Introducing Elaine O’Neill
I am delighted to welcome Elaine O’Neill to the Heritage team in Kilkenny County Council. Elaine will taking over from Diane who has now moved to the Community office. Elaine will support the work of the Heritage Office and updating our Kilkenny Heritage website.
I’m very happy to have the opportunity to work as part of the Heritage team in Kilkenny County Council. I look forward to working and meeting with all individuals, communities and organisations involved with promoting and safeguarding Kilkenny’s rich heritage.
Elaine can be contacted at heritage@kilkennycoco.ie / 056 7794907
Oral History Network Ireland – Free networking and feedback session in June for oral historians
Thanks to funding from the Heritage Council, Oral History Network Ireland are running a series of free networking events in June. The meet ups will be an opportunity to network in your local area and hear more about the oral history projects near you. The session will also include clips from local oral history projects. Please note that the most local event takes place in Carlow on Tuesday 25th June. For more information, please visit https://oralhistorynetworkireland.ie
PRIDE and PROTEST – BRÓD agus AGÓID – 50 years of LGBT Liberation in Ireland
As Ireland marks a half century of LGBT activism, Kilkenny Castle will host a talk by Tonie Walsh, founder of the Irish Queer Archives. The talk will trace the evolution of queer activism on the island of Ireland; from the formation of Belfast’s Gay Liberation Society (1972) and the hugely influential Sexual Liberation Movement (1973) at Dublin’s TCD to the establishment of community resources and mainstream advocacy groups across all our cities and large towns.
This event is FREE, seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis. June 30 @ 3.00pm – 4.00pm
For information visit Kilkenny Castle or contact the team on 046 942 3020 / kilkennycastleinfo@opw.ie
‘Mná Feasa/Wise Women’; a social history project and podcast
Kilkenny County Council Library Services & Heritage Office are delighted to announce a new project called ‘Mná Feasa/Wise Women’; a social history project and podcast comprising of stories, experiences & local lore from the women of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council Library Services, Heritage Office and storyteller Helena Byrne are encouraging older women of Kilkenny to share their memories and experiences of life as women growing up in the county.
From exciting moments in history to simple day-to-day activities, your childhood memories, old wives’ tales, stories of school days and academic expectations, marriage, working life, family and everything in between. With the help of local women, we hope to record and preserve this invaluable part of our local heritage for many generations to come. This project is kindly funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under 2024 Commemorations Funding. For more info please contact Kilkenny Library by email storyteller@kilkennylibrary.ie
Historic Walking Tours Celebrating the 700 Year Anniversary of the Kilkenny Witch Trials
Fin Dwyer, Historian and creator of The Irish History Podcast will be your guide for this day long walking tour visiting the sites associated with the infamous Kilkenny Witch Trials which took place in 1324. This free event is kindly funded by Creative Ireland. Booking is essential as spaces are limited.
Friday 5th July & Saturday 17th August 9.30am – 3.00pm
To book contact Kilkenny County Council Library Service – Local Studies Department at lstudies@kilkennylibrary.ie or phone 056 056 7794160
Creative Ireland 2024: Kilkenny Witch Trial 700th Anniversary Programme
Monica Fleming will deliver 3 Dame Alice Kyteler poisonous plant sessions for us in the following locations;
- Graiguenamanagh Library on Tuesday 22nd October at 6.30 pm
- Castlecomer Library on Tuesday the 29th of October at 6.30pm
- Mayfair Library on Thursday the 7th November at 6.30pm
This workshop will pick up on the theme of herbalism and remedies in nature which was a feature of the Alice Kyteler story. It will be aimed at a general audience and facilitated by Monica Fleming, a Gardener and a Tutor with Kilkenny Community Education, teaching Horticulture as well as Crafts using Natural Materials. The workshop will explore the medicinal qualities and folklore of native plants. More details Here
New Commemorations Bursary for Local History Studies
The Royal Irish Academy with the support of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media are delighted to welcome applications under this new scheme. The scheme aims to encourage new local research and local history studies (local, national and regional) as a means of recognising the significant contribution of local historians in furthering fields of study 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 purpose of this grant is to provide support for the direct costs of research up to a maximum of €10,000
The scheme is open for applications until 9th August 2024. For further details see here