National Heritage Week

National Heritage Week 2026

‍

RMS Lusitania: Every Name Tells A Story

by Shannon Forde | 7pm | Thursday 20th August

‍

Through tangible artefacts, personal belongings and eyewitness accounts, this illustrated talk explores the human stories behind one of the defining maritime tragedies of the twentieth century - the sinking of RMS Lusitania off the Old Head of Kinsale on 7 May 1915.

‍

From strangers who embarked on a whirlwind romance during the final voyage, to honeymoon couples whose futures were tragically cut short, acts of extraordinary courage, devastating injuries and seemingly miraculous survivals, discover the remarkable stories that continue to resonate more than a century later.

‍

Spaces are limited - contact info@oldheadofkinsale.com or 021 4191285 to reserve a space.

‍

Kinsale Head Gas Field: A Look Back

by Michael Murray | 7pm | Friday 21st August

‍

Natural gas was discovered in Ireland in 1971, 32km east of the Lusitania wreck-site, in one of the first Irish offshore exploration wells drilled by a US company, Marathon Oil. The wells confirmed the location of the Kinsale Head Gasfield, which came on stream in 1978 and delivered gas to Ireland for over 4 decades.

Two large steel platforms were installed to extract the gas, which became landmarks on the marine approach to Cork Harbour. Gas production ceased in 2020 and the facilities were decommissioned, with the platforms being fully removed in 2022, marking the end of 50 years of Cork’s oil and gas service industry.

The talk will look back at some of the history of natural gas exploration, the development of the Kinsale Head field and its impact on the Cork area.

Speaker:
MV (Michael) Murray worked in the Irish natural gas industry for over 30 years and prior to that worked in the UK and Norway. He was involved in the development of the Ballycotton, Corrib and Southwest Kinsale offshore gasfields and was responsible for the decommissioning of the Kinsale Head facilities from 2020 to 2023.

‍

Spaces are limited - contact info@oldheadofkinsale.com or 021 4191285 to reserve a space.

‍