The Adopt
a Monument Ireland Scheme empowers communities to become actively involved in
the conservation and interpretation of local archaeological and heritage sites.
Abarta Heritage (in conjunction with the Heritage Council) are providing
facilitation, expertise, mentoring, training and support to community groups to
help them to care for their local heritage.
Any type
of monument dating from any period can be included in the scheme (providing you
have sought permission from the landowner and the monument is not in the
ownership of the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht
Affairs and the Office of Public Works. Any voluntary group or organisation is
eligible to take part in this scheme, for example Tidy Towns committees,
archaeological societies, local history groups, Men’s Sheds, Community
Development Organisations or more. However at this time we do not
recommend adoptions by individuals, as the workload is too great for one person
to manage alone.
It is
hoped that the Adopt a Monument Ireland Scheme will continue into the future to
help more communities across Ireland to connect with their heritage.
Our ancient history has bestowed on us a wealth of monuments that need care
and attention to ensure that they survive for future generations to enjoy.
Through the Adopt a Monument Scheme we provide expertise, mentoring and
support to encourage communities to ‘adopt’ a monument in their area in order
to ensure ongoing maintenance and greater protection through increased civic
value.
This is an innovative way of bringing monuments and local heritage from the
periphery into the heart of a community.
We want to help community groups embrace their heritage, site be it a
prehistoric tomb, stone circle, medieval town wall, castle, church, bridge,
graveyard, landed estate, mine, kiln, mill, traditional house or battlefield.
Our vision is that the chosen monument will serve as a focal point for
heritage-related, educational and recreational activities and will encourage
greater interpretation and understanding.
The Scheme offers opportunities to:
become actively involved in the conservation and interpretation of heritage
sites in your local area;
·
collaborate and work
together as a community;
·
participate in community
development;
·
boost regional tourism,
business and employment opportunities;
·
develop and understand
the story of your locality and
·
keep active and learn
new skills.
Seven new
sites have been chosen to take part in the 2017 Adopt a Monument Scheme run by
the Heritage Council. And there is some good news locally.
Seven new
sites have been chosen to take part in the 2017 Adopt a Monument Scheme run by
the Heritage Council. The sites from across Ireland range in size and date from
an early medieval ringfort in Limerick, to the precarious ruins of a medieval
castle on an Atlantic cliff in Donegal and a nineteenth century mining
landscape in Slieveardagh, County Tipperary.
Speaking
about the sites chosen, Ian Doyle, Head of Conservation at The Heritage Council
said, “While it was originally planned to have just four new sites join the
Scheme, we received over 50 applications from community groups across Ireland.
The energy and enthusiasm of the seven groups shortlisted made it impossible to
choose between them. Each of the sites are unique and represent important aspects
of Ireland’s heritage. We are really looking forward to working with the
community in each area to uncover the stories of their local archeological and
heritage site”, added Doyle.
The seven sites chosen include;
Kilbarron Castle, County Donegal
Located near
Ballyshannon, Kilbarron Castle is a ruined of a medieval castle and the
birthplace of Mícheál Ó Cléirigh [the chief author of the famous Annals of the
Four Masters]. The ruins are currently in a very precarious condition and the
Kilbarron Castle Conservation Group are eager to protect, conserve and
interpret the remains of the site.
Mountbellew Walled Garden, County Galway
The
extensive eighteenth century walled garden was once part of the large Bellew
estate. The Mountbellew Heritage and Tourism Network want to conserve the large
limestone walls that surround the gardens, and to restore some of the original
features of the gardens and to establish allotments to help people to discover
the heritage of the locality and to provide opportunities for employment and
tourism in the region.
St. Molaing’s Millrace, St. Mullins, County Carlow
St Molaing’s
Millrace is a stream leading to a historic mill, which according to local
tradition and folklore was dug by the saint by his own hands. Today, the
remains of this are heavily overgrown. The St Mullins Amenity and Recreational
Tourism Group Ltd want to develop an understanding of the archaeology,
pilgrimage traditions and folklore related to the monument, and to ensure the
protection of the monument for future generations.
Old St. Peter’s Church, Portlaoise, County Laois
Old St.
Peter’s Church is one of the oldest buildings surviving in Port Laoise and
dates back to the middle of the sixteenth century. The Portlaoise Tidy Towns
group, wish to conserve the historic fabric of the site, and to recreate a
place for peaceful reflection within the busy town centre of Portlaoise.
Earlshill Colliery and Powder House, Slieveardagh, County Tipperary
The powder
house is part of an enormous industrial coal mining landscape that once
stretched from Tipperary to Castlecomer. The powder house is the last example
of a Cornish powder house from a coal mine that survives in Ireland. The
Slieveardagh Mining Group want to preserve and protect the important industrial
heritage of the locality, and to raise awareness of the social history of the
area.
Kilfinane Motte, County Limerick
This large
Anglo-Norman motte appears to stand on the site of a significant early medieval
ringfort. The Kilfinane Community Council wish to develop an understanding of
the archaeology and heritage through survey and geophysics, to better promote
and protect this important monument for future generations.
Knockboy Medieval Parish Church, County Waterford
The important medieval church and graveyard at Knockboy is home to seven
ogham stones which were built into its walls. Ogham is the earliest Irish
evidence for literacy dating to the fifth century AD. The Knockboy Church
Conservation Group wish to carry out urgent conservation work on the
weather-damaged gable of the church.
The Adopt a Monument Scheme offers communities expertise, mentoring and support
to help them to care for their local heritage, work collaboratively to develop
and understand the story of their locality. The Scheme first began in 2016 with
six community groups ‘adopting’ their local monuments, with mentoring, training
and specialist expertise provided by the Heritage Council and experts from
Abarta Heritage.
“The seven sites chosen for 2017 will benefit from extensive training,
mentoring and specialist advice. One of the key components of the Scheme and
one which makes it so unique is the development of positive partnerships
between communities and heritage specialists, which helps to ensure the sustainable
future of their monuments”, added Doyle.
In 2016 the
Round Hill in Lismore and Gallows Hill in Dungarvan were on the list.
