Speaking our history: The case for oral heritage recording in changing times

With Colum Cronin, West Cork Oral Heritage Project

In this engaging session, Colum Cronin explores the importance of capturing local voices and personal stories before they are lost to time. Representing the West Cork Oral Heritage Project, Colum makes a compelling case for why oral history matters—especially now, in an age of rapid change and fading traditions.

Through real examples and recorded interviews from across the region, he highlights how oral heritage offers unique insight into community life, cultural shifts, and individual experiences that rarely appear in written records. The talk also addresses how these stories are collected, preserved, and shared responsibly for future generations.

Perfect for anyone interested in local history, storytelling, or preserving community memory, this session reminds us that everyone has a story worth telling—and recording.

You may also like the following events from Bandon Walled Town Festival:

• Next month, 14th August, 08:00 pm, Ramble at the Shambles in Clonakilty
• Next month, 16th August, 10:30 am, Walls, Streets, and Stories: Mapping 17th-Century Bandon in Clonakilty
• Next month, 16th August, 11:00 am, Forage and Feast by the River Bandon in Cork