Community Heritage Grant Awards Presented
The Council Chamber at County Hall, Riverside saw an exceptional gathering on Wednesday last, October 3rd 2007. The Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Seamus Kilgannon, together with the County Sligo Heritage Office hosted the annual County Sligo Community Heritage Awards to 14 groups of dedicated and committed people who devote their time and energies to preserving the heritage in their local areas and communities.
Councillor Kilgannon said that he was ‘privileged to honour and pay tribute to people who, through their passion and dedication, promote and preserve all aspects of the county’s heritage’. He welcomed the opportunity to recognise and support the huge contribution of groups and communities throughout County Sligo in promoting and caring for their heritage within their own communities. He went on to say that Sligo County Council recognised that local communities were the most qualified custodians of their own heritage and the Community Heritage Grants Programme supports local communities to become involved in playing a very significant role in protecting their unique heritage. ‘Everyone benefits from this priceless work’, he said, ‘and the rich variety of the projects funded under this year’s grant scheme reveals the great work being done at local level’. The depth of heritage knowledge within local communities is brought to light through the nature of the projects undertaken.
The groups involved in 2007 were; Bird Watch Ireland (Sligo Branch) whose project involved increasing the profile of the group through the development of the Sligo Branch website and promotion of events and outings throughout 2007, see www.sligobirding.com. for further details. The North Sligo Agricultural Show organised ‘Turn back the years’ at Grange Show in Aug. 2007. The aim was to encourage young people to research crafts and traditions which sustained rural communities in the past. The grant awarded to Friends of Ballindoon Abbey contributed towards the production of a booklet providing information and a history of Ballindoon Abbey at Lough Arrow, and the hosting of a seminar and guided tour of the Abbey during Heritage Week 2007. At Moylough Arts & Heritage Centre material relating to the Moylough Belt was compiled towards an information booklet and an information evening. Sligo Field Club also availed of the grant programme to develop a website which promotes events and activities. It will also include a diary of local and national events and reports of Sligo interest by local and national contributors.
2007 sees the third year of a 3 year project for Moygara Castle Research Programme which includes a Geophysical survey and an Architectural Survey, the finds to be eventually presented at an information evening with the publication of a book in 2008. The County Sligo ‘Sidhe Gaoithe’ Strawboys have produced a CD entitled ‘A Fairy Wind - stories, songs and music from Co. Sligo’, it is a selection of stories, monologues ballads and traditional music which are steeped in the customs and traditions of County Sligo. Sligo Folk Park used grant funding to host a series of demonstrations and classes which promoted the protection and restoration of existing thatched buildings in Sligo. The Grange Crochet Workers carried out a project aimed at the rejuvenation of the traditional craft of crochet which aimed to develop and improve crochet skills through classes, workshops and exhibitions.
Easkey Heritage and Genealogy Society have researched and will publish their third booklet in 2007. This series of local history publications focuses on the history of the parish of Easkey for the past 100 years is titled ‘Past & Present’. The committee of Killaspugbrone Preservation Project used the grant funding to assist in the specialised training of a craftsman to conserve and repair the masonry remains at local heritage sites, which is part of a long term strategy to conserve local heritage using locally based skills.
Knockminna National School saw its parents association involving local children in the history of their surrounding area. A booklet of poems and stories with a local heritage theme will be published. The restoration and maintenance of features within Ballymote Abbey graveyard at Stoneparks was undertaken by the committee with the underlying aim of raising public awareness, knowledge and pride of their local heritage within the community. The history of Castleconnor Parish was researched and compiled into a booklet ‘History of Castleconner Parish 1900 - 2006.
The Cathaoirleach concluded by saying he was delighted to be associated with this worthwhile initiative and welcomed the opportunity to commend and celebrate the work of the various committees and groups who, through their efforts, allow the people of Sligo share an affinity and pride in the unique and diverse heritage of County Sligo.
- Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Seamus Kilgannon, Hugh McConville, Killaspugbrone Preservation Project and Cllr. Imelda Henry
- Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Seamus Kilgannon, Triona Roddy, Grange Crochet Workers Group and Cllr. Patsy Barry
- Sligo Field Club members with Cathaoirleach Cllr. Seamus Kilgannon and Siobhán Ryan
- Cllr. John Sherlock, Cathaoirleach Cllr. Seamus Kilgannon, John Taylor, Sligo Folk Park and Cllr. Gerard Mullaney
- Community Heritage Grant Awards Reciepients with Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Seamus Kilgannon and Siobhán Ryan, Heritage Officer
County Hall, Riverside,
Sligo,
Co. Sligo.
GPS : Irish Grid 169896, 335864
Tel:071 9111111
Fax:071 9141119 Email:info@sligococo.ie
