Senior citizens are being encouraged to get out and engage with their cultural heritage and avail of the Office of Public Works (OPW) carefully curated and engaging visitor experiences to mark this year’s Bealtaine Festival.
The OPW have announced a programme of events and initiatives for senior citizens at various heritage sites across the country to align with the Bealtaine Festival – ‘Celebrating Arts and Creativity as We Age’ this May – with a range of diverse and exciting events on offer, from musical performances to yoga to drawing groups.
On Friday, 23 May, there will be a free admission day for senior citizens at all fee paying heritage sites (excluding Kilmainham Gaol). Charles Fort in Co Cork will host a special free tour where guides will regale participants with tales of life within the British Army, while Farmleigh House will host a special guided tour taking participants on a journey from the eighteenth century to the present day. Many other events will take place nationwide, including at the Glendalough Visitor Centre, Emo Court, Co Laois, Parkes Castle, Co Leitrim, Dublin Castle, etc.
As well as the programme of events, a ‘Local Links to the Past’ scheme will also be launched in collaboration with Transport for Ireland, offering senior citizens free entry to 11 OPW sites on the Local Links network when they present their Local Link ticket or travel pass.
“On this very special 30th anniversary of Bealtaine, we are so pleased to collaborate with the OPW in this initiative to widen access for older people to important cultural sites and creative experiences around the country,” Dr Tara Byrne, Arts Programme Manager for Bealtaine, said. “We hope that people coming to the sites will experience the Bealtaine spirit of fun as well the potential in all of us as we age.”
The OPW will also run a pilot at St Attracta’s Residence, Charlestown, Co Mayo, in recognition of National Arts in Nursing Home Day. Participants from St Attracta’s will have the opportunity to use virtual reality headsets and experience a virtual tour of an OPW heritage site from the comfort of their armchair.
For more information on the programme of events for Bealtaine, please visit https://heritageireland.ie/whats-on/bealtaine/ or bealtaine.ie
