Congratulation and thanks to Ber Roberts
Our congratulations and thanks to Ber Roberts who recently retired from Kilkenny County Council. You will all know Ber from her hard work as the Clerical Officer for the Arts and Heritage Offices and from her regular Kilkenny Heritage News and Events emails. The delay in this bumper edition will give you an idea of how badly she is missed! Ber was wonderful colleague and a great support to the Heritage Office for many years, we wish her good health, every happiness and fad saoil in her retirement.
Heritage Council launches National Heritage Week
The Heritage Council is calling on heritage newcomers, enthusiasts and experts of all ages across Ireland to focus on living heritage when registering in-person events and digital projects for inclusion as part of National Heritage Week 2023. National Heritage Week will run from Saturday, 12th August — Sunday, 20th August, and has become one of Ireland’s largest cultural events. Events and digital projects can now be uploaded via the Organisers’ Portal on www.heritageweek.ie . We are looking forward to a rich schedule of events in Kilkenny this year.
Swift Walk
A Swift Walk will take place in Kilkenny City with Tara Adcock from Birdwatch Ireland at 7:30pm on 22 June. The meeting point for the event is the Main Entrance Gate of Kilkenny Castle. This event is supported by Kilkenny County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. For further information email: biodiversity@kilkennycoco.ie
Oral History Network of Ireland Annual Conference
The OHNI Annual Conference is scheduled to take place in Dooley’s Hotel, Waterford City on 16th & 17th June. The theme of this year’s conference is Power and Resistance and it will feature specialised workshops and a Keynote Address from Professor Graham Smith, Newcastle University. Registration is open until 15th June. To see the full conference programme and register for the event visit: https://oralhistorynetworkireland.ie/2023-conference
Kilkenny Castle News
Kilkenny Castle is delighted to launch a new online exhibition “The noblest person, the wisest female: the first duchess of Ormonde and her letters”. This exhibition researched by Dr Naomi McAreavey and curated by Maelle Champenois brings to life one of the most significant women in early modern Ireland, Elizabeth Butler, née Preston through a small selection of her surviving letters. These letters reveal the capable wife, wise mother, indulgent grandmother, loyal friend, generous benefactor, and demanding mistress that was the duchess of Ormonde, co-head of one of the most powerful dynasties in early modern Ireland, the Butlers of Ormonde. Visit https://kilkennycastle.ie/the-noblest-person-the-wisest-female-the-first-duchess-of-ormonde-and-her-letters/ to view the exhibition. Available online until May 2024.
This June, Kilkenny Castle is offering free Sensory Friendly Tours and free Child Friendly Tours. Booking is required and there is limited availability on these tours. For more information and to reserve your place on a tour see: https://kilkennycastle.ie/events/
Join the Conversation on Traditional Irish Homes
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage would love to get your thoughts on the pros and cons of owning a traditional house. Your feedback will be invaluable in helping shape future policy and secure funding for these buildings which form such an important part of our built heritage and landscape. An independent research team working on our behalf are running a series of 90-minute online focus groups. For more information please contact Catriona O’Flaherty by email at Catriona.OFlaherty@housing.gov.ie or by phone on 01 5393651.
Opportunities at the Heritage Council
The Heritage Council is currently recruiting for two positions: Head of Education Policy Development Officer and Head of Research, Learning and Cultural Heritage. The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 21 June 2023 at 5pm. For more information see: https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/news/jobs
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