Doon

Murroe/Boher

Pallasgreen

Kildorrery

Lough Gur

KnockaineyBruff

Kilmallock

KilbehennyBallygiblin

Croom

Kilfinane

ChurchtownMitchelstown

Sliabh FelimMountains

BallyhouraMountains

GalteeMountains

Ireland Reaching Out Ballyhoura Country

2013 Weeks of Welcomes (WoW) Ballyhoura Country

DISCOVER YOUR ROOTS IN 2013

The Ireland Reaching Out (IRO or Ireland XO) Project is an Irish government sponsored initiative established to connect people of Irish heritage abroad with the Irish parish communities from where their ancestors emigrated from in Ireland. There are a number of communities within Ballyhoura Country taking part in the project who wish to make contact with you through the Ireland Reaching Out website www.irelandxo.com The focus is to link our Diaspora back to the parishes from which their ancestors hailed, but the main goal is to welcome them home. Throughout 2013 this is what we want to do for you.See the map of Ballyhoura Country and the communities already involved.Each of the communities will be providing genealogy workshops and one on ones, graveyards visits and heritage walks and talks and for those of you who have additional information on your ancestors from any of the parishes do let us know in advance so that we can try and fill the missing pieces of your family tree. Other aspects of our Weeks of Welcomes in Ballyhoura Country will include live music, ceol agus craic and a chance to meet the local people in a festive setting.

March 8th - 17th Murroe Week of Welcomes including Murroe/Boher Expo

March 17th St Patricks Day Ballyhoura Country Parades in Bruff, Kilfinane, Kilmallock, Ballylanders & Mitchelstown to name a few.

May 3rd - 6th Ballyhoura Country International Walking Festival 2013 including a number of community led walks in Ballyhoura Country

June 16th Bruff Bloomsday Festival

June 21st - Lough Gur & Knockainey WoW July 1st includ. Lough Gur Summer Solstice Festival & Knockainey Village Fair

July 4th - 7th Kildorrery Summer Festival & WoW

August 13th - Kilbehenny Potato Festival & WoW 19th

August 17th - Heritage Week 25th

August 18th Kilmallock Walled Town Day

September 7th - The Glenroe Gathering 15th

September The Tommy Brouder Festival Bruff

Traditional Rambling House, Irish Nights & Dancing Line UpBallinvreena Rambling House 2nd Wednesday of each month winter only @ 8:30pm

Ballinvreena Crossroads Dancing Last Sunday of each month May - September @ 8pm

Ballinvreena Tea Dancing 1st Sunday of each month September - April @ 8pm

Lough Gur Rambling House, Honey Fitz Theatre1st Thursday of each month @ 8pm

Irish Night Deebert House Hotel Kilmallock1st Tuesday of each month, every Tuesday during Summer

Music Nights Labbamollogga Every Friday night at 8pm

The Irish Harp Centre CastleconnellConcerts & recitals throughout the summer Historic GraveyardsThroughout 2012 many Ballyhoura Country communities have been recording and surveying our historic graveyards. Our aim is to publicly display the information recorded so that you can find your family plots within the area. The website in which the information is transcribed is www.historicgraves.ie In Ireland due to the Civil War only pockets of information have survived pre Famine therefore the details we’re finding through the surveying work is giving a much bigger yield of information so that we can help you to uncover more information on your ancestors.

Getting HereMany routes will lead you to Ballyhoura Country, situated along the borders of North Cork, East Limerick and Tipperary.

International AccessThe nearest access points into Ireland for visiting Ballyhoura Country are Cork Airport, Shannon Airport, Kerry Airport or Cork Ferryport. While Dublin Airport, Rosslare Ferryport, or Dun Laoghaire Ferryport (Dublin) are all less than three hours drive from the heart of Ballyhoura Country. Access By Air www.shannonairport.com www.kerryairport.ie www.corkairport.com www.dublin-airport.com

Access by Sea www.stenaline.com www.brittany-ferries.ie www.irishferries.com www.swanseacorkferries.com

Public Transport www.buseireann.ie www.irishrail.ie

Car Hire www.avis.ie www.budget.ie www.dan-dooley.ie www.hertz.com www.europcar.ie www.irishcarrentals.ie

Ballyhoura Country Accommodation

The Gathering 2013

All registered accommodation is available to view on www.visitballyhoura.com However do feel free to contact the parish page on Ireland Reaching Out website to ask for help in planning your visit or email reception@ballyhoura.org

Summary of important websitesIreland Reaching Out www.irelandxo.com(Locate your parish and join!)

Historic Graves Finder www.historicgraves.ie

The Gathering 2013 www.thegatheringireland.comNational events listing

Ballyhoura Country www.visitballyhoura.comactivities, destinations and events

Ireland in its entirety will be reaching out throughout all of 2013 to further make our links as an island with our Diaspora of in excess of 70 million people around the globe. In Ballyhoura Country we are hoping to provide a very personal and important experience for those of you locating your ancestry to this area but be aware that 2013 will be a very exciting time to visit Ireland with a wide range of events and activities running year round and you are sure to have a wonderful visit. Make 2013 your year to be welcomed home to Ireland. www.thegatheringireland.com