New sources of funding for local heritage groups
THE month of May is now coming to an end and dozens of Tidy Town Groups throughout the County would have applied for this year’s Tidy Towns Competition, with the closing date of this Friday, May 22.
In 2014, a number of Cork settlements faired exceedingly well, many securing Gold, which is no mean feat given the 800 plus groups that have entered the competition for the last number of years.
The last time the County of Cork saw an overall Winner was Clonakilty in 1999, and Kinsale in 1986 before that, and it is hoped that 2015 will see the return of an Overall Winner to the County.
In connection with the Tidy Towns Competition another award is also up for grabs; this being “The Heritage Award” which is run by the Heritage Council, also having the closing date of May 22nd. This award seeks to “promote a greater awareness of the value of our heritage to our quality of life and to sustainable economic development” and community groups that work effortlessly towards enhancing the heritage of their locailities (as is done by a whole range of fantasitc groups in County Cork) will all certainly be in contention.
Occasionally from time to time there are avenues of funding available for these Community Groups to undertake worthwhile local projects in their area such as the recent Heritage Council Community Grant Scheme which saw 13 organisations in Cork receive over €30,000 between them.
Another new fund has just recently been announced by the Department of the Taoiseach, titled the Local Diaspora Engagement Fund. This scheme, which closes for applications at noon on May 29, will see €200,000 released for projects and initiatives that involve the engagement of the Irish Diaspora.
Further information on this Fund is available on the homepage of www.corkcoco.ie/ heritage.
The Irish Diaspora is estimated at 80 million people around the world, being those born in Ireland and indeed those that can trace their ancestry back to our shores. In America, there is a very strong Irish connection and genealogy is now one of the biggest hobby growth markets in the USA, second only to DIY Gardening.
Whether living at home or abroad there are two e-magazines that would interest anyone with Irish heritage. The first of these is the Irish Lives Remembered Genealogy E-zine, with Issue 29 now just out and a new magazine – a collaboration between the Office of Public Works and the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht – entitled Heritage Ireland, has just seen its very first issue released.
Both magazines are available to view for free on the internet and links to both are provided on the homepage of www.corkcoco. ie/heritage.
The last day of May, Saturday 31st, is on the minds of many heritage groups throughout the Country. This is the closing date for submission of Heritage Week Event details to the Heritage Council, to ensure coverage in the National Heritage Week Guide.
In 2014, over 400,000 people participated in 1,800 events around the country and with heritage going from strength to strength in Ireland it is hoped that these numbers can be maintained and even increased upon during Heritage Week 2015, which takes place between Saturday 22nd and Sunday 30th August, 2015.
The theme for Heritage Week this year is Industrial and Design Heritage and the Heritage Council is encouraging groups to incorporate this theme in so far as is possibly locally. Events can be registered on ww.heritageweek.ie and this website also includes a wonderful Event Organiser’s Toolkit which provides a lot of advice on organising an event.
All events registered by May 31st will also feature in Cork County Council’s County Cork Heritage Week Guide; however, events can still be registered and displayed online up until August 22nd, 2015.
Prior to Heritage Week in August, which saw 130 events in the County of Cork alone last year, there are a number of other heritage events and initiatives taking place, including many right around the corner.
On Thursday May 28th at 8pm in Cork Airport Hotel, the Ballygarvan and District Local History Society has organised a talk on Genealogy and its Uses, which will be given by Lorna Moloney, U.C.C. Admission is €5 on the night to cover costs.
The next day, Friday 29th May, sees the commencement of a weekend in Charleville dedicated to Jacobite Poet Seán Clárach MacDomhnaill. This weekend commemoration, which continues up until Sunday 31st May, will include a number of notable speakers including Professor Liam O’Murchú, An tAthair Miceal de Liostun and Denis Hickey, and will also take in a tour of places associated with Seán Clárach such as Churchtown – his birthplace, and Holy Cross Cemetery in Charleville – Seán Clárach’s final resting place.
The weekend will also include a concert on the Saturday with Donnchadh Ó Dulaing, Seán Ó Sé, the musicians of Craobh an Rath and Jacob’s Ladder and on the Sunday following mass at Holy Cross Church in Charleville, a small plaque will be unveiled in honour of Seán Clárach.
This promises to be a most worthwhile weekend and for any interested parties, email mmfortlands@gmail.com.
Next week’s column will take a look at a variety of heritage events on the horizon for June.