Strong funding available for various heritage projects
THE County of Cork is home is over 3,000 protected structures and over 50 Architectural Conservation Areas, making Cork a county with tremendous built heritage.
Each year there are a few grant schemes geared at conservation works for such buildings, for example, the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and Historic Structures Fund which were both announced in December 2018 and for which allocations for 2019 will be announced in the next few weeks.
A further scheme of interest with regard to built heritage is the Irish Georgian Society Conservation Grants Programme, which remains open for applications up until the closing date next Monday.
The County of Cork fared very well under this scheme in 2018 with grants for Myrtle Grove in Youghal and Bantry House in West Cork. A sum of €50,000 has been put aside for the scheme in 2019 and grants will be awarded with priority given to protected structures and recorded monuments of significant architectural merit.
Over the last five years the Irish Georgian Society has supported over 40 significant conservation projects from around the country, that have included works to country houses and castles, thatched cottages and historic town-houses, architectural follies, and churches.
In marking the launch of this year’s Conservation Grants Programme, Executive Director Donough Cahill remarked, “through supporting the conservation of our heritage, the Irish Georgian Society’s grants scheme seeks to benefit everyone through enhancing the built environment of our cities, towns and rural areas”.
Application forms are available on the website of the Irish Georgian Society (www. igs.ie/updates) and decisions on the allocation of grants will be made by mid-May. March 31 - April 7.
The Tree Council of Ireland is inviting community groups and organisations, schools and people everywhere to organise or participate in one or more events for the week.
As well as tree planting ceremonies, the range of events can include forest and woodland walks, nature trails, workshops, wood-turning displays, listening to the trees and what lives in the trees.
Talks, tree climbing, broadcasts, launches, poetry readings, exhibitions and dramas, and other similar ideas and events are all welcome.
Cork County Council, thanks to the support of the Tree Council of Ireland, will have a number of native trees to give out to local schools, community groups and organisations on a first come first served basis, which can be planted during local Tree Week Events (email conor.nelligan@corkcoco.ie for more details).
All proposed Tree Week events can be registered on the Tree Council’s website www. treecouncil.ie/initiatives/tree-week/ and to ensure maximum exposure and promotion it is advised that event details are registered on the website as early as possible.
The talk, which takes place in the Independence Museum Kilmurry at 8pm, will examine the Public Dancehalls Act of 1935, where topics discussed will include those impaired morals, sexual deviancy and illegitimacy.
The talk, which has been organised by the Kilmurry Historical and Archaeological Association, will be given by Síle Hunt and everyone is welcome on the evening, young and old.