Burrenbeo Trust scoops top heritage award

A SOUTH Galway charity scooped the overall award at this year’s County Heritage Awards held last week. Representatives of Kinvara-based Burrenbeo Trust were presented with the top award at the event.
The Galway County Heritage Awards ceremony took place in the Claregalway Hotel on Thursday. The ceremony, which was postponed from December 2010 due to bad weather, was well attended by elected representatives, community groups, schools and individuals from all parts of the county.
Speaking at the ceremony, Councillor Jimmy McClearn, Mayor of the County of Galway, said, “Our heritage belongs to each one of us and it is vital that it is valued and appreciated at a local level if we are to manage, preserve and protect it. It is clear from the number, quality and calibre of the nominations for a County Heritage Award that our built, natural and cultural heritage is valued at a local level.”
Scoil Bhríghde Naofa, Northampton, Kinvara was the winner in the Loughrea Electoral Area for its Gairdín na Scoile project, while a booklet on the history of the Ardrahan Church of Ireland garnered it second place in the category.
The judging panel of Hugh Carey, archaeologist, Monument Service, Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government; Mary Flynn, community planner and Sheila Murphy, ecologist were given the task of picking the County Heritage Award winners.
“Since it was established at the end of 2000, the Burrenbeo Trust has had an outstanding impact on increasing the knowledge and heightening the awareness on the heritage of the Burren both in Galway and Clare. The Burrenbeo Trust carries out monthly walks and talks on heritage with local experts. The trust has educated primary school children on 20-week heritage courses. It also has 62 people registered with the Burren conservation volunteers to tackle any problems with heritage on the ground through monthly action days and has developed and continuously updates the largest information website on the Burren with 750 hits a day. The Burrenbeo Trust is key in heightening the awareness of heritage in the region,” the judges commented.
Trust co-founder, Dr Brendan Dunford and trust coordinator, Brigid Barry accepted the award, which was presented by Mayor McClearn.
“By being presented this award, it proves that the work that we carry out is not only recognised but is needed. The Burrenbeo Trust is about building a community that has the best resources and knowledge at hand to successfully manage this fragile landscape well into the future,” said Ms Barry.
“We are very grateful and proud to receive this award from Galway County Council. Burrenbeo Trust runs largely on the huge efforts of a small number of dedicated people and this award is a much-needed acknowledgement that their work is of huge value to society. Hopefully, it will inspire many more people to join us as members or volunteers,” said Dr Dunford.
The Trust is a membership organisation, and those involved are urging anyone interested in the Burren to join as members.
“To have a say or to be involved in this growing community, log on to www.burrenbeo.com or contact us on 091 638096 or on trust@burrenbeo.com,” advised Ms Barry.
Northampton’s Gairdín na Scoile project involved the creation of the organic school garden and “has been a wonderful learning curve for all ages. It has been an intergenerational bridge. It has precipitated the revival of the ‘meitheal’. People have shared their time, energy, expertise, knowledge and ability to forage for materials together with their creative talents and knowledge. The staff, pupils and parents of Northampton National School are immensely proud of their organic school garden,” the judges said.
Second place in the Loughrea Electoral Area was the Ardrahan Church of Ireland history booklet, which was published with the aim of highlighting the significance of the church in the community, as a restored place of worship.
“I am delighted to see that all the hard work, commitment and contributions of so many groups, individuals and schools throughout the county who have furthered our awareness, appreciation and knowledge of our rich heritage have been acknowledged tonight through the County Heritage Awards,” said Martina Moloney, Galway county manager.
Also nominated in the Loughrea Electoral Area was Athenry Environmental Network Athenry and Scoil Bailemanach, Craughwell. Joe Murphy from Kilcolgan was nominated in the Oranmore Electoral Area.