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County Sligo Heritage Office

The aim of the County Sligo Heritage Forum: ‘To secure benefits for the heritage of County Sligo and to increase awareness, appreciation and enjoyment of it for all.’

The Heritage Office is responsible for developing policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of Sligo’s heritage. It also seeks to assist the development of the Local Authorities heritage strategy and policy, advising on heritage impacts and consequences. Central to the services provided by the Heritage Office, is the promotion of interest, education, knowledge and pride in the heritage of County Sligo, and in so doing, increasing awareness, appreciation and enjoyment of the County’s heritage for all.

The delivery of a co-ordinated heritage strategy at county level is being achieved through the County Sligo Heritage Forum and the co-ordination and implementation of the County Sligo Heritage Plan 2002-2006 which focuses on:
  1. Collection of heritage data
    To advise on, and contribute to, the development of a comprehensive heritage database for Sligo, and to ensure the effective use of heritage data in policy formulation and decision-making.
  2. Local Authority heritage management
    To propose high quality advice to Sligo Local Authorities on policies and priorities relating to Sligo’s heritage and to support them in the integration of heritage conservation into their activities.
  3. Raising heritage awareness
    To facilitate awareness, understanding and enjoyment of Sligo’s heritage among the community.
  4. Promoting best practice
    To promote, and advise on, best practice standards for heritage conservation and management.
The County Sligo Heritage Plan, launched in 2002, was one of the first of its kind in Ireland. It is a concerted effort to establish objectives and set priorities for our shared heritage. The emphasis is on shared responsibility for the protection and conservation of Sligo’s heritage resource. Copies of the County Sligo Heritage Plan 2002-2006 are available from the County Sligo Heritage Office or can be downloaded from the council’s website.

COLLECTION OF HERITAGE DATA
- Achievements in 2005
  • Database of industrial archaeological sites - The construction of a database which describes and collates all data available on over 1000 industrial archaeological sites in County Sligo.
LOCAL AUTHORITY HERITAGE MANAGEMENT
- Achievements in 2005
  • Provision of high quality advice to the Sligo Local Authorities on policies and priorities relating to heritage and to support them in the integration of heritage conservation into their activities. This is achieved through heritage appraisal of development plans and local area plans, and the development of heritage training and the structured input of heritage advice.
RAISING AWARENESS
- Achievements in 2005
  • Hosted heritage exhibitions
  • Articles in local press
  • Promotion of the Heritage in Schools Scheme
PROMOTING BEST PRACTICE
- Achievements in 2005
  • The Field Monument Advisory Scheme was increased to a 3-day week at the end of 2005. The scheme advises landowners and farmers on best practice with regard to national monuments on their land. This ongoing scheme has been very well received and is a long-term priority action for the Sligo Heritage Forum.
  • Ongoing provision of advice to communities/individuals developing heritage initiatives and facilities such as heritage groups, tidy-town committees, graveyard management groups.
  • Conservation Plan for Carrowkeel – In recognising the conservation importance of the archaeological landscape of Carrowkeel and the need for consensus on how best to manage the site, a conservation plan was drafted in 2005 to provide a framework for the future sustainable management of Carrowkeel. This draft will be put to public consultation in 2006 before adoption.
  • Biodiversity Guidelines for Local Authorities – In recognising the responsibility local authorities have to help achieve biodiversity targets at local level, Biodiversity Advice notes were produced for all council staff. The guidance will ensure Sligo local authorities will enhance and conserve biodiversity in all aspects of its work. A training programme will be carried out in 2006 to disseminate this information and raise awareness of biodiversity issues among council staff.
  • Community Heritage Grant Scheme – On behalf of Sligo Local Authorities, the Sligo Heritage Office administers an annual community heritage grant scheme to support local communities and individuals to participate in heritage activity in the county. In 2005, €13,000 was distributed by the Heritage Office in respect of 12 grants.
LOCAL AUTHORITY PHYSICAL HERITAGE PROJECTS
- Achievements in 2005
A grant of €40,000 was secured from the Urban & Village Renewal Regional Operational Programme 2000-2006 for the Sligo Cemetery Gate Lodge to carry out conservation works during 2006.

Almost €340,000 has been allocated for the conservation of protected structures in County Sligo since 1999. Buildings included in the Sligo Local Authorities Record of Protected Structures are eligible for funding from the Protected Structures Grant scheme administered by the Heritage Office of Sligo County Council. This year €89,000 was allocated to Sligo from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Works were funded on 9 buildings across the county in 2005 including structural roof repairs to Calry Parish Church, The Mall and emergency repairs to parapet guttering on St John’s cathedral.