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Tag Archives: heritage Council

Heritage Week awards for County Clare Bogs, Boats and Dolphins

THREE Clare events celebrating the county’s heritage have been honoured by the Heritage Council. Ninety events took place in County Clare for National Heritage Week this year, with many outstanding events showcasing the fantastic heritage of County Clare. Three Clare Heritage Week events starred at the National Heritage Awards 2022 which were held recently. Shanakyle Bog Restoration Project, Connecting Communities with Peatland “Walk & Talk on Shanakyle Bog” was awarded the County Clare Heritage Event Award. Shanakyle Bog is located near Parteen. It is approximately 70 acres in extent, of which 30 acres was subject to restoration and rewetting work by Shanakyle Bog Restoration Group in 2021. The bog was managed for domestic turf cutting in the past with peat extraction peaking during the 1940s. Turf cutting has not been practiced in over 40 years on the bog and some sections of the bog regenerated on its own to form active raised bog (ARB) on cutover characterised by Sphagnum lawns …

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Edel’s passion for the past finds new direction in Clare

A PASSION for Clare’s heritage, particularly the county’s many historic and traditional buildings, is  the driving inspiration for Edel Barry, who has recently been appointed Community Archaeologist.  The Kilfenora native, who has an MPhil in Archaeology from University College Cork (UCC), takes over the role at an exciting time, when community development groups and individuals are pioneering all sorts of interesting projects. It is also a time when significant funding is being made available for important local heritage projects. Edel’s role itself is jointly funded by The Heritage Council and Clare County Council, and from her base at Ennistymon’s Digital Hub, she is planning an ambitious strategy for the coming months. “The Council has had a number of great advisors on archaeology over the year, but there hasn’t been a role like mine in recent times,” she told The Champion. “There are now Community Archaeologists in a number of counties, including Donegal and Wicklow. The support programme is countrywide and …

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Concern over ‘unsafe’ church ruin in east Clare

BURIALS are taking place at an East Clare cemetery with mourners and undertakers having to make their way around scaffolding supporting a dangerous church ruin. The situation at the Old Cemetery in Moynoe was highlighted at the September meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District by Councillor Pat Burke. The Whitegate native called for an outline of any works planned at the church ruins.  “Scaffolding was erected, some months ago, because the church is considered unsafe,” he told the meeting. “Burials have taken place and the scaffolding is still there. We were very grateful for the funding for works at Clonrush Cemetery and very keen to see similar works in Moynoe. I’m concerned, though, that that will take time and Moynoe can’t be left the way it is.” Councillor Joe Cooney seconded the motion. “We are aware of the inconvenience being caused to families there, but health and safety is very important,” he said. “The problem is funding. When we go …

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Clare Museum maintains top national Heritage Council award

CLARE Museum is celebrating after maintaining a top national award from the Heritage Council. The museum in the heart of Ennis was among 13 honoured at a ceremony in Kilkenny Castle having achieved official accreditation under the Heritage Council’s Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI). Established to promote professional standards in museums, selection under the MSPI is a major accolade with accredited museums considered to have attained excellence across a range of areas. The museum assessors noted Clare Museum’s continued work on adding to its collections. With the assistance of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland, the museum purchased a drawing by the celebrated artist, William Frederick Burton who spent his childhood in the Burren. The museum is one a handful of museums which has placed its collection online, and through the work of volunteers, opened a new temporary exhibition in 2019 on the War of Independence, enhanced by a series of public lectures. The museum also launched its …

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Plans to further enhance 12 O’Clock Hills attractions

THE development of the stunning 12 O’Clock Hills walking trails in East Clare is to be marked in special calendar to be launched for the Christmas market. The calendar will include panoramic views from the hills, as well as the popular beauty spots along the routes, and mark the seventh anniversary of the creation of the three popular walking trails which are among the jewels in the crown of tourism locally. Funds raised by the calendar will go towards the part restoration of a ruined farmhouse in the area, as well as the creation of a carved wooden sculpture – both of which are set to add to the attractions along the Hills trails. The restoration of the house known locally as Mary Anne’s is made possible with 80% grant funding from the Heritage Council in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The stone farmhouse was reasonably intact up February 2014 but Storm Darwin blew the …

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Heritage tourism boost for Kilrush with Turret Lodge reopening

HERITAGE tourism in Kilrush received a major boost this month with the opening of the renovated Turret Lodge in a project that saw collaboration between the community, the Heritage Council, the government and the local authority. Turret Lodge dates back to the mid-19th century and is a notable landmark in Kilrush, formerly controlling access between the town and the Vandeleur Estate demesne. Given that Kilrush House, the home of the Vandeleur family, burned down in 1897, the surviving lodges, walled garden and stable block have added significance as surviving links to the town’s history. It is now planned to use the building as a community-run heritage and genealogy centre. This project received funding under the Historic Towns Initiative 2019, which is a partnership between the Heritage Council and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with Clare County Council providing match funding. The delivery was based on a collaborative approach between Kilrush and District Historical Society, Clare County Council and …

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Clare heritage projects urged to avail of funding opportunity

THE heritage sector has experienced “increased pressure” with closures, job losses and falling visitor numbers resulting from Covid-19, according to Clare County Council’s heritage officer. Congella McGuire was speaking as she encouraged Clare heritage projects to avail of a funding opportunity being made available by the government. The Heritage Council is inviting applications from County Clare to its Community Heritage Grant Scheme as part of the Rebuilding Heritage: Covid-19 Stimulus Fund for the heritage sector, announced by the Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD. The aims of the grant scheme are to support capital projects that improve access and inclusion at heritage sites and that apply good heritage practice to the management of places, collections, objects and buildings. The scheme also supports the purchase of essential equipment. Congella McGuire, Heritage Officer, Clare County Council, said, “Like other sectors of society, the heritage sector has faced closures and job losses as a result of the Covid-19 …

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Sign up for Heritage Week

INDIVIDUALS and groups around Clare are being encouraged to to get involved in National Heritage Week 2017 by registering an event in their community before next Wednesday. National Heritage Week – the theme of which is ‘It’s In Your Nature’ – takes place nationwide from August 19 to 27. Coordinated nationally by the Heritage Council, more than 450,000 people are expected to participate in over 2,000 heritage events. Each year events range from night-time bat walks, wildlife walks and lectures, classical music and poetry recitals, traditional music sessions, storytelling, historical re-enactments, and local history walks and talks. Congella McGuire, Clare Heritage Officer said, “Clare County Council encourages people to view Heritage Week as an opportunity to display their own area of heritage, be it natural, built or cultural, to the broader public. She explained, “Events can be held at a variety of venues, such as monuments and historical sites, parks and gardens, woodlands, wildlife reserves and inland waterways, schools, libraries and heritage …

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