€1.5 million heritage fund to boost tourism and jobs

Under the Community Heritage Grant Scheme, €1.2 million has been allocated to community groups and not-for-profit organisations. This follows on from an award of €374,599 made to community heritage projects in April 2021.

Among the key projects is a €15,000 grant to develop digital resources, and an online photographic record, for the Cork LGBT Archive.

The Donegal Railway Heritage Centre will receive €8,600, which will preserve the actual voices and stories of those who had a direct connection to one of the country’s most historic transport links.

The Irish Film Archive has been allocated €11,400 for a project to restore a film made in 1969. With original music by Donal Lunny, it records the opening of the south Dublin outlet of Dunnes Stores in Cornelscourt.

As part of The Heritage Council’s commitment to protecting natural habitats, BirdWatch Ireland will receive €15,000 to map bird ‘hotspots’ on designated farmland.

Meanwhile, under the Heritage Council’s Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN), €299,000 is earmarked for conservation work and interpretation initiatives, which will protect and preserve the history and heritage of Ireland’s walled towns.

Athenry’s town walls are among the best preserved in Ireland, with over 70% of the walled circuit surviving. Galway County Council has been granted €15,000 for the provision of a heritage and educational experience during Heritage Week, which will provide a first-hand experience of the town’s historic legacy.

€7,700 to improve local knowledge and appreciation of the town’s heritage, through the installation of four interpretation panels along its Main Street, greatly enhancing the visitor experience.

The Anglo-Norman de Barry family planned this walled town in a similar fashion to towns in Normandy, France. In 1317, England’s King Edward II paid £105 towards the enclosure of the town with stone walls. The local community in Buttevant has made great strides in recent years to conserve and communicate this important heritage.

A walled town is a town that had walls and features like gates, towers, and earthen ditches built around it, to defend the occupants, and control the flow of people and revenue in and out of the town.

While some walled towns date back to the Viking period, the majority date from the Anglo-Norman / medieval period.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD, stated: “I am delighted to note today’s announcement by the Heritage Council. This funding is essential to safeguard our heritage while also providing much-needed economic stimulus and providing employment in the sector. It is also a significant investment in this Government’s commitments under the Programme for Government to promote and protect our heritage.”

Commenting on the announcement, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, said: “I would like to acknowledge the fantastic work of the Heritage Council in supporting community heritage through this important scheme. As the scope and scale of these projects illustrate, communities play a vital role in caring for all aspects of our heritage. The new national heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030, which will be published later this summer, will recognise the role of communities in safeguarding our heritage and ensure that they continue to be supported.”

Chairman of The Heritage Council, Michael Parsons, said: “These schemes continue to provide a central focus for the work of The Heritage Council. They are testament to the close collaboration between the Council, local authorities and community groups, all sharing a common purpose.”

Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of The Heritage Council, said: “The Heritage Council is delighted to fund such a diverse range of projects and initiatives, particularly at this point in time.

“It is especially gratifying that the primary work of The Heritage Council, in preserving and nourishing our history and traditions, has a spin-off by way of putting investment into communities around the country.”

Full list of recipients under the Community Heritage Grant Scheme and IWTN are available here:

https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/content/files/Community-Heritage-Grant-Scheme-2021-Tranche-2.pdf

https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/content/files/IWTN-Capital-Projects.pdf

https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/content/files/IWTN-Interpretation.pdf

Contact: Mark O’Regan, Heritage Council, Tel: 085-8590378 / Joanne Ahern, DHR Communications, Tel: 087-9881837.

Note to Editors:

• Heritage Council Chief Executive, Virginia Teehan, and Head of Conservation, Ian Doyle, are available for interview.