Hammers and Fire at Smelting Fest
Iron, fire and strong men will be in evidence at the fourth Caherconnell International Furnace Festival on 23rd August.
Held at the ancient Caherconnell Stone Fort in County Clare, the festival will feature demonstrations of medieval iron smelting. The historic ring fort, once the stronghold of Gaelic chieftains, will become a living, open-air museum where raw Irish iron ore is transformed into replicas of artefacts such as arrowheads, knives and belt buckles found during archaeological digs on-site.
The two-day event showcases bloomery iron, the form of iron used in Ireland from 500 BC to 1500 AD - an essential material in everything from weapons of war to agricultural tools and domestic items.
“This is more than a festival - it is a live experiment in archaeology,” said Gwilym Stanley of Irish Bloomery Iron, which organises the event. “We’re not just demonstrating old techniques - we’re reconstructing the technological history of Ireland in front of a live audience.”
Supported by the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, Clare County Council and the Irish Iron Heritage Foundation, the festival aims to bring this ancient craft into modern conversation.
Dr. Eamon Doyle, geologist with the Geopark, said the event is also about preserving and celebrating living heritage.
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