Irish National Heritage Park facts for kids
The Irish National Heritage Park is a special outdoor museum near Wexford, Ireland. It tells the amazing story of how people lived in Ireland, starting from the very first settlers in the Mesolithic period (Stone Age) all the way up to the Norman Invasion in 1169. The park first opened its doors in 1987.
This park has 16 recreated homes and sites that show what life was like long ago. You can see a Mesolithic camp, a Neolithic farm, a huge stone tomb called a portal dolmen, and even a stone circle. There's also a medieval ringfort, a quiet monastic site, a lake dwelling called a crannóg, and a busy Viking harbour. The park covers about 13.7 hectares (that's about 34 acres) of land, with trails along the estuary and through wetland forests. It is a non-profit group, which means all the money from tickets, the restaurant, and the shop helps keep the park running and looking great.
Contents
What Can You Do at the Park?
The Irish National Heritage Park offers many things to see and do. You can explore the different historical sites and learn about ancient ways of life.
Learning Old Skills
The park offers many courses throughout the year. You can learn traditional skills like blacksmithing (working with metal), wood carving, and even stone masonry. They also teach mounted combat, which is fighting while on horseback! One of the park's main goals is to bring these old skills back to life for everyone to learn.
Fun for Kids: The Trials of Tuan
For younger visitors, there are special activities called "The Trials of Tuan." These are fun challenges designed just for children.
Guided Tours and Exploring
You can choose how you want to explore the park. There are guided tours led by people dressed in historical costumes. They will tell you all about the different sites. You can also use an audio guide or simply walk around on your own. The guided tour usually lasts about 90 minutes and finishes at the recreated Viking harbour.
Discovering Carrig Hill
The park has a new and exciting project: an archaeological dig on Carrig Hill. This hill was the site of the very first Norman fort in Ireland, built overlooking the river Slaney. The park is working with the Irish Archaeology Field School to dig up and study this important place. So far, they have found parts of a circular fort, burnt wooden buildings, and a later stone castle. A town grew up around this castle and lasted until the 1300s.
Park Facilities
The park has everything you need for a comfortable visit. There is a car park for vehicles, clean toilets, and a restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat.
Images for kids
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Reconstruction of an Irish hunter-gatherer hut—Mesolithic period
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A reconstructed Neolithic farmstead from ~6,000 years ago
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Portal Dolmen
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Ringfort
