| Heritage News – March 2026 |
Celebrating International Women’s Day with Michelle McMahon
Brat Bríde Project – Photo Credit: Freddie Greenhall
Join Michelle McMahon for an inspiring talk exploring women as the original image of the divine, supported by visual materials and insights into prehistoric cultures that honoured the Great Mother. Michelle will share her environmental participatory art projects—Brat Bríde Cloaks & Goddess Prayer Flags and Biodiversity on the Block—and invite women of Kilkenny to reconnect, reflect, and consider how united action can support community wellbeing and protect the natural world. This Creative Ireland event is delivered with Kilkenny County Council’s Biodiversity Office. The event will take place in Rothe House on 8th March @ 11am (2Hours). For booking: biodiversity@kilkennycoco.ie
Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2026 now open
The Heritage Council’s Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2026 is open for applications. This scheme is designed to support community groups and not-for-profit non-governmental organisations, whether they are caring for places, collections, habitats, species, monuments, or intangible heritage. The closing date for applications is 20th March 2026.
Further information on this scheme can be found here.
All Ireland Heritage Skills Programme – Applications now open
Image courtesy of the Heritage Council
Applications are now open for the All Ireland Heritage Skills Programme. Many of our traditional skills are in danger of being lost. The All Ireland Heritage Skills Programme aims to address the shortage of skilled craftspeople in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland by providing training in heritage building skills for those already working in the construction sector. There will be two information webinars for potential applicants on Tuesday 24th of March at 7pm and Friday 27th of March at 1pm where you can find out more and ask any questions. There will also be an information webinar for craftspeople interesting in hosting students on placements on Friday 6th of March. Click here to join this webinar. The closing date for applications is 10th April 2026. The All Ireland Heritage Skills Programme is a collaboration between The Heritage Council, The King’s Foundation, the Department for Communities Historic Environment Division (HED) Northern Ireland, CITB-NI and National Museums Northern Ireland. More information on the programme can be found here.
Royal Irish Society Grant Schemes now open
Applications are invited for the following Royal Irish Society Grant Schemes: The Archaeology Radiocarbon Dates Scheme (closing date: 25th March), this scheme awards funding for radiocarbon dates related to archaeology in Ireland and/or Northern Ireland; The Archaeology Research Grant (closing date: 25th March), this scheme provides support for smaller-scale archaeological research associated with the archaeology of Ireland and/or Northern Ireland; and the Nowlan Digitisation Grant (closing date: 15th March), the scheme aims to expand the range of digitised historical sources available through open and free access to researchers. For more information on these grant schemes see: https://www.ria.ie/
Irish Georgian Society Conservation Grants 2026
Previous IGS conservation grant pledges clockwise from top left: Malone Mausoleum, Kilbixy, Co. Westmeath; Fiddown Church, Co. Kilkenny; Dromana Gate, Villierstown, Co. Waterford; and Myrtle Grove, Co. Cork
The Irish Georgian Society is inviting applications for its Conservation Grants Programme 2026 with submissions now accepted until midday Thursday 5th March. A total of €44,000 will be available which will comprise €30,000 in grants from the Niall Smith Conservation Grants Fund and IGS London, €10,000 through the Homan Potterton Conservation Grant Fund and €4,000 from the IGS Cork Chapter. For more information see: https://www.igs.ie/updates/
