Minister McConalogue welcomes the awarding of the European Heritage Award to the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme

Nuacht

Minister encourages people to vote for the Scheme for the follow on Public Choice award

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D, is delighted to announce that the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme has been honoured with the prestigious European Heritage Award 2024. This recognition celebrates the outstanding contribution of the scheme to the preservation and enhancement of Ireland’s agricultural vernacular heritage. DAFM co-fund the scheme under the Rural Development Programme and it is administered by the Heritage Council.

The Minister said: "I am delighted that the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme has been honoured with the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award 2024. My Department co-funds the scheme under the Rural Development Programme, and it is administered by the Heritage Council. The scheme protects farm buildings which are heritage assets that may sometimes be under-appreciated, and we are proud to work with the owners who feel a sense of guardianship for these buildings. The scheme also acknowledges farm buildings’ important role in shaping the cultural landscape, and actively contributes to the continuation of traditional crafts in modern society. This award is a tribute to the ongoing stellar work of the Heritage Council and the teamwork between it and my own Department.”

The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards were launched in 2002 by the European Commission, and have been run by Europa Nostra ever since. The awards honour up to 30 outstanding heritage achievements every year, from which up to five Grand Prix winners will be selected to receive a monetary award of €10,000.

Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, said:

"We are very proud of the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme, now in its 15th year, and with the hugely successful collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The scheme perfectly embodies our commitment to natural, built, and cultural heritage. By protecting wildlife habitats during works, restoring these beautiful old buildings using traditional skills, and preserving the stories and history they carry, the scheme has revived numerous structures that might otherwise have been lost. The recognition it is receiving now on a European scale is a testament to its success and can hopefully offer inspiration to others."

The awards jury were very complimentary of the scheme, saying: “The Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme is commendable for its wide-reaching, high-impact and holistic approach, which demonstrates integrated policies at work. Its emphasis on peer-to-peer learning has brought together diverse stakeholders, including owners, local communities, conservationists, craftspeople and ecologists, creating meaningful connections and mutual understanding.”

Minister McConlogue concluded by saying: “On 30 May, Europa Nostra will launch the voting for a Public Choice Award. I encourage members of the public to cast their vote for the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme on vote.europanostra.org.”