Heritage Council funding for four local initiatives

Four local projects have received a total of almost €23,000 in Heritage Council funding.

Funding from Heritage Council schemes which collectively help to conserve and restore built, cultural and natural heritage throughout the country, will be issued to four local grant recipients this year.

The projects include the Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park, Athlone Castle, Athlone Town Walls and Ballydangan Bog Red Grouse Project,

Work on these projects can begin immediately which will see hundreds of local communities enriched through initiatives, from the conservation of medieval town defence walls in our walled towns, to the digitisation of otherwise vulnerable materials, to supporting endangered wildlife to thrive in their natural habitats. The projects will all be completed by the end of the year.

Following its call for applications, the Heritage Council received hundreds of proposals from those who care for our heritage, individuals, heritage volunteers, community groups, organisations and local authorities.

The Midland Amenity Park, or Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park in Westmeath will use its €3,419 funding to develop and enhance the overall visitor experience of Dún na Sí Heritage Park and enable visitors to learn more about rural heritage in Ireland through the use of an interpretive visitor app.

Some €5,500 has been allocated to the Ballydangan Bog Red Grouse Project to provide best-practice community-led conservation actions, including awarenessraising, aimed at maintaining and increasing the red grouse and breeding curlew numbers on Ballydangan Bog,

Westmeath County Council will use its €5,903 funding to improve the Athlone Town Wall by undertaking localised vegetation clearance, condition survey and preparation of a report outlining the current condition of a stretch of Athlone Town Wall and conservation works specification for it.

While €8,000 has been allocated for a History Alive programme of events at Athlone Castle during Heritage Week 2022.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien said: “I would like to warmly welcome today’s announcement by the Heritage Council. Funding of this nature is crucial in giving heritage volunteers and professionals the support they need to safeguard the built, cultural and natural heritage in our country. It is also a significant investment in this Government’s commitments under the Programme for Government to promote and protect our heritage.”

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, said: “Looking at the details of these projects, I feel assured that our country’s heritage, in all its forms, is in safe hands and I am very much looking forward to seeing the results of the hard work done by our partners in the heritage sector.”

Chairperson of The Heritage Council, Martina Moloney, said: “The range of projects funded mirrors the variety of our heritage and the commitment of the grass roots groups who do such important work in caring for our heritage.”