June Bank Holiday Weekend: Sunday Afternoon in Lismore Castle

The June Bank Holiday weekend offers some very special entertainment opportunities in Lismore.

The first Lismore Music Festival will stage Carmen in Lismore Castle on Saturday and Sunday evenings, June 5th and 6th. You may choose to compliment your opera experience with cava, tapas and paella in the Castle or dine instead in one of the local restaurants including the O'Brien's Chop House which will hold an Opera Supper Club from 11.15pm until late. Carmen tickets are available from 058-52769.

A (hopefully sunny!) bank holiday Sunday afternoon on 6th June can also be spent at Lismore Castle as the Dungarvan Lions Club host a fundraising event in aid of St Carthage's Hospital, Lismore and the South East Mountain Rescue Team.

A 20 euro ticket includes afternoon tea in the Pugin Room, admission to Castle Arts' present exhibition by Gerard Byrne, a tour of the Castle gardens by Head Gardener, Chris Tull and a talk on the Castle's history by Head Butler, Denis Nevin. Your ticket will also gain you admission to Lismore Heritage Centre's audio-visual show 'The Lismore Experience' to discover yet more of the fascinating past of Lismore town and Castle.

"Afternoon in Lismore Castle' tickets are available from the Heritage Centre on 058-54975.

The Heritage Centre will be open throughout the bank holiday weekend. We are open 10.00-17.00 on Saturday, 12.00-17.00 on Sunday and 11.00-17.00 on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Vee

The Vee Gap in the Knockmealdown Mountains offers panoramic views, rocky paths and rugged mountain scenery to sightseeers, walkers and pinickers absolutely free of charge.

The Vee stretches between west Waterford and south Tipperary and is just a short drive from Lismore. With a number of car parks and lay-bys near popular spots the Vee is a convenient spot for families and day-trippers to enjoy the hills that rise on the Lismore horizon.

Local tradition holds that the Vee road with its dramatic hairpin bend was constructed as a famine relief work scheme 1846-7. The old stone hut near the Gap provided shade for sweating horses after the steep ascent while their owners alighted to take the air at Bay Lough.

Bay Lough is the Vee's corrie lake. As any child from the region will tell you, the lake boasts not only of being bottomless but is also home to the fantastically titled witch Petticoats Loose.

The weeks ahead are a particularly good time to visit the Vee. The rhododendrons that will transform the hills into a blaze of purple in June have begun to emerge but have not yet reached their peak.

To view photographs of our trip to the Vee please visit the Heitage Centre's Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=357831&id=100000122755760#!/album.php?aid=23532&id=100000122755760&ref=mf

Lady Louisa's Walk

As Lismore basked in glorious sunshine over the weekend Lady Louisa's Walk was a source of shady relief. The cooling charm of the Blackwater proved alluring to many as fishermen, canoeists and even hot air balloonists passed us on our walk.

The riverside walk is named after Lady Louisa Cavendish. The eldest daughter of the seventh Duke of Devonshire was a responsible young lady, taking on her mother's duties after the death of Lady Blanche in 1840. Lady Louisa also continued work on one of her mother's projects- the gardens at Lismore Castle. In her love of the outdoors Lady Louisa created a number of nature trails along the banks of the Blackwater and Abha na Séad. Many of the paths she followed have returned to their natural state except for the eponymous walk, preserved and open to the public to enjoy.

Lady Louisa's Walk can be accessed through the black and gold gate located on the town side of Lismore Bridge. The path, when followed in full, will lead to North Mall and St Carthage's Cathedral. A shortcut down the cobbled Deanery Hill returns you to the small public parking area found just alongside the entrance to the walk.

Antique Sale 22nd&23rd May

Ballyin House, Ballyduff Road, Lismore will play host to an antique sale this Saturday and Sunday May 22nd-23rd.

Antiques, collectables, furniture, Victorian conservatory windows and much more will be on display from 11.00am to 6.00pm each day.

For directions or enquiries please contact 058-53447 or 087-7720913.

Bunscoil Bhothar na Naomh's Bealtaine Visit

A big thanks to Mrs Phelan's class from Bunscoil Bothar na Naomh who visited Lismore Heritage Centre as part of the 2010 Bealtaine festival.

Bealtaine is the Festival of Outdoor Science organised by Calmast and WIT. In perfect keeping with the theme of this year's festival-"Celebrate Our Living Earth"- the Bunscoil pupils visited the Towers Nature Trail with a Heritage Centre guide.

The group had a wonderful time identifying wildflowers and wildlife and discovering all sorts of surprising new facts- like the true nature of cuckoo spit!

The Towers Woodland Trail is part of the Lismore School Tour Experience. Each year hundreds of schoolchildren from all over the south-east explore the magical woodland folly with the Centre's experienced guides. This summer for the first time the Towers tour will also be available to families. For more information please visit www.discoverlismore.com or call 058-54975.

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The Bealtaine festival runs from 16th-23rd May 2010. More information on events around County Waterford is available from www.livingearth.ie.

Catch Up On Culture Week: 15th-22nd May 2010

Lismore Heritage Centre is pleased to take part in Catch Up on Culture Week 2010.

Catch Up On Culture is an initiative of the Irish Museum Association and aims to encourage people to visit our museums and cultural organisations.

The Heritage Centre will offer free guided tours of Lismore town at 11.00am and 3.00pm on Thursday 20th May. All are welcome!

Heritage Centre Closed May 8th & 9th

Lismore Heritage Centre will be closed Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th May to facilitate ongoing redecoration.

We will reopen on Monday 10th May at 9.30am.

Craft Shop Stock on Display on Main Street

The Heritage Centre's Craft Shop is adding a dash of colour to Main Street, Lismore.

A small selection our stock is now on display in the former Printmaster premises.

The items on display- and many, many others- are all available from the Craft Shop- call in for a browse!

Summer Serenade Tickets on Sale from the Heritage Centre

Lismore Choir is pleased to announce an upcoming performance with very special guests; Silinjarven Lauluveikot.
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Silinjarven Lauluveikot, a Finnish male voice choir will join Lismore choristers for Summer Serenade in The Courthouse Theatre, Lismore Heritage Centre on Saturday 15th May.
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Carmel O'Shea and Richard Nicholls will conduct. Accompaniment will be provided by Colin Nicolls.
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Tickets cost €10.00 and are available from the Heritage Centre on 058-54975 or from any choir member.
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The performance will commence at 8.15pm on the 15th.