Listen to how Kilkenny schoolchildren perceive their local heritage through a collection of wonderful poems written by the children and performed on BEAT 102-103FM.   The “My Heritage” poetry programme was created and co-ordinated by Kilkenny Education Centre and the Heritage Office of Kilkenny County Council with co-funding from the Heritage Council. Pupils in primary schools in Counties Kilkenny, Carlow, and Tipperary were invited, with the support of their teachers, to write a poem under one of four different themes (My Nature: My Ancestors: My Waterways and Rivers: My Architecture).  2400 poems were submitted and 71 poems were selected to be included in a beautiful book called “My Heritage”.

A diverse range of poems from “My Nanny” to “The Cattle Drover and “The Bog River” explore, in the children’s own words what they feel about their local heritage.

A 2015 Calendar was also produced.

All of the Kilkenny children whose poems were in the publication were invited to record their poem and these were aired on Beat radio in Spring 2016.

To listen to children reading their poems click on the photos below:

Amy Byrne – Peggy Hughes’

Cathal Kearney – Bones and Stones

Owen Pheasey – The Creamery

Sophie Byrne – Castlemorris Lodge

Ruairí Phelan – The Cattle Drover

Leo Alyward – Wood

Ted Dunne – Rivers

Eoin Brennan – My Family

Aidan Ryan – My Ancestors

Alexandra Brennan – My Nanny

Anna Cleere -My Ancestors

Anthony Colclough – My Family Tree

Keelan Byrne – The Bog

Luke Ryan – All New

Grace O’ Sullivan – Kitty Doheny: My Nanny

Ella Cushen – My Nature

Lily Mackey – Snowdrops

Rachael O’ Meara – The Woods

Shay Maher – Not Yet

Rory Kelleher – My Ancestors

Zach Flynn – My Bug

Daniel Valadkevich – The Water Pressure Tower

Eimear Davis – Wonderful Water

James Aylward – The Bog River

Kate McCluskey – Boglands

Oisín Keyes – Life of Mr. Fish

Sarah Brophy – The River Story

Laura Flynn – Granny’s Ring

Emma Marnell – My Grandad’s Old Torch

Kilkenny County Council is committed to the protection and enhancement of the heritage of County Kilkenny and promotes heritage conservation, awareness and appreciation through the work of the Heritage Officer and Conservation Officer, and other staff members.  The Heritage and Conservation staff provide advice,  develop policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of Kilkenny’s heritage.

This is achieved through:
• Co-ordination of and implementation of the actions in the Kilkenny County Heritage Plan
• Collecting and disseminating information on Kilkenny’s heritage
• Providing information and advice on heritage issues
• Promoting education on heritage issues to raise awareness
• Helping communities and individuals to plan and carry out heritage projects
• Developing policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of Kilkenny’s heritage.

This website provides information on Kilkenny’s heritage, details of projects undertaken around the county and sources of support and funding for heritage related projects.

The Heritage Council part funds the network of 28 City/ County Heritage Officers and Heritage Officer Programme in Local Authorities across the country.  The Heritage Council’s vision is that the value of our heritage is enjoyed, managed and protected for the vital contribution that it makes to our identity, well-being and future.