“There’s the Headford we can see around us, and another that’s harder to see – but it’s still there: the Headford of the past, waiting for us, in the spaces between things.”

Headford Lace Trail was the overall winner in the annual international Sound Walk September Award run by organisation Walk Listen Create. From an initial 60 submissions to the awards, an online jury selected a shortlist of 14 sound walks, from Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Mexico, Scotland and the USA. A Grand Jury then deliberated over a winner. In the announcement of the result, juror Annie Mahtani was quoted as saying that Headford Lace Trail “offers a truly engaging experience through storytelling and music. As you travel through the trail, accompanied by a modern day lacemaker also experiencing the sound walk, you hear stories from the present day and the past each contributing to the understanding of the heritage of lacemaking in Headford". 

Turn on your smartphone GPS, put on your headphones, and set off to discover a time when lacemaking wasn’t a hobby, but a matter of survival for an entire community. Join a cast of characters to experience immersive stories, sounds and specially recorded music, on this audio walk with a twist. Produced by Ed Coulson for Headford Lace Project.

Download the instructions to set yourself up and then access the audio walk here. The walk begins at St. Fursa's Hall H91 N5P9 (just a short walk from The Anglers Rest) and finishes at Headford Community Orchard (St John the Baptist Church Grounds) and while 50 minutes is an estimated duration, participants are free to enjoy the walk at their own pace. Please bring a smartphone and headphones. Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear suitable footwear. As the walk is experienced individually, please allow for one smartphone and set of headphones per participant.

Free of charge. Funded by the Galway County Arts Office as part of Culture Night which was brought to you by the Arts Council in partnership with Galway County Council.