Archaeology Festival on the Skellig Coast

THE DINNSEANCHAS PROJECT

The Dinnseanchas Project is an evolving eco-arts project rooted in rural upland communities in the West of Ireland and inspired by the word ‘dinnseanchas’ meaning the stories a place is telling. Dinnseanchas was initiated by Hometree, the nature-restoration charity based in the Ennistymon who are working to establish and restore resilient habitats across temperate rainforest landscapes.

Supported by a Creative Ireland Climate Action Award in 2024, Dinnseanchas creates space for communities to explore more resilient futures by holding difficult conversations about climate change, biodiversity loss, and the social and economic pressures currently shaping rural life.

As part of an 2026 Arts Council funded tour, Dinnseanchas is presenting a five-day programme in venues across Uíbh Ráthach supported by Cumas Ceantar Uíbh Ráthaigh and Hometree Iveragh EIP.

The programme includes events in Ballinskelligs, Caherdaniel, Dromid and Waterville.

DINNSEANCHAS IN UÍBH RÁTHACH OPENING EVENT

Wednesday Sept 30 -  Waterville  - Tech Amergin - 6pm to 7pm

Admission free – all welcome

An Scioból is an installation of images, texts and artifacts gathered by the Dinnseanchas artists over the last two and a half years. Join the Dinnseanchas team, and our local collaborative partners Cumas Ceantar Uíbh Ráthach and Hometree Iveragh, for a glass of wine and a chat as we begin this five day residency in South West Kerry.

CRÉ EXHIBITION LAUNCH

Thursday Oct 1  -  Ballinskelligs  -  G Teic - 1pm to 2pm

Admission free – all welcome

The unveiling of the Cré Exhibition, featuring photography by John Minihane and haikus composed by Paddy Bushe, thanks to the project coordination of local artist, Karen Hendy. 

IN THIS TOGETHER

Thursday Oct 1  -  Ballinskelligs  -  Meeting at the Gteic – 2.15pm to 5.30pm

Free but ticketed – booking here

Join artists Emily Fitzell, Zoë Uí Fhaoláin Green and Grace Wells for an afternoon of connection, creative practice and immersion in Nature, inspired and informed by the landscape of Ballinskelligs Bay. Through attention, hands-on engagement, walking and listening, we’ll deepen into the local dinnseanchas as we reflect on the role of the arts in sustainable community-building, and the ways Nature and creativity can strengthen our sense of resilience through challenging times. The afternoon will begin at Ballinskellig’s Gteic, and unfold along the sea shore, with time to pause, share conversation and reflect together at Café Cois Trá.

FROM PLACE TO PLATE: THE STORY OF MOL MEALA

Thursday Oct 1  -  Ballinskelligs  -  Ballinskelligs Community Hall - 6pm

Admission €15 – booking here

Join us for a shared meal and conversation about Mol Meala — a vision for a place where food, nature, learning and community come together. While enjoying a delicious meal prepared by Hayley Coates, we’ll explore why having places to gather, grow, eat and connect matters and how Mol Meala hopes to create something rooted in the land and meaningful for the people around it.

THREADS OF CONNECTION 

Friday Oct 2 - Caherdaniel  - Community Hall - 2pm to 5pm 

Free but ticketed – booking at here

Join craft artist Alma O’ Donoghue and socially-engaged artists Jennifer Ahern and William Bock for an afternoon exploring the value of wool as a material, shared resource and catalyst for connection. Together we will map these connections between people, knowledge and place in Uíbh Ráthach and across the island of Ireland. Together the group will explore approaches to wool and its potential within the local community, participate in sorting and carding a washed fleece and contribute to an interactive mapping exercise exploring the connections between wool, sheep farming, landscape, handcrafting and industry

THROUGH THE EYE OF AN CAILLEACH BY JENNIFER AHERN

Friday Oct 2 - Caherdaniel  - The Blind Piper – 7pm to 8pm 

Admission free – All Welcome

The Cailleach, our deepest lore of place and most mysterious deity, requires that we listen closer to the stories shaping our world and choices. Artist and Anthropologist Jennifer Ahern’s talk looks at why transformation to a more regenerative society is not just about planting more trees but also requires a shift in perspective, mindset and belief.

ROCK ART BY NIGHT

This ‘Through The Eye Of An Cailleach’ event will be followed by ROCK ART BY NIGHT an event organised by Skellig Coast Archaeology Festival. This is a ticketed event. Ticket holders will meet at the church gates in Cahetdamiel at 8.30pm. For info please email kerrydarkskyreserve@gmail.com

THE STAG & THE ACORN     

Saturday Oct 3rd – Dromid 

Fulacht Fiadh

The Fulacht Fiadh is a traditional cooking method for cooking venison that was practiced throughout Ireland during the Bronze Age. The meat is carefully wrapped and slow cooked for eight to ten hours in an earthen pit of boiling water maintained by red hot stones from the fire.   

Setting the Fulacht Fiadh

Venue: Behind the Inny Tavern – 9am – 10.30am

Admission free – All Welcome

Come and join The Hunter and the Chef as they prepare the fire and the deer for the Dinnseanchas Fulacht Fiadh. The morning session will include a butchery demonstration of a deer, preparation of the venison for cooking, and the setting of the meat in the Fulacht Fiadh surrounded by heated stones.

Woodland walk

Tulligealane - 11am – 12:30pm

For parking convenience meet @ Inny Tavern at 10.45am

Admission free – All Welcome

Join some of the Iveragh Woodlands EIP team for a walk at Tulligealane wood for a look at some of the species present in the area and a discussion about the importance of old Sessile Oak woodland in Ireland’s uplands.

Deer Today – A Panel Discussion

Ionad na Dromoda – 2.30pm – 4.30pm

Admission free – All Welcome

As is the case in many counties around Ireland, the mountains and woodlands in Uíbh Ráthach have a surfeit of deer. The ‘Deer Today’ event, hosted by Hometree’s Ray O Foglú, will be a facilitated conversation about wild herbivore management and deer hunting in Ireland today. The panel will include Wild Herbivore Strategy advisor Adam F. Smith from UCD and Joe O'Dwyer and Sion Brain from The Hunter and Chef.

Fulacht Fiadh Dinner 

Inny Tavern – 6pm – 7.30pm

Tickets booked in advance €16 including booking fee here

Tickets on the night €20

Join us for a venison dinner at the Dinnseanchas Uíbh Ráthach Fulacht Fiadh prepared by The Hunter and Chef. Dinners will be treated to Inny Valley slow braised venison and porter stew from the Fulacht Fiadh, seasonal root vegetables and champ mash, with Bread & butter pudding afters. Vegetarian option on request.

Proceeds from this event will be donated to the Nepal Flood Relief.

LOCAL HEROES: A celebration of local community in film and music including the premier of Tábhairne na hUíne: A film by Síomha Brock

Saturday Oct 3rd – Dromid – Ionad an Dromid – 8.30pm

Admission free

Join us for an evening of music, art and conversation exploring community, place and Dromid’s history of community ownership, culminating in the first public screening of Tábhairne na hUíne, a new short film by Síomha Brock telling the story of Ireland’s first community-owned pub and shop.

MC’d by Kelsey Ní Shúilleabháin, the evening will feature music from Róisín Ní Riain and a presentation by artist Jennifer Ahern of a new artwork responding to the Inny Valley, developed during her residency with the Dinnseanchas Project. Rob Fell from Hometree will introduce their Iveragh Woodlands project, while special guest Davie Philip will explore the theme of The Power of Community, sharing examples of community-led action from Ireland and beyond across food, land, energy, culture and local enterprise.

Davie’s talk will consider how communities can build resilience, strengthen local connections and keep more ownership and decision-making close to home, before the evening concludes with the screening of Tábhairne na hUíne. The film will be followed by a discussion about Dromid’s own history of community ownership and the ways this experience might inform what comes next.

DINNSEANCHAS SCOIL SCAIRTE 

Sunday Oct 4th  – Waterville - Tech Amergin – 12noon – 4.30pm 

Admission free - drop in anytime and participate

The Dinnseanchas Scoil Scairte will take place in and around Tech Amergin, with the public invited to visit An Scioból, participate in a number of workshops, and assist artists with their ongoing process of creating work that responds to the themes of The Dinnseanchas Project. The day’s programme will include music from The Mularkey Family. Also An Carn Beo, a new work by Róisín de Buitléar which invites the public to gather in a shared act of environmental memorialisation and restoration, by helping to construct a temporary, collective woodland from gathered branches to serve as a living metaphor for reforestation and renewal.

Visitors can support artist William Bock in creating Net(work), an experimental social sculpture that explores collective ritual and shared work as ‘tools’ for restoration, both cultural and ecological and join Ballinskelligs artist Róisín Ní Chionnfhaolaidh to learn about a project that is experimenting into possible uses for old glass from the greenhouses at Mol Meala. Throughout the day, The Fox in The Box will be serving complimentary coffees and teas, and Hometree will have their team of nature restoration specialists on hand to chat with about land care and woodland creation.

TIONSCADAL DINNSEANCHAIS

Is tionscadal éicea-ealaíon é Tionscadal Dinnseanchais atá ag forbairt de shíor, fréamhaithe i bpobail thuaithe sléibhe in Iarthar na hÉireann agus spreagtha ag an bhfocal "dinnseanchas", is é sin na scéalta atá áit ag insint. Chuir Hometree, an carthanas athchóirithe dúlra atá lonnaithe in Inis Díomáin, tús leis an tionscadal. Tá Hometree ag obair chun gnáthóga athléimneacha a bhunú agus a athchóiriú ar fud tírdhreacha foraoise báistí measartha. 

Le tacaíocht ó Ghradam Gníomhaíochta Aeráide Éire Ildánach in 2024, cruthaíonn Dinnseanchas spás do phobail chun todhchaí níos athléimní a fhiosrú trí dhul i ngleic le comhráite dúshlánacha maidir leis an athrú aeráide, caillteanas bithéagsúlachta agus na brúnna sóisialta agus eacnamaíocha atá ag múnlú shaol na tuaithe faoi láthair. 

Mar chuid de chamchuairt atá maoinithe ag an gComhairle Ealaíon in 2026, tá clár cúig lá á chur i láthair ag Dinnseanchas in ionaid éagsúla ar fud Uíbh Ráthaigh le tacaíocht ó Cumas Ceantar Uíbh Ráthaigh agus Hometree Iveragh EIP. Beidh imeachtaí ar siúl i mBaile an Sceilg, i gCathair Dónall, sa Dromaid agus i gCoireán. 

OSCAILT OIFIGIÚIL DHINNSEANCHAS in UÍBH RÁTHACH

Dé Céadaoin, 30 Meán Fómhair
Tech Amergin, An Coireán
6.00 in - 7.00 in

Saorchead isteach - Fáilte roimh chách

Is suiteáil é An Scioból ina bhfuil íomhánna, téacsanna agus déantáin a bhailigh ealaíontóirí Dinnseanchais le dhá bhliain go leith anuas. Bígí linn, in éineacht le foireann Dinnseanchais agus ár gcomhpháirtithe áitiúla, Cumas Ceantar Uíbh Ráthaigh agus Hometree Iveragh, le haghaidh gloine fíona agus comhrá agus muid ag cur tús lenár gcónaitheacht cúig lá in Iardheisceart Chiarraí. 

SEOLADH TAISPEÁNTAIS CRÉ

Déardaoin, 1 Deireadh Fómhair
gteic @ Uíbh Ráthach, Baile an Sceilg
1.00 in - 2.00 in

Saorchead isteach - Fáilte roimh chách

Nochtadh oifigiúil Thaispeántas Cré, ina mbeidh grianghrafadóireacht le John Minihane agus haikuanna le Paddy Bushe, faoi chomhordú an ealaíontóra áitiúil Karen Hendy. 

SAN ÁIT INA BHFUILIMID I DTEANNTA A CHÉILE

Déardaoin, 1 Deireadh Fómhair
Baile an Sceilg
Ag bualadh le chéile ag gteic @ Uíbh Ráthach
2.15pm - 5.30pm

Saor in aisce ach ticéad riachtanach

Bígí i dteannta le Emily Fitzell, Zoë Uí Fhaoláin Green agus Grace Wells le haghaidh tráthnóna ceangail, cleachtais chruthaitheacha agus tumtha sa dúlra, spreagtha ag tírdhreach Bhá na Scealg. Trí bhreathnóireacht, rannpháirtíocht phraiticiúil, siúl agus éisteacht, déanfaimid iniúchadh níos doimhne ar an dinnseanchas áitiúil agus muid ag machnamh ar ról na n-ealaíon i dtógáil pobail inbhuanaithe agus ar an gcaoi a chabhraíonn an dúlra agus an chruthaitheacht linn teacht slán i ré na ndúshlán. Críochnófar an tráthnóna le sos agus comhrá i gCafé Cois Trá. 

ÓN ÁIT GO DTÍ AN PLÁTA: SCÉAL MHOL MEALA

Déardaoin, 1 Deireadh Fómhair
Baile an Sceilg, Halla Pobail Bhaile an Sceilg
6.00 in

Táille Iontrála €15

Bígí linn le haghaidh béile comhroinnte agus comhrá faoi Mol Meala, fís d'áit ina dtagann bia, an dúlra, foghlaim agus an pobal le chéile. Agus béile blasta á bhlaiseadh againn, ullmhaithe ag Hayley Coates, pléifimid cén fáth a bhfuil tábhacht le háiteanna ina mbímid ag teacht le chéile, ag fás, ag ithe agus ag nascadh lena chéile, agus conas a bhfuil súil ag Mol Meala rud éigin atá fréamhaithe sa talamh agus fiúntach don phobal áitiúil a chruthú. 

SNÁITHE CEANGAIL

Dé hAoine, 2 Deireadh Fómhair
Cathair Dónall, Halla Pobail
2.00 in - 5.00 in

Saor in aisce ach ticéad riachtanach

Bígí le healaíontóir ceardaíochta Alma O'Donoghue agus leis na healaíontóirí rannpháirteacha sóisialta Jennifer Ahern agus William Bock le haghaidh tráthnóna ina ndéanfar iniúchadh ar luach na hola mar ábhar, mar acmhainn chomhroinnte agus mar bhealach ceangail. Déanfaimid mapáil ar na naisc idir daoine, eolas agus áit in Uíbh Ráthach agus ar fud oileán na hÉireann. Beidh deis ann olann nite a shórtáil agus a chíoradh agus páirt a ghlacadh i ngníomhaíocht idirghníomhach a scrúdóidh na ceangail idir an olann, feirmeoireacht caorach, tírdhreach, ceardaíocht láimhe agus tionscal. 

TRÍ SHÚIL NA CAILLÍ LE JENNIFER AHERN

Dé hAoine, 2 Deireadh Fómhair
Cathair Dónall, The Blind Piper
7.00pm - 8.00pm

Saorchead isteach - Fáilte roimh chách

Éilíonn an Cailleach, ceann de na figiúirí is sine agus is rúndiamhraí inár ndúchas, orainn éisteacht níos géire leis na scéalta atá ag múnlú ár ndomhain agus ár roghanna. Scrúdóidh an t-ealaíontóir agus an t-antraipeolaí Jennifer Ahern cén fáth nach mbaineann an t-aistriú chuig sochaí níos athghiniúnaí le níos mó crann a chur amháin, ach le hathrú meoin, peirspictíochta agus creidimh chomh maith. 

Ag leanúint na himeachta seo beidh:

EALAÍN CHARAIGE SAN OÍCHE

Imeacht á eagrú ag Féile Seandálaíochta Chósta na Sceilge. Tá ticéad riachtanach. Casfaidh sealbhóirí ticéad le chéile ag geataí na heaglaise i gCathair Dónall ag 8.30pm. Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais, seol ríomhphost chuig kerrydarkskyreserve@gmail.com

AN FIADH AGUS AN DEARCÁN

Dé Sathairn, 3 Deireadh Fómhair - An Dromaid 

FULACHT FIA

Modh traidisiúnta cócaireachta is ea an Fhulacht Fia a úsáideadh ar fud na hÉireann le linn na Cré-Umhaoise chun feoil a chócaráil. Clúdaítear an fheoil go cúramach agus déantar í a chócaráil go mall ar feadh ocht go deich n-uaire an chloig i bpoll cré lán d’uisce beirithe, a choimeádtar te le clocha lasracha ón tine. 

Ag Ullmhú na Fulachta Fia

Ionad: 9.00am - 10.30am
Taobh thiar de Thábhairne an Inny
Saorchead isteach - Fáilte roimh chách 

Tar agus bígí i dteannta an tSealgaire agus an Chócaire agus iad ag ullmhú na tine agus na fia le haghaidh Fhulacht Fia Dinnseanchais. Beidh léiriú búistéireachta ar fhia, ullmhú na feola don chócaireacht, agus socrú na feola san Fhulacht Fia i measc clocha téite mar chuid de sheisiún na maidine. 

Siúlóid Coillearnaí

Tulach Gealáin / Tulligealane - 11am – 12:30pm
Páirceáil ag Tabhairne na hUíne - 10.45am
Saorchead isteach - Fáilte roimh chách 

Bígí le foireann Thionscadal Coillearnacha Uíbh Ráthaigh EIP ar shiúlóid i gcoill Thulach Gealáin chun cuid de na speicis atá le fáil sa cheantar a fheiceáil agus chun plé a dhéanamh ar thábhacht na seanchoille darach seseile in ardchríocha na hÉireann. 

Fia sa Lá Inniu - Painéal Cainte

Ionad na Dromoda - 2.30pm - 4.30pm
Saorchead isteach - Fáilte roimh chách 

Mar atá amhlaidh i go leor contaetha ar fud na hÉireann, tá líon iomarcach fia i sléibhte agus i gcoillte Uíbh Ráthaigh. Beidh an imeacht "Fia sa Lá Inniu", faoi stiúir Ray Uí Fhoghlú ó Hometree, ina phlé éascaithe ar bhainistiú luibhiteoirí fiáine agus ar sheilg fia in Éirinn sa lá atá inniu ann. Beidh Adam F. Smith ó UCD, sainchomhairleoir ar Straitéis Luibhiteoirí Fiáine, chomh maith le Joe O'Dwyer agus Sion Brain ó The Hunter and Chef ar an bpainéal. 

Dinnéar Fulachta Fia

Tábhairne na hUíne - 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Ticéid réamháirithinte: €16 (lena n-áirítear táille áirithinte)
Ticéid ar an oíche: €20 

Bígí linn le haghaidh dinnéir fiaola ó Fhulacht Fia Dinnseanchais Uíbh Ráthaigh, ullmhaithe ag The Hunter and Chef. Beidh stobhach mallbhruite fiaola agus porter ó Ghleann na hUíne, glasraí fréamhacha séasúracha agus brúitín mar chuid den bhéile, agus mar mhilseog beidh maróg aráin agus ime ann. Tá rogha veigeatórach ar fáil ach í a iarraidh roimh ré. 

Rachaidh an brabús ón imeacht seo chuig Ciste Faoisimh Tuilte Neipeal.

LAOCHRA ÁITIÚLA

Ceiliúradh ar an bPobal Áitiúil trí Scannánaíocht agus Ceol, lena n-áirítear an chéad léiriú de Tábhairne na hUíne, scannán le Síomha Brock

Dé Sathairn, 3 Deireadh Fómhair - An Dromaid - Ionad na Dromaid - 8.30pm
Saorchead isteach 

Bígí linn le haghaidh oíche cheoil, ealaíne agus comhrá a dhéanfaidh iniúchadh ar phobal, ar áit, agus ar stair úinéireachta pobail sa Dromaid. Beidh céad taispeántas poiblí Tábhairne na hUíne, gearrscannán nua le Síomha Brock a insíonn scéal chéad teach tábhairne agus siopa faoi úinéireacht pobail in Éirinn mar buaicphointe na hoíche. 

Á chur i láthair ag Kelsey Ní Shúilleabháin, beidh ceol le Róisín Ní Riain mar chuid den chlár, chomh maith le cur i láthair ón ealaíontóir Jennifer Ahern ar shaothar nua a forbraíodh le linn a cónaitheachta le Tionscadal Dinnseanchais agus atá bunaithe ar Ghleann na hUíne. Cuirfidh Rob Fell ó Hometree a dtionscadal Coillearnacha Uíbh Ráthaigh i láthair, agus fiosróidh an t-aoi speisialta Davie Philip téama Cumhacht an Phobail, ag roinnt samplaí de ghníomhaíocht faoi stiúir pobail ó Éirinn agus ó thar lear i réimsí an bhia, na talún, an fhuinnimh, an chultúir agus na fiontraíochta áitiúla. 

Pléifidh Davie conas is féidir le pobail athléimneacht a fhorbairt, naisc áitiúla a neartú agus níos mó úinéireachta agus cinnteoireachta a choinneáil gar don bhaile. Críochnóidh an oíche le taispeántas Tábhairne na hUíne, agus plé ina dhiaidh sin ar stair úinéireachta pobail sa Dromaid agus ar an gcaoi ar féidir leis an taithí sin treoir a thabhairt don todhchaí.

SCOIL SCAIRTE DHINNSEANCHAS

Dé Domhnaigh, 4 Deireadh Fómhair - Coireán (Tech Amergin) - 12.00 meán lae go 4.30pm
Saorchead isteach - Tar isteach am ar bith agus glac páirt ann.

Beidh Scoil Scairte Dinnseanchais ar siúl in Tech Amergin agus ina thimpeallacht, áit a mbeidh fáilte roimh an bpobal cuairt a thabhairt ar An Scioból, páirt a ghlacadh i gceardlanna éagsúla agus cabhrú leis na healaíontóirí ina bpróiseas leanúnach chun saothair a chruthú a fhreagraíonn do théamaí an tionscadail. Beidh ceol le Clann Mularkey mar chuid de chlár an lae. 

Beidh An Carn Beo, saothar nua le Róisín de Buitléar, ar taispeáint freisin. Tugann an saothar seo cuireadh don phobal teacht le chéile i ngníomh comhroinnte cuimhneacháin agus athchóirithe comhshaoil trí choillearnach shealadach chomhchoiteann a chruthú ó bhrainsí bailithe, mar mheafar beo d'athfhoraoisiú agus d'athnuachan. 

Beidh deis ag cuairteoirí freisin tacú leis an ealaíontóir William Bock agus é ag cruthú Net(work), dealbhóireacht shóisialta thurgnamhach a dhéanann iniúchadh ar dheasghnátha comhchoiteanna agus ar obair i gcomhar mar uirlisí chun athchóiriú cultúrtha agus éiceolaíoch a chur chun cinn agus bígí linn in éineacht leis an ealaíontóir Róisín Ní Chionnfholaidh as Baile an Sceilg chun tuilleadh a fhoghlaim faoi thionscadal atá ag fiosrú úsáidí féideartha do sheanghloine ó na tithe gloine ag Mol Meala.

I rith an lae, beidh The Fox in the Box ag cur tae agus caife saor in aisce ar fáil, agus beidh saineolaithe athchóirithe nádúir ó Hometree ar fáil chun comhrá a dhéanamh le cuairteoirí faoi chúram talún agus faoi chruthú coillearnach. 

Aon Scéal Uibh Ráthach

Oíche Airneáin 19.09.2026

Ag Ceiliúradh 5 Bliana | The 5th Year of Aon Scéal Festival

Cur Le Chéile Festival is back!

With over 50 events running from Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th September 2026 across Caherdaniel, Castlecove and Derrynane.

More information is available on the festival timetable on the official website: www.curlecheilefestival.ie