Heritage News & Events 27.4.23

Outing to Gloster House, Birr
Kilkenny Archaeological Society will host an own car picnic outing to Gloster House, Birr, Co Offaly, with a picnic stop at Aghaboe historic site and Abbey on Wednesday 24th May from 10.30 am.  Cost: €20pp which includes a guided of the house plus tea/coffee. For further details email reception@rothehouse.com

Networking Event online
The Oral History Network Ireland (OHNI) will host a free online Networking Event, via Zoom, on Thursday 11th May from 7 -9pm.  This event will offer a space for oral historians to meet to discuss ideas and connect with other people involved in oral history. Further details available at https://oralhistorynetworkireland.ie/event/networking-event-online-2

Liam Lynch: Life of an Irish Revolutionary lecture
South Kilkenny Historical Society will host a lecture on Friday 28th April @8pm in Mullinavat Parish Hall with speaker/author Gerard Shannon, titled Liam Lynch: Life of an Irish Revolutionary 1892-1923.  This talk will also be facilitated by zoom and here are the details for it. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83585380287 Meeting ID: 835 8538 0287 Dial-In Numbers: 1 653 3897 Ireland  1 653 3898 Ireland Meeting ID: 835 8538 0287

Heart of the Community Fund 2023
The Ireland Funds recognises the challenges organisations face in securing funding to build their capacity or meet their core costs, so the Heart of the Community Fund 2023 will provide Organisational Investment Grants.  This funding is designed to meet the needs of not-for-profit organisations delivering vital services and supports to people across the island of Ireland. Closing date for receipt of online applications is Tuesday 9th May 0223. Further details, grant criteria/guidelines and online application at https://irelandfunds.org/grants/

Creative Youth Nurture Fund
The Nurture Fund is a pilot scheme that will support youth-led cultural, artistic and creative engagement by young people aged between 6 – 24 years.  It will support individuals and organisations that can reach specific groups of young people that are often seldom heard, to nurture their creative passions and ignite their creative potential.  An online information session on 9th May will give people the opportunity to learn more about the fund, how to apply using submit.com and any queries they might have.  Closing date for receipt of online applications is Friday 9th June 2023.  Further details, grant criteria and online applications available at https://creativeireland.submit.com/show/20

No Mow May – Join the buzz to save the bees
The National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) in partnership with An Post invite everyone to take part in No Mow May. Our native plants like the Dandelions provide the best nutrition for our wild bees. They will pop up naturally if we give them a chance. Lock away your lawnmower for the month of May, wait, and see what appears.  To find out more about this campaign go to https://pollinators.ie/no-mow-may/

Community Monuments Fund 2023 projects
Six Kilkenny projects have been awarded funding totalling €396,731.48 under the 2023 Community Monuments Fund. The projects awarded under Stream 1 funding (i.e. capital conservation works) are: Grangefertagh Medieval Church and Graveyard; Thomple Medieval Church and Graveyard; Infirmary Wall at Duiske Abbey and works on the west wall of the Augustinian Priory of St John the Evangelist, Kilkenny City. The projects awarded under Stream 2 funding (i.e. Conservation Management Report) are Tubbrid Medieval Church and Graveyard and Rathpatrick Medieval Church and Graveyard.  This funding is administered by the Heritage Officer of Kilkenny County Council in partnership with the Environment Section of Kilkenny County Council. Work will begin on these projects in June 2023.

Thomple Medieval Church & Graveyard received funding under the 2023 Community Monuments Fund Stream 1

New Biodiversity Officer Programme
Kilkenny, Offaly, Cork City and Wicklow are the first counties to welcome biodiversity officers under new programme. The Heritage Council and the County and City Management Association (CCMA), with support from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, have announced the appointment of the first biodiversity officers in the country under a new initiative announced last year. The programme will see a biodiversity officer appointed to every local authority in the country by the end of 2024. We are delighted to welcome Bernadette Maloney who started in the role in Kilkenny this week. Bernadette brings extensive experience having served as the Environmental Awareness Officer in Kilkenny County Council for a number of years. We wish Bernadette every success in this exciting new role.