Heritage Week 2024
Join us in celebrating Ireland’s Connections, Routes and Networks’ by submitting your event for National Heritage Week 2024, 17th – 25th August 2024. Please visit https://www.heritageweek.ie/ to submit your event or for useful tips on organising an event.
Community Monuments Fund 2024
Twelve Kilkenny projects have been awarded funding totalling €572,000 from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Housing under the 2024 Community Monuments Fund (CMF) to help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future. This funding is administered by the Heritage Office in Kilkenny County Council in partnership with the Environment Section of Kilkenny County Council. The following twelve Kilkenny projects have been awarded funding under the 2024 Community Monuments Fund:
Stream 1 – Essential repairs and capital works for the conservation of archaeological monuments.
- Grangefertagh Medieval Church and Graveyard
- Tubbrid Medieval Church
- 19 Parliament Street
- 21 Parliament Street
Stream 2 – Development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports and detailed Specification of Works aimed at identifying measures for conservation of archaeological monuments and improving public access.
- Kellymount Medieval Graveyard
- St David’s Medieval Church and Graveyard, Castleinch
- St Coleman’s Church and Graveyard, Churchclara
- St Catherine’s Medieval Church and Graveyard, Rathbeagh
Stream 3 – Enhancement of access infrastructure, interpretation at archaeological monuments.
- Cloghabrody Graveyard
- Garryduff Graveyard
- St Canice’s Cathedral Close
- Kenny’s Well
Grangefertagh Medieval Church
Pledge Your Garden for Pollinators
Have you pledged your garden for pollinators? It’s so easy to do – just take simple actions to help pollinators and put your garden on the pollinator map. For advice and a free brochure on how you can help the bees and butterflies on your patch and pledge your garden, see pollinators.ie. Let’s help our bees and put Kilkenny’s gardens on the map! Supported the Heritage Council and the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
Puffin Rock Habitats Exhibition
Puffin Rock Habitats new interactive biodiversity exhibition was recently launched by Minister Malcolm Noonan TD in the new Mayfair Library, Kilkenny. Puffin Rock Habitats is an educational project between The Heritage Council and Cartoon Saloon with the ambition to inspire a sense of wonder and improve “nature literacy” among families with young children. Through the characters, audiences are invited to listen to underwater communications, observe the rhythm of changes in tidal areas, learn about the role of pollinators in grasslands and explore the composition of wetlands. To learn more about Puffin Rock Habitats, click here.
Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council and Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Photo credit: Dylan Vaughan
Biodiversity Week 2024
Biodiversity Week 2024 is taking place between the 17th– 26th of May. There are lots of events scheduled throughout Kilkenny such as Bat Walks and Talks, Moth Identification Session, Gardening for Biodiversity and Pollinators Talks and Biodiversity and Climate Action workshop. Click here to learn more about Kilkenny events.
An Introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies Workshop
Join the National Biodiversity Data Centre and Kilkenny County Council Heritage Office for an introduction to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ireland. During this workshop we will look at the features used to identify Ireland’s Dragonfly and Damselfly species, how to survey for them, where to find them, and helpful suggestions on identification resources. This workshop is suitable for beginners and those wishing to refresh their identification skills. The workshop is taking place at Avalon House Hotel, Castlecomer, Kilkenny on Saturday 22nd June, 10:00am – 3:00pm. To book a place, visit https://biodiversityireland.ie/workshops/
Public Consultation – Kilkenny’s Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2023
Kilkenny County Council would like to hear your views on nature, listen to your ideas on how we should be addressing biodiversity loss and what actions you think are needed to record, protect, conserve and restore biodiversity. The discussion paper is a broad document and is asking for insight, opinions and ideas on how we can make Kilkenny more resilient for nature and biodiversity. Deadline for submissions: Tuesday 28th May 2024, 5pm. View the Discussion Paper on https://consult.kilkenny.ie/ or email biodiversity@kilkennycoco.ie for a paper For further information about the Discussion Paper and submitting a submission click here .
Kilkenny City Night Time Economy Diversification Grant (Call 1)
Kilkenny County Council is seeking applications from local businesses, community groups, event organisers, collaborators and individuals to develop projects that will support the growth and diversity of the night time economy in Kilkenny City. Events which can be funded include but not limited to, late evening or night tours, live music, live DJ, dancing (performative or participatory!), exhibitions, poetry readings, comedy shows , theatre, film, live podcasts, storytelling, classes, wellbeing initiatives, light shows and historical themed events. This fund will support applicants who wish to try new and exciting concepts between Sunday and Thursday after 6pm that can support the diversification of our night time economy. The closing date for applications is on Friday 24th May, 4pm. Click here to learn more.
Buildings Archaeology Bursary 2024
Expressions of Interest is open for a new National Monuments Service bursary for archaeologists and other related professionals to undertake a one year course in Buildings Archaeology at ATU. Application is open to those with an existing Level 6 qualification – or the equivalent in professional experience – in archaeology, built heritage conservation or a related discipline. Applicants must also be practicing in Ireland in the private/commercial sector. Deadline for Expressions of Interest: Friday 12th July 2024, 5pm. Click here to learn more.
New Commemorations Bursary scheme launched
The Commemorations Bursary Scheme, in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has been established to encourage and support new local research and local history studies relating to the commemoration of events associated with the early years of the State as well as other significant historical anniversaries, events and themes. The bursaries will be awarded to individual researchers across a wide range of themes which recognise the importance of the commemoration of events and a number of grants of between €1,500 and €10,000 will be made annually. Closing date for applications: Friday, 9 August 2024 at 5.00pm. More information and scheme guidelines, please visit the Commemorations Bursary webpage.
Graffiti on a door in the Custom House recorded following it’s destruction on 25 May 1921. Photographic Archive, National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland.
