Themed Heritage Walk to take place in Banagher

A fascinating deep dive into the history of Banagher is guaranteed on Sunday afternoon next as part of the varied programme of events for the 12th 'That Beats Banagher' Festival, when renowned local historian, James Scully, will lead a themed heritage walk.

The theme of the walk, which gets underway at 12.45pm on Sunday next, July 27, at the gated entrance to St. Paul's Church of Ireland on the Hill in Banagher, is ‘Forges, Forgeries, Fakes & Fortifications.'

James Scully will guide walkers through Banagher’s association with the Brontë family, Banagher’s ironwork history, including observations on iron railings, plaques, gates and former sites of forges along the route. The walk will also include some of the four Napoleonic Fortifications which defended Banagher Bridge.

Participants are in for a treat with James Scully recounting fascinating stories about Sir Mathew De Renzy and a fake map of Medieval Banagher, and the tale of Thomas James Wise who forged major literary manuscripts and behaved duplicitously towards Arthur Bell Nicholls of Hill House, Banagher, husband of Charlotte Brontë.

The heritage walk will finish at the Bridge Barrack Yard in the West End of Banagher, which was the location of one of the four Napoleonic Fortifications. The forts were built early in the nineteenth century to defend the bridge of Banagher against an expected invasion from the west coast of Ireland by Napoleon’s almost invincible French army.

Throughout next weekend, the Barrack Yard will showcase a display of blacksmith’s work where dozens of smiths will exhibit the art and skill of their trade, forging iron artefacts and smelting local bog ore. Everybody is welcome to join in.