 1:00pm in the castle and this will be followed by music performed by the Galway Early Music Society.

Other events include battle re-enactments by the Leinster Re-Enactment Society, falconry displays with Animal Magic, storytelling by Clare Murphy and Moonfish Theatre company present a medieval drama 'NOAH'S ARK'. This year's Walled Towns Festival also includes the unique performances of 'Sounds Ancient' presented by Simon O'Dywer in the Great Hall of the castle. Simon will provide a demonstration of Celtic & Bronze Age horns from these times and be prepared to have your ears tested by their amazing sounds.

The other performer is Nemo the Magician who specialises in medieval conjuring tricks and illusions. this is a show not to be missed!

Please note that all performances in the Great Hall are restricted to 50 people at one time.

The programme of events also includes have-a-go archery in the grounds of the Heritage Centre and hourly walking tours of Athenry provided by Seamus Lynch.Face-painting in the grounds of the heritage centre

Many of the activities will be held on the grounds of the Heritage Centre, weather permitting and the centre will also have a open day where visitors can enjoy the interactive exhibits, storyboards and audio visual presentations. The centre will also exhibit the entrants of the National Walled Towns Photographic Competition 2007.

This year's live demonstration will be presented by Charlie Gallagher of Blacklion Crafts and it will be a manned medieval Norman forge complete with real fire, anvil, bellows and historically accurate clothing. There will be live demonstrations of weapon forging technics including the making of arrow heads, rivets, blade cross section, hardening and tempering, filing and sword handle production.

Athenry's Walled Towns Celebration is co-sponsored by

Failte Ireland and Galway County Council

Full programme details available here

Saturday November 1st and
Sunday 2nd November 2008

Halloween comes to the Athenry Heritage Centre on the 1st and 2nd November. This year's event will include the acclaimed storyteller Rab Swannock Fulton whose Scary Tales enthralled audiences at the recent Babaro Children's Festival. His stories are a unique collection of folktale's, myths and urban legends from Ireland and Scotland. There will be three performances each day with a special show for the under 7's commencing at 1:15pm. The shows for the over 7's begin at 2:30pm and 3:45pm and each performance lasts about 60 minutes. The centre has been transformed into a spectacular Halloween setting with ghosts,ghouls and spiders galore. There's gruesome games, magic workshops and prizes for the scariest costume. Places are limited for each show so early booking is highly recommended for this popular event. Admission for each show is €7 per child

Reserve a ticket by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact the centre on 091 844661