European Heritage Open Days

European Heritage Open Days is an annual event celebrating local architecture, history and culture, which takes place across Europe on the second weekend in September. In Northern Ireland European Heritage Open Days (EHOD) is run by the Department for Communities with the support of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. Each year over 250 people open their doors and organise events for EHOD across Northern Ireland.

It is a once a year opportunity for curious families, architect lovers and heritage enthusiasts to explore buildings and exclusive sites rarely open to the public.

European Heritage Open days (EHOD) 2024

European Heritage Open Days will take place 14 and 15 September 2024.

Our theme and for 2024 is “Routes, Connections and Networks – Links in our Heritage”

At the heart of the annual theme for 2024 are the notions that our heritage, in both its tangible and intangible forms, is a reminder of how peoples, communities, countries and cultures have long been inter-connected, and how we continue to be connected, through common values, shared practices and a desire to protect and make sense of our individual and collective histories. As well as the physical routes that once connected us, so much of our heritage illustrates the mobilities of the past and how people, objects, ideas and beliefs travelled far and wide. 

What’s happening for EHOD 2024

Our downloadable brochure is designed to give you a flavour of all the events that are happening across Northern Ireland this weekend for European Heritage Open Days

For greater details including more images, directions for those harder to find properties and a full description of properties and events visit DiscoverNorthernIreland website

To view where all the properties and events are on a map, please visit our WebApp.

Highlights across the counties for EHOD 2024:

County Antrim

*New*  Toomebridge Lock Keepers Cottage, take an evening tour along the Canal Walk and Lock Keepers cottage.

*Themed*  Whitehead Railway Museum enjoy this fantastic museum and learn how railways facilitated social change.

County Armagh

*New* Archbishop’s Palace Tour, enjoy a tour of this magnificent building. Then take a meander round Armagh Friary, a State Care Monument located at the entrance to the Palace Demense.

*New & Themed* Hands on Heritage: Recording Heritage on the Blackwater. Join UAH staff to learn more about its history and connections to industrial heritage.

County Down

St Annes’s Church, Killough See the conservation work and enjoy a talk on the history of the church and village!

Tollymore Forest guided walk, did you know the Grand Staircase of the Titanic was made form Tollymore Oak? Learn about this and much more fascinating stories.

County Fermanagh

Crom Estate, Florence court and Castle Coole Take a tour and visit these 3 magnificent properties and see the conservation work of the National Trust.

*New* Cuilcagh Mountain Jeep Safari, Book early!

County Londonderry

*New* Caisleán Dhún Geimhin Visit Dungiven Castle, now a Irish Medium post Primary School, and hear a talk by the principal.

Tour of Ebrington Barracks:   Join Manus Deery, HED Principal Conservation Architect for this popular tour. Book early! 

County Tyrone

Coalisland Museum Heritage Centre  Visit this centre and enjoy the family activities organised for EHOD then pop next door to Island Turf Crafts and visit the Bog Museum.

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane – Take a guided tour of this magnificent building of important ecclesiastical heritage.

Belfast

*New* Comber Greenway Walking Tour:  Walk the historic Comber Greenway. Then visit the Neill’s Hill Railway Station.

RSUA Architect Tours – Take one or more of the many organised tours by RSUA .

Belfast City Cemetery:  Visit on Sunday and enjoy the many activities organised by Belfast City council including Rock Stone Masonry workshop and tours – Booking for these essential.

Feedback

We would appreciate your feedback about your visit/s for EHOD 2024. Please take 5 minutes to complete the visitor survey.

EHOD 2024 competitions

For EHOD 2024 we are bringing back the much-loved competitions. There are some special prizes to be won.

Terms and conditions

  • Children’s Art competition, Heritage Exposed photography competition and Teddys day out video reel competition are run by Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities for European Heritage Open Days 2024 
  • the Competitions are free to enter
  • the competitions are open from 14 September to 30 September
  • all entries should be received no later than Friday 30 September 2024
  • no entries will be accepted after the deadline
  • proof of entry, is not proof of receipt
  • entries will be judged by EHOD’s select panel of judges. The decision of the panel of judges will be final
  • winners will be notified within 30 days of the closing date
  • by submitting an entry, permission is granted to Department for Communities to use that image in the publicity including exhibition, website and social media of European Heritage Open Days

#EHOD2024KidsArt – Childrens art competition

  • the competition is open to children and young people aged 6 – 18 years.
  • entries will be judged in the following categories:
    • ages 5-7, 8-12, 12-18 and special needs 18 and under
  • each entry should be the work of one child/young person only.
  • entrants are asked to create a piece of A4 artwork in any medium, providing it is original artwork (no computer-generated images).

How to enter

  1. A digital image of the original artwork should be saved as a .jpg file. Attach the image to an email to ehod@communities-ni.gov.uk or
  2. Post your original entries to EHOD team, Historic Environment Division, DfC, Level 4 Causeway Exchange, 1-7 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7EG.

The file name for each piece of artwork should be clearly marked with the entrant’s name, age, category entered and name of heritage building or event.  Example: Gillian W, age 10, category special needs, CarrickfergusCastle. Adult contact details should also accompany each entry.

#EHOD2024HeritageCaptured - Heritage captured photography competition

  • the competition is open to all ages
  • entries must be an original photograph that you have taken
  • editing and adjustments are allowed, however, the photographer must declare the alterations that are made to the image that they submit
  • entries that are automatically generated by computer or created by artificial intelligence are strictly prohibited and will be automatically disqualified
  • if anyone is identifiable in the photo, you must ensure you have discussed it with them, and they are happy you are submitting the photo into competition. We cannot accept photos featuring children under the age of 16 without written permission from their parent or legal guardian
  • any photograph that has won a prize in another major photographic competition will be ineligible for entry into the competition
  • by submitting images, you confirm that you are the copyright holder and creator of the image and that you will be responsible for any claims made by any third party
  • copyright will remain with the photographer. However, by entering this competition the photographer/entrant agrees to the DfC using the images for possible exhibition, promotional use including social media and website

How to enter

  1. attach the image to an email to ehod@communities-ni.gov.uk or
  2. uploaded to Facebook or Instagram /LoveHeritageNI in the comments under the Heritage Captured Photography Competition post using the hashtag #EHOD2024HeritageCaptured and tagging @loveheritageni

Each entry must be labelled with entrant’s name, and location of photograph. Where the entrant is under 18 an adult’s contact details must be provided. Digital entries should be submitted in a high resolution format, minimum 350 dpi. Images which are not high resolution may be discounted from the competition.

#EHOD2024TeddysDayOut – Social media reel/video competition

  • the competition is open to all ages
  • entries can be group or individual entrants
  • videos must be a maximum of one minute in length. They will be accepted in any format with landscape the preferred option. Please ensure the film is of a high resolution and any audio clear with title sequences and first name credits included where possible (do not include surnames)
  • all videos must respect copyright law. You must have written permission for any content used in the film that is not your own and must be prepared to supply these permissions to DfC if requested
  • if anyone is identifiable in the video, you must ensure you have discussed it with them, and they are happy you are submitting the video into competition
  • DfC may use your video for EHOD promotional purposes, we may also use your video in an online exhibition for EHOD2025. We will contact you for written permission if anyone in the video is under 16

How to enter

Upload your video to Facebook or Instagram in the comments of the competition post using the hashtag #EHOD2024TeddysDayOut and tag @loveheritageNI. Provide details of location and entrants name and your furry friend's name.

Sign up for the LoveHeritageNI newsletter

You can keep up to date with all things EHOD and much more by signing up to our LoveHeritageNI newsletter and following us on social media:

FB /loveheritageNI
Instagram/Twitter @LoveHeritageNI

X (formerly twitter) www.twitter.com/loveheritageni

Once you have been added to our mailing list you will receive the very latest news and information about EHOD alongside tips and advice to help make the weekend a memorable visitor experience

Contact

You can contact the European Heritage Open Day team via Historic Environment Division.

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