New junior minister for heritage is welcomed by Heritage Council
THE Heritage Council has welcomed the appointment of a Minister of State for Heritage.
Under the newly-formed Government, the heritage brief will fall under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Speaking on the appointment of Malcolm Noonan TD of the Green Party as the Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage, the Chairman of the Heritage Council, Michael Parsons, said: “The decision by the Government to create a dedicated junior ministerial post to manage the heritage brief is very welcome. Heritage has often suffered by being tagged to various portfolios. Having a dedicated junior ministry is recognition of the importance that heritage has in the lives of every citizen, as well as the contribution it can make to tourism, economic recovery and, importantly, the future of our country and our planet’.
Also commenting, the Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, said: “In recent weeks, the Heritage Council has consulted with the heritage sector and presented government officials with some insights on how the heritage sector has coped during the lockdown. Heritage supports vital jobs, throughout communities, as well as playing a critical role in supporting our collective wellbeing.
“We believe this is the first time heritage has been assigned a dedicated junior minister and we very much look forward to working with Minister of State Noonan – and indeed with Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien - on promoting the value that heritage can have in COVID-recovery’.
Museums reopening
Many people have remarked during these strange times of Covid-19, how local heritage has made them feel at home - familiarising themselves with the local times of past and local pastimes and with all of the historic and natural heritage sites on their doorstep. There is so much heritage around us and a great place to capture so much history and heritage at once is in a local museums.
It has recently been announced that numerous museums throughout the country are reopening which is a very positive and welcome step, although it is noted that it will be a while yet before all museums are fully open to the public again. The Irish Museums Association has made a list of those museums and heritage galleries that are reopening and has produced an interactive map detailing all of the sites.
Museums play a vital role in connecting people to their cultural heritage and identity and to find out more go to https://irishmuseums. org/text-pages/interactive-map-reopening
Natural heritage
With the month of July being the height of the summer, with just one look around people can see that nature is thriving. A healthy and thriving natural environment is important for many things and not least for a clean water supply.
Given the impact that harmful chemicals, even in tiny quantities, can have on water quality, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes (NFGWS) is asking consumers to think carefully before purchasing or using environmentally-damaging pesticides/ weed killers.
Federation CEO, Barry Deane, said ‘We are encouraging gardeners to ask themselves if the spraying in their garden is really necessary and should we not be more conscious of the damage they do? We are also asking them to consult with their garden centre about alternative means of controlling unwanted vegetation and to download the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan guidance booklet for gardeners at www.pollinators.ie’.
‘It is especially important that householders move away from having the roadside areas outside their properties sprayed with chemicals. Spraying chemicals on roads or hard verges increases the risk of chemical run off into drains, streams or rivers.
‘Besides the potential damage to human health, pesticides also have a damaging impact on our biodiversity which is already under enormous pressure from habitat loss.’
For those with an interest in gardening for biodiversity, a publication by that very title is available for free from Local Heritage Offices throughout the country. In the case of County Cork, simply send an email to cork. heritage@corkcoco.ie.
All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
For those with five or ten minutes to spare to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, there is an engagement survey currently open to the public.
Any person who has participated in the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is welcomed to take the survey and the data gathered will help form a Masters thesis by Elizabeth Elli at Trinity College Dublin. In relation to the survey, the research is coordinated with the National Biodiversity Data Centre with the purpose of understanding user motivations to engage with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.
This survey is anonymous and any data collected will be used for the sole purpose of the study, which, in turn, will help inform phase II of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. The survey has 4 short sections and will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
For more information, visit the heritage news and updates section of www.corkcoco.ie.
The heritage of an epidemic
For those with an interest in the Charleville area of North Cork an interesting project entitled ‘Day of the Straws’ is currently being developed.
It examines how social history surrounding the 1832 Cholera epidemic relates to modern-day Covid-19 and is being undertaken by Artist Marie Brett in collaboration with Cork Playwright Katie Holly and made in dialogue with community historians, healers, fortune tellers and other interested people.
The Day of the Straws were a series of events that took place during
Ireland’s 1830’s Cholera epidemic between 9 and 15 June 1832. These events involved folk cure, protective charms and social ritual that spread throughout the island starting in Charleville, County Cork.
The earliest report of the mass hysteria which was sent to Dublin Castle came from Major General G H Barry, Ballyclough House, County Cork. He stated that the Virgin Mary appeared in Charleville church, leaving certain ashes, which she warned were the only protection against Cholera. These were to be delivered to four houses, and then these four householders were to proceed to four more homes, and so on, to spread the message.
By the following Tuesday evening, the messengers had reached the borders of Ulster. The message changed on its northerly progression: ashes, turf and stones were used in the east, while straws were used further west.
To get involved with ‘Day of the Straws: the team behind the project is seeking video clips, photos, poems, stories and songs that link to the project’s themes.
Get in touch with kath@corkmidsummer.com to share any thoughts or items.
The end project should be a fascinating piece, supported by Creative Europe, and also funded the Arts Council and Cork County Council.