Heritage Week, a series of nature walks, guided tours, lectures, music recitals and exhibitions was launched by Minister for the Environment Dick Roche at Wicklow Gaol yesterday.
Some 500 events will be held across the country with venues varying from stately homes to public parks.
Local libraries will provide detailed listings and access to the Heritage Week website which gives a comprehensive list of events county by county.
For a second year there will be a day devoted to water heritage, with riverside walks and talks, boat trips, lectures on traditional boat building and tours of water treatment plants.
All aspects of water will be celebrated, from its importance in providing wildlife and aquatic habitats, to folklore, industrial heritage and archaeology. Water Heritage Day will be held on Saturday.
Saturday has also been designated Cork Heritage Open Day, which will see almost 30 of Cork's most fascinating buildings ranging from the medieval to the military, the civic to the commercial and the educational to the ecclesiastical open their doors free of charge.
Heritage venues including private historic houses will also be open in Northern Ireland next Saturday and Sunday.
As part of its contribution public buildings, monuments, churches and gardens across the province will open to the public free of charge.
In Dublin there will be free guided tours of the casino in Marino and a range of events in Dublin Castle.
Hidden from View an exhibition of Dublin Castle interiors with the story of their refurbishment, will be held on Saturday, September 17th and 24th.
The Heritage Week website is at www.heritageweek.ie.
