Visitors can expect to see traditional Iron smelting, blacksmithing, woodworking and other crafts over the weekend. Along with intermittent explanations about the history and science behind iron smelting.

The Caherconnell International Furnace Festival will once again be hosted by Caherconnell Stone fort in The Burren, Co. Clare, an absolutely stunning location within a Medieval ring fort with guided tours available at front desk.

This year we will be running 3-day Iron Smelting courses. Where you can: Build a furnace, Smelt Bog ore and refine your iron.

We’ll work together, mixing clay to build your smelting furnace and firing it in preparation for smelting.

Learn how to successfully smelt Irish Bog ore by hand, using Traditional methods. Charge Bog ore and charcoal into the furnace, pump the bellows, extract your Bog Iron Bloom and compact it using big wooden hammers! A portion of your iron can be taken home as a souvenir.

On Sunday the team will carry out Iron refining demonstrations, This is when they fold the iron many times in a charcoal hearth to remove impurities with each folding. Participants can get in on the action by helping with hammering.