Heritage News & Events 10.3.22

Creative Ireland & Cruinniú na nÓg Grant Scheme 2022
The Kilkenny County Council Creative Ireland & Cruinniú na nÓg Grant Scheme 2022 is now open for applications. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide financial support to local and community groups and individuals, artistic and creative practitioners, event organisers and those involved in creative, cultural and heritage activities and projects.  Closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm Monday 4th April.  Application forms/grant criteria available at
https://kilkennyheritage.ie/2022/03/creative-ireland-cruinniu-na-nog-grant-scheme-2022/

New National Heritage Plan Launched
The new national Heritage Plan (Heritage 2030) was launched by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in February. It provides a framework for built, natural and cultural heritage delivery over the next decade. An implementation plan, and a new National Heritage Forum and working groups are to be established by the DHLGH and the Heritage Council in the coming months. Local Authorities have been identified as key partners in the delivery of the plan. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/778b8-heritage-ireland-2030/

Heritage and Biodiversity Actions for Climate – webinar series
The Local Authority Heritage Officer Network ran a series of 4 free one-hour webinars on case studies of local projects which help support climate action. There were 13 short (8 min) talks on a range of projects undertaken by Heritage Officers including: bog restoration, carbon sequestration in public parks, county pollinator programme, community recording and protecting archaeological monuments, risk assessment of cultural heritage, community climate action trail, protecting built heritage. Watch back the webinars here. https://kilkennyheritage.ie/2022/02/heritage-and-biodiversity-actions-for-climate-webinar-series/

Don’t Mow – Let it Grow (and save petrol!)
A gentle reminder to reduce the number of times you mow your lawn this year. Not only will you save money, and help climate action, you’ll also help our bees, butterflies and other insects which need the nectar from native wildflowers like clover, birdsfoot trefoil and dandelions that grow in our in our lawns. To find out more contact the Heritage Office or see https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/grasscutting.pdf

Australian Film Festival Award for Kilkenny Decade of Centenaries Film
Congratulations to Kevin Hughes for winning the Australian Film Festival Honourable Mention Award for his short film “The Re-Burial of Jackie Brett” which was funded by the Kilkenny Decade of Centenaries Grants Programme last year. It’s great to see such a positive impact from the grants programme. The film, which tells the story of an event in 1921 when a member of the South Kilkenny Flying Column was accidentally shot by a teenage boy, was premiered at Butler Gallery during Heritage Week.  https://www.heritageweek.ie/projects/the-reburial-of-jackie-brett The Decade of Centenaries programme is managed by the Heritage Office of Kilkenny County Council and kindly funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 initiative.

Power’s Drapery, Callan – open call
Róisin Power Hackett, a visual artist and granddaughter of Seamus and Della Power from Power’s Drapery Shop, Callan, is looking for your help.   She is looking for stories and memories about visits to Power’s Drapery shop from people who are or were locally based with the intention of hosting an event in April when the stories will be performed. Email Róisin at roisin_ph@hotmail.com or call 0851273346.  Deadline for submissions is 31st March.

Please help to track changes in climate with a new wildlife calendar
The National Biodiversity Data Centre, with support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, recently launched the Farmers’ Wildlife Calendar for 2022: Climate Tracker. Research suggests that there will be an increase in temperatures and rainfall in Ireland as a result of climate change. Any change to our climate will disrupt the emergence time of insects, flowering of plants and arrival of migrant species, such as the swallows. Farmers and other landowners can help by submitting records on the first occurrences of nine key species within the Wildlife Calendar.   Further details/how to submit records available at https://www.nationalruralnetwork.ie/climate-change-news/tracking-changes-in-climate-through-a-wildlife-calendar/

Francophonie Festival in Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle will host free guided tours in French for Francophonie Festival in March. Free guided tours to the public on selected weekends and school tours for Transition Year student’s midweek.  Further details available at https://kilkennycastle.ie/calendar/

Norevision Biodiversity Walks continue
Norevision will host their next biodiversity walk by the Kilkenny Canal on Saturday 13th March @11am (meet at Canal Square).  Birdwatch Ireland Kilkenny member, Pat Durkin, will lead the walk and will be approx. 2 hours. Further details at https://www.norevision.ie/citizen-science-2/  or you can contact patandmarydurkin@gmail.com

All-Ireland Pine Marten Symposium
The Vincent Wildlife Trust and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will host the 3rd All-Ireland Pine Marten Symposium on 1st-2nd April in the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel, Co Laois and will include a combination of online and in-person events bringing together advances in research, practical-conservation and citizen science.  Cost €15-€35.  Further details/registration at https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/3rd-all-ireland-pine-marten-symposium-tickets-265264682807

New Bursary Scheme for the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2022/2023
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, recently announced a new bursary scheme, in partnership with the Royal Irish Academy, for the final phase of the Decade of Centenaries. The objective of the bursary scheme is to encourage new local research and local history studies, and a meaningful examination of local, regional, and national events during the Struggle for Independence and Civil War period.  Further information/bursary criteria at https://www.ria.ie/decade-centenaries-bursary.  Closing date for receipt of applications 5.30pm Wednesday, 27th April 2022.

An Introduction to Oral History: The Life Cycle Approach
Oral History Network Ireland (OHNI) will host a full one-day in-person training workshop, titled An Introduction to Oral History: The Life Cycle Approach, on 2nd April from 10am -4.30pm, in Dublin. This one-day training event will offer a basic introduction to all aspects in the life cycle of an oral history project from commissioning to disseminating and archiving.

Cost: Members €50 Non-members €70.  Further details at https://oralhistorynetworkireland.ie/event/an-introduction-to-oral-history-the-life-cycle-approach

John Tyndall Lecture
Kilkenny Archaeological Society will host a lecture titled John Tyndall Mountaineer/Scientist, with speaker Kevin Higgins, on Wednesday 23rd March @8pm, in Rothe House, Parliament St. Kilkenny. Further details at https://kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/events/list/

SPAB Heritage Awards 2022 – Call for entriesThe SPAG Heritage Awards 2022 are inviting applications for their Heritage Awards 2022 with an expanded range of awards championing excellence in built heritage across the UK and Ireland and waving the flag for all the gifted craftspeople, dedicated custodians and environmentally conscious practitioners that work tirelessly to ensure that our astonishing built heritage has a bright future. Closing date for receipt of entries is 5pm 28th March 2022. For application details/criteria go to https://www.spab.org.uk/get-involved/awards

Royal Irish Academy: Praeger Grant Scheme now open
The Royal Irish Academy (RIA) have opened their Praeger Grants scheme which invites applications for research on Ireland’s field nature history. Closing date for receipt of applications is 14th April 2022.  Further details/grant application criteria available at

https://www.ria.ie/news/grants-and-awards/praeger-grants-natural-history-open-1