Traditional Skills Day

Traditional skills are woven into life all around Ulster, from stained glass windows and thatched roofs, to the fire poker beside the hearth and the ancient stone walls dotted around the countryside.

These heritage skills are the foundation of the Ulster we live in today, but in the modern world, these skills are at risk of being lost. At the Ulster Folk Museum, we help keep them alive through talented crafters who demonstrate skills unique to this place.

At Traditional Skills Day, discover how local heritage and traditional skills can shape how we live today – from reconnecting with the land around us to keeping traditions alive for future generations.

What to expect

Watch craft demonstrators at work, get hands-on with activities and learn how you can get involved in heritage skills. You’ll see demonstrations of…

• Traditional Musical Instrument Making
• Stone Masonry
• Decorative Plaster Casting
• Lime Mortars
• Dry Stone Walling
• Wood Graining
• Thatching
• Green Woodworking
• Signwriting
• Stained Glass Making
• Blacksmithing
• Willow Work
• Straw Rope Making
• Nettle Cordage

Plus traditional music sessions, performances by the Armagh Rhymers, fiffing and drumming demos, kids crafts stations, archive screenings in our Picture House and storytelling sessions!

Getting here from Belfast

Planning your visit to Belfast for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026? You can take public transport straight to the Ulster Folk Museum from Belfast City Centre – and save 20% when you do! You can travel to the Ulster Folk Museum by train and bus.