Heritage Council

Conference hears how heritage resources can help towns recover from the recession

Press Release: Thursday 26th January 2012

“Our drive for uncluttered, zero maintenance buildings is creating sterile, uninteresting towns which are unattractive not only tourists, but for high end multinationals seeking a suitable base for the highly skilled mobile professionals they employ”, according to Liam Mannix, Heritage Council’s Irish Walled Towns Network.

Ireland's built heritage supports over 30,000 jobs and contributes in excess of €1 billion to economy

Press Release: Thursday 27th October 2011

Ireland’s built heritage supports over 30,000 jobs and contributes in excess of €1 billion to the economy, according to research launched today by the Heritage Council. The research which examines the economic and employment contribution Ireland’s heritage sector is making to the Irish economy was commissioned by the Heritage Council and launched today at a Heritage Innovation Conference in Dublin.

Towns and cities with heritage assets are more appealing places to live, work and visit

Press Release: Monday 17th October 2011

Something in the human psyche makes people enjoy being in historic environments. On Thursday 27th October, delegates attending the Heritage Council Conference Heritage: Inspiring Innovation for Economic Growth will hear David Geddes, from the London office of property advisory company Colliers International, discuss how this means that historic environments in towns and cities play a critical role in nurturing types of business clusters that do not otherwise normally develop and are critical to the quality of life they offer.

Economic return of one Heritage Week event estimated at over €200,000

Local communities benefit from Heritage Week spend

Press Release: Monday 25th July

The economic return to Youghal of the Youghal Walled Town Festival which took place on Sunday as part of National Heritage Week is estimated at over €200,000. Over 6,000 people attended the day in Youghal, with a total of 16,000 attending five medieval festivals run in other areas by the Irish Walled Towns Network.

National Heritage Week kicks off tomorrow

Week reaches record high of 1400 events

Press Release: 19th August 2011

For the next nine days over 370,000 people are expected to take part in National Heritage Week, which kicks off tomorrow Saturday 20th August and runs until the 28th August. This year the week has hit a new record with over 1400 events due to take place nationwide. The majority of events are FREE to attend and the message from the Heritage Council, coordinators of the week, is to get out and experience the heritage on your doorstep.

First inventory of Ireland's biodiversity launched

Press Release: Wednesday 23rd March 2011

The National Biodiversity Data Centre has launched the results of Ireland’s first ever inventory of the country’s biodiversity in a report entitled “State of Knowledge, Ireland’s Biodiversity 2010”.

Supervision a key issue in children playing outdoors 

Press Release: 22nd February 2011

Heritage Council reminds us of importance of children experiencing the outdoors, with launch of new online heritage resource for teachers & schools.

Ireland's heritage sector decimated by punitive cuts

Heritage Council warns of job losses and tourism setback

Press Release: Monday 13th December 2010

Punitive cuts, announced in last Tuesday’s Budget, will decimate the heritage sector and close many small enterprises that are dependent on it. This will have detrimental effects on both our national heritage and the quality of our tourism offering, according to the Heritage Council.

'Ghost Estates' and inappropriate construction on floodplains underlines need for new national landscape strategy

Heritage Council publishes blueprint to involve local communities in landscape management

Press Release: Thursday 2nd December 2010

“The problems of Ireland’s ‘ghost estates’, and last winter’s flooding of housing estates inappropriately constructed on floodplains, underline the necessity for a proper, integrated landscape strategy which takes due account of our built, natural and cultural heritage, and affords local communities an active, participative role in devising that policy”, according to Michael Starrett, Chief Executive, of the Heritage Council.

Solar cells inspired by leaves, turbines modeled on how a 45 ton whale jumps ...

Heritage Council lecture - "Biomimicry: Emulating Nature's Genius"

Press Release : Wednesday 11th August 2010

There are very few problems nature hasn’t solved already, but what do we really know about biomimicry?

Over 1100 events announced at launch of National Heritage Week Event Guide

Growing interest in heritage evident nationwide

Press Release: Wednesday 14^th July 2010

Experience life in 1210 by living in a castle for a week, meet the bugs of Corlea Bog, get an 18th Century Guide to Marriage, celebrate Tara & Irish heritage with Paul Muldoon and Colm Toibín, trace your ancestors, dance at the crossroads, taste some famine soup, get an insight into the life of Dublin’s women street traders, take a surf lesson through Irish, explore the royal canal or go on the hunt for bats in Dromoland Castle ... just some of the 1100 events included in the National Heritage Week Event Guide, launched today by the Heritage Council.

Waterford student wins National Heritage Week Poster Competition

Press Release: 24th March 2010

Waterford student, Diarmuid Brennan, who is in 4th year in De La Salle College, Waterford has been named as winner of the National Heritage Week Poster Competition. Diarmuid’s poster will be developed by a professional design agency and feature in the National Heritage Week Advertising Campaign which will include TV, print and online.

Kerry County Museum curator appointed to Board of the Heritage Council

Press Release: 23rd March 2010

Helen O’Carroll, Kerry County Museum Curator has been appointed to the Board of the Heritage Council.

Heritage Council highlights urgency of clear strategy and lead agency in management of Ireland's waterways to help minimise flooding incidents

Press Release : Tuesday 9th March 2010

The Heritage Council drew attention on a number of occasions to the crucial importance of a strategic plan, and the need for a lead, co-ordinating agency, to manage the country’s waterways. This was spelled out by the Council’s chief executive, Michael Starrett, and the Head of Policy and Research, Ms. Beatrice Kelly, in a presentation to the Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government inquiry into the management of severe weather events in Ireland.

Current water shortages highlight critical role of biodiversity in provision of adequate, safe supply

Press Release : Monday 25th January 2010

As the International Year of Biodiversity 2010 is launched, Cliona O’Brien, Wildlife Officer at the Heritage Council examines the reality of biodiversity in Ireland.

Minister Gormley launches research framework for Brú na Bóinne

Framework to ensure best practice in management of Ireland's first World Heritage Site

Press Release: Friday 6th November 2009

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, T.D. today launched the Heritage Council’s, Research Framework for the Brú na Bóinne, UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) in County Meath.

Decade of turbo-charged development has left lasting damage on the Irish landscape

Press Release : Wednesday 14th October, 2009

The Irish Landscape has been severely damaged by a sustained period of economic growth and turbo-charged development. At the opening of the 2009 Landscape Conference today, Michael Starrett, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council welcomed the Government’s commitment to developing a National Landscape Strategy but called on them to take a step further and introduce a Landscape Ireland Act.

Tara-Skryne Valley Plan can be template for National Landscape Strategy

Press Release: Tuesday 6th October 2009

Considerable progress is now being made on formulating a Landscape Conservation Area plan for the Tara-Skryne Valley in Co. Meath arising from the controversy over the routing of the M3 motorway that is currently being constructed, according to the Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, Mr. Michael Starrett.

Climate change report points to the challenge ahead for Irish heritage and tourism

Press Release: Monday 5th October 2009

The Heritage Council and Fáilte Ireland have today published a report investigating how climate change may affect the heritage of our coastline and inland waterways, and the Irish tourism industry which depends upon these assets.

July 2009

Over 1000 free heritage events planned around the country: Details of up to 1000 events taking place across the country were unveiled today at the launch of National Heritage Week Event Guide by the Heritage Council.

National Heritage Officer Programme celebrates 10 year anniversary

Press Release : Wednesday 17th June 2009

Ireland’s National Heritage Officer Programme is today celebrating its 10 year anniversary. In 1999, the Heritage Council established a three year pilot Heritage Officer Programme which sought to place heritage expertise within local authorities. Speaking about the programme, Heritage Council Chief Executive Michael Starrett said, “In 1999, the Heritage Council recognised that local authorities were strategically best placed to encourage and support heritage management at local level and had the opportunity to shape and showcase the heritage strengths and identity of the city or county in which they operated. The Heritage Officer Programme has been extremely successful, and today there are 28 Heritage Officers in local authorities across the country”.

June 2009

Call for Entries - 2010 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / EN Awards: 1 October 2009 deadline to enter the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards.

May 2009

Ireland's First National Biodiversity Mapping System Launched: Wednesday 20th May 2009: Ireland’s first National Biodiversity Mapping System was today launched by Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, T.D.

Kerry County Museum was named 2009 Museum of the Year: at the Museum Awards which were hosted by the Heritage Council, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Museums Council to coincide with International Museums Day.

April 2009

Get Involved in your Community and your Heritage: is the message from the Heritage Council as online registration for Heritage Week 2009 events opens. ..

Barn Owl Conservation in Cork: A glimpse of the ghostly white form of a Barn Owl as it silently drifts over its foraging grounds at night is unfortunately a rare sight nowadays.

March 2009

County Meath Chosen for Village Design Statement Pilot Scheme: The Heritage Council today announced that it has chosen Julianstown in County Meath as the national ‘pilot’ for a new community-led village design statement (VDS) programme for Irish Villages.

Shannon Waterway Corridor Study Recommendations Announced: Greater coordination among all interested parties is needed for the successful management of the Shannon waterway, according to Beatrice Kelly, Head of Policy and Research at the Heritage Council.

New Heritage Council Website Details Info on 'Heritage in your Area' The heritage landscape has altered significantly since the Heritage Council was established 14 years ago. The new website is a reflection of this changing landscape and meets the demand for a diverse range of heritage information..

February 2009

Heritage Council Grants of €4.1Million Announced: Heritage Grants of €4.1 million, which will be allocated to heritage projects supporting entrepreneurship, conservation and knowledge building in the community, were announced by the Heritage Council Chief Executive, Michael Starrett.

 

For 2005-2008 press releases see the Archive section