Local project is highlighted in new booklet celebrating 25 years of Heritage Officer work
Sligo Heritage Officer Siobhán Ryan (second from right) at the launch of the booklet in the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny with CEO of the Heritage Council Virginia Teehan (left), Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD (second from left) and Chairperson of the Heritage Council Martina Moloney (right)
A SPECIAL Heritage Council publication featuring stories from heritage officers in every county is being launched today to mark 25 years since the Heritage Officer Network was founded. The booklet, ‘Opening The Door To Ireland’s Heritage’ details one key heritage project from each local authority from the last three years which collectivel, highlight the enormous contribution the Network has made to the preservation of our heritage over the last quarter of a century.
The booklet tells the story of how Sligo’s Green Fort was rediscovered after it had been become abandoned and remained hidden from view for more than 300 years.
The Green Fort is a 17th century earthen bastioned fort located in the heart of Sligo City. Built to defend Sligo and to control access from the north and south, it played a major role in the Williamite Wars.
The local community, particularly the Forthill Men’s Group Art and History Society, had long campaigned for the Green Fort to be protected and conserved
for all to enjoy, both locals and visitors alike. The overgrown site offered an elevated and 360 degree panorama of Sligo and the surrounding countryside, and this amenity was something well worth enhancing.
In a partnership between the Heritage Council and local authorities, the first heritage officers were appointed in 1999 in Kerry, Sligo and Galway with the aim of raising awareness of heritage issues within the local authority and among local communities.
Since then, the heritage officer network has become synonymous with the protection and promotion of Ireland’s heritage and for the first time in 2021, every local authority in the country had appointed somebody to the role.
While highlighting the important work they do, the stories in the publication also offer a stark insight into what may have been lost were it not for the heritage officers. Mangan’s Clock in the heart of Cork city may have fallen into disrepair. The most historic buildings in Ballyshannon or Listowel may have been left
derelict and allowed to crumble. The natural beach and dune habitats along the coast of Wicklow may have become irrevocably degraded and the craftsmanship of dry-stone walling on Inis Oirr may have receded.
Speaking on the launch of the booklet, Heritage Officer for Sligo County Council Siobhán Ryan said: “It is deeply satisfying to see documented in this publication the influence of the Heritage Officer Network in shaping our approach to heritage conservation and protection. Although we work as individuals at local authority level, what is clear from these pages is that the real strength of the Network is in the collective. These stories cover only a snapshot of recently completed projects from current heritage officers, so when we factor in the hundreds of past projects completed since 1999, it brings into the focus the enormous impact that the Local Authority Heritage Officer Programme has had.”
Opening The Door To Ireland’s Heritage can be read online by visiting www.heritagecouncil.ie.