The Rekindle Festival of Lost Skills is set to find itself in Parliament Street, Ennistymon, Co. Clare, on August 16 and August 17 as part of National Heritage Week.
Fresh from winning a National Pride of Place award in 2023, the festival which is now in its third year, is a celebration of intergenerational traditional skills and crafts.
Rekindle is a micro-festival dedicated to reviving and celebrating traditional skills, music and practices of the past, often preserved by older generations.
The festival offers an opportunity to reconnect generations, sharing stories, techniques, and tools that highlight sustainable living through a series of live music events, demonstrations, workshops, talks and exhibitions.
Traditional skill-sharing demonstrations and talks will be hosted throughout the town. The demonstrations will showcase traditional skills and crafts like regenerative farming from Common Knowledge; the heritage keepers’ talk and willow weaving from Micheal Foudy.
There will also be intergeneration weaving demos with Jean Moran and up and coming weaver Dean Stapleton. Lacemaking and knitting demos will be given by Carole Head and the Galway crafters.
Traditional metal and woodworking demonstrations will be given by younger generationals carrying on the old skills, like Reece Saul Foster of Saul Forge in Mountshannon and Eoin Reardon, based in Bunratty Castle.
Saul Foster (aged 26) had been interested in blacksmithing for many years.
“After a rough patch in my life two years ago, I decided to take a year-long course in blacksmithing from the College of Further Education and Training in Cappamore, with Eric O’Neill,” he said.
“After completing my course, I discovered a 270 year-old forge that wasn’t being used in Mountshannon where I was living at the time.
“Using my previous knowledge in stone masonry, I started repairing it and focusing on traditional blacksmithing and heritage work which I bring focus to with my Instagram page, Saulforged,” he added.
Located on Parliament Street, the Rekindle Makers’ market will feature handmade products crafted using traditional methods.
A tour around Ennistymon, featuring local businesses steeped in heritage, will include video and audio pieces that highlight the town’s cultural heritage.
The performing arts programme includes traditional music from Ireland and around the globe, Irish language events, spoken word performances, and visual arts displays.
All events are free to attend, but advance registration is required to help manage numbers.