From Apples to Waterways: Leitrim’s Organic Centre celebrates Heritage Week with free events

The Organic Centre in Rossinver is preparing for National Heritage Week, which will take place from Saturday, August 16, to Sunday, August 24, featuring a number of free family-friendly events to enjoy before the school year begins.

The theme for National Heritage Week 2025 is “Exploring Our Foundations”, encouraging people to explore the structures, landscapes, stories, and cultural practices that have shaped Ireland. This year’s theme invites reflection on how these foundations influence Irish life today and how they can be explored through a variety of events and activities.

The Organic Centre will host four events on-site. On Sunday, August 17, fruit expert and apple enthusiast Phil Wheal will give a talk titled ‘Apples in Ireland’ from 2pm to 3:30pm, exploring the history of apples from their origins and their place in Irish heritage and folklore, followed by a walk in the orchard to discuss their future.

Phil Wheal, Fruit Expert

On Tuesday, August 19, from 11am to 1pm, Steffi Otto from ‘Heritage Crafts Alive’ will lead spoon carving and miniature toy dwarf-making workshops. This zero-waste activity uses wood from organic trees felled during Storm Éowyn.

Steffi Otto from Heritage Crafts Alive

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On Friday, August 22, from 1pm to 3pm, Eimear O’Neill will explore the sustainable foundations of Ireland’s woollen industry and invite participants to try their hand at hand-spinning in her event titled ‘From Fleece to Fabric.’

The Organic Centre’s final event for National Heritage Week will take place on Water Heritage Day and feature water sampling on the Ballagh River with ecologist Yosef Dvores. The activity aims to show how participants can play a role in protecting our most precious resource, with sessions from 11am to 12pm and from 1pm to 2pm.

This Water Heritage Day event is supported by the Local Authorities Water Programme.

“Heritage Week is one of our popular weeks at the Organic Centre, it's a chance for the public and families to get outdoors, and to learn about our history,” said Dervilla Keegan of the Organic Centre.

Ms Keegan noted that much of day-to-day living in the past was sustainable, with people producing only for their needs, whereas today we live in a world dominated by fast fashion and the fast food industry, which produce vast amounts of waste.

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“Heritage Week for us is an opportunity to look back and learn and bring ideas forward to today,” added Ms Keegan.

“We also appreciate that times are getting even tougher with costs even higher for families, so we make a special effort to be part of this great week, where people can come out and enjoy time together with these free activities, and before the children go back to school,” she concluded.

People are advised to book their place for the events ahead of time to avoid disappointment.