Tag Archives: Heritage and the Gaeltacht

A total of €35,000 in in funding has been allocated to carry out essential repairs and maintenance on the iconic O’Connell Monument in Ennis. Funding was allocated as part of more than €4.3 million set aside under this year’s Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) The funding will go towards ‘emergency and stabilisation’ works on the O’Connell Monument. Welcoming the announcement, Deputy Joe Carey said, “The funding is being released as we move to phase 2 of the Government’s roadmap to reopen our economy to ease the Covid-19 restrictions. It will help provide employment for many small businesses, conservation specialists and tradespeople involved in heritage-related construction activity in Clare. “These schemes will play a vital role in helping local communities to regenerate the areas where they live and work, and to protect our built heritage for future generations.  “As the phased reopening of our economy continues, it is hoped it will be possible that many of the projects under the two …

Clare County Council is encouraging people to make submissions to Ireland’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, launched by Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Once compiled, the Inventory will acknowledge and promote Ireland’s living culture through official State recognition. In tandem with this, it will fulfil Ireland’s obligations under the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which Ireland signed up to in December 2015 to raise awareness of, and respect for, our unique living culture. Congella McGuire, Clare Heritage Officer, said, “The goal is to record elements of our national and local living heritage that are still being practiced and passed down from generation to generation. The practices must be living practices in one form or another: still taught or practiced, and passed on. The idea is that the more that becomes known of these practices, then the better their active cultural contribution is acknowledged.” She continued, “There’s such a wealth of cultural …

Clare’s cultural community will come together on Friday, September 22 to showcase the creativity that exists within the county. Culture Night Clare 2017 will see 40 free cultural events for all ages being held throughout Clare over a 10-hour period from 1pm to 11pm. This year’s programme, which is organised by the Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is filled with free events. Arts and cultural bodies throughout Clare will throw open their doors offering members of the public a chance to enjoy unique performances and catch a glimpse inside some of the most beautiful buildings and cultural institutions in their area. A poetry trail, classical music, a ceramics and jewellery showcase and a family art workshop are just some of the ways that people around the county can enjoy this year’s Culture Night. Culture Night in Ennis will culminate with ‘Firestorm’ – a show of light and …

THE historic Georgian architecture of Bindon Street in Ennis has been honoured by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH), under the administration of the department, has named Bindon Street in Ennis its Building of the Month for August. According to Risteard Ua Cróinín, architectural conservation officer, Clare County Council, “Of the tens of thousands of historic buildings on the records of The Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, it is a great honour for Ennis to have Bindon Street chosen as The Building of the Month. This street has long been recognised as one of the finest late-Georgian streets in Ireland, due to its formal design, based on rigid principles, pristine lines, architectural detailing and the use of local materials. “It acknowledges the care taken by individual owners and occupiers to maintain their buildings to high conservation standards and justifies the decision of Clare County Council and former Ennis Town Councils …

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has reintroduced the Structures at Risk Fund (SRF), which in the past has financed conservation works on a number of protected buildings in private and civic ownership in County Clare. The Department, which is administering the €624,000 fund, says it will consider no more than two applications from any local authority. The SRF, which applies to structures in immediate danger of significant deterioration, has previously approved funds for works undertaken on Byrne’s Shop in Ennistymon and Oatfield Church in Sixmilebridge. Clare County Council is inviting applications from around County Clare in relation to the fund, the closing date for which is 4pm on Thursday, March 12. “The purpose of the SRF is to assist with works to safeguard structures protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), including works to proposed protected structures, and in certain cases, works to safeguard structures within Architectural Conservation Areas, where, in the opinion of …

UNRULY dogs are “an ongoing problem” in Coole Park, a representative of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has said. Signs erected in the reserve by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht state that there has been “an increasing number of complaints from members of the public about dogs”. “The problems experienced have included fractured bones, children knocked off bicycles, toddlers, older children and adults being terrified and joggers discommoded and injured as a result of the attentions of ‘friendly’ dogs,” the sign states. Enda Mooney, regional manager with NPWS, explained that dogs allowed off the leash by owners are causing a wide range of problems and on one occasion, he said, gardaí had to be called. “There has been a series of incidents, some more serious than others. There was an elderly woman who was knocked down when quite a big dog jumped on her and she fractured her wrist. Children are being knocked off bikes. …

THE Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan has this Wednesday announced details of the 2014 Local and Regional Museums Scheme. The scheme, administered by his department, is designed to support small and medium sized museums across the country. This year, the scheme will allow for the funding of small capital projects on a matched funding basis (75:25) and funding of up to €200,000 is being made available for suitably qualified museum development projects in small and medium regional museums. Projects funded under the Scheme should seek to enhance the cultural offering of museums; to encourage greater access to museums and to promote the use of museums as tourism resources in their locality or region. Minister Deenihan commented, “Our smaller regional museums play a vital role in the life of local communities. They serve not only as tourist attractions, but also as custodians of local history, traditions and customs. They provide all of us with an insight into …