Skibbereen Heritage Centre has two primary exhibitions – one on the Great Famine, the second on Lough Hyne, and also provides a genealogy service for the greater West Cork area. The Famine Story Exhibition brings this era to life in a series of exhibits, dramatisations and interactive stations. Download the Skibbereen Famine Story walking trail app and hear the voices of the era (portrayed by local actors, including Jeremy Irons) at the sites in the town where the events took place. See www.skibbheritage.com for more information on the Great Famine in Skibbereen including video clips of some of the sites.

Skibbereen Arts Festival (27 July to 5 August) is a small, friendly, community-based festival that showcases all that is good about the arts with a programme that features the work of local, national and international artists across all arts forms, and a particular commitment to showing the benefits of the arts on positive mental health. A major theme of this year’s festival is The Great Irish Famine with the exhibition Coming Home: Art and the Great Hunger coming to Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre. See www.skibbereenartsfestival.com for full details of the 2018 programme.

The West Cork History Festival (16 to 19 August) aims to be a feast of intellectual delights with a wide variety of topics, speakers and experiences exploring local, national and international dimensions of our fascinating history. For more information see www.westcorkhistoryfestival.org

The award winning A Taste of West Cork Food Festival takes place from 7 to 16 September 2018. To mark the Coming Home exhibition at Uillinn, the festival will feature a number of famine themed events – one being  the West Cork Forum titled From famine to feast – Survival to innovation. The festival features guest chefs, themed dinners, visits to food producers, cultural tours, heritage visits, tastings, farmers markets and much more. Visit www.atasteofwestcork.com for more information.

Now an annual highlight in the Irish literary calendar, the West Cork Literary Festival (13 to 20 July) is a week-long celebration of writing and reading for people of all ages. Its varied and extensive programme of readings, talks and week-long workshops grow more adventurous and imaginative each year. For more information see www.westcorkmusic.ie/literaryfestival/

The aim of West Cork Education Centre is to promote the continuing professional development of teachers and all other relevant educational partners within the West Cork area by providing strategic leadership and direction in line with approved Department of Education & Skills policies and practices with regard to the continuum of learning in education. For more information see www.westcorkeducationcentre.com