Heritage building, protected structure, church, courthouse, gate lodge or farmhouse, no matter what category you ascribe a building to, the most important factor and one which ensures that a building has and continues to have a function, is that it is a home.  A home in the broadest sense of the word, be it a family, public authority, congregation or community group.  Whether in an urban or rural context, the nature and variety of our built heritage brings texture, grain and colour to our county, its landscape and streetscapes.  That richness is the result of local materials and human endeavour.

More than 140 people attended an information day for owners of heritage buildings, which was held on the 11th May 2007 in the Clarion Hotel, Sligo.  The audience reflected the diverse range of interests in built heritage in the county, from owners, developers, planning agents, estate agents, and local authority staff to elected members and interested individuals. The seminar was a joint initiative between the Heritage Office, Planning Section and Architects Department of Sligo Local Authorities and was co-funded by Sligo Local Authorities and The Heritage Council.

Opening the seminar, Tom Kilfeather, Acting Director of Service with Sligo County Council welcomed the owners and custodians of Sligo’s built heritage and outlined that the seminar had been specially developed to provide information on the most common queries that are received by Sligo Local Authorities from owners of heritage buildings. 

The seminar began with an illustrated talk by Sean Martin, Senior Architect with Sligo Borough Council on Sligo’s built heritage, followed by John Cronin, a planner and archaeologist with John Cronin and Associates who presented the National perspective and detailed the work of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and their recent survey of County Sligo   (www.buildingsofireland.com).

The Local Authority perspective on Protected Structures and Planning was then presented by Frank Moylan, Senior Executive Planner with Sligo Local Authorities, which was of particular interest to the audience as many of the participants were owners of protected structures.  The practicalities of caring for heritage buildings were addressed by Alastair Coey of Alastair Coey Architects, who stressed the importance of ongoing maintenance in keeping heritage buildings in good health.

Colm Murray, Architect with the Heritage Council, concluded the seminar by discussing the heritage dividend and the practical supports that are available to owners of heritage buildings in maintaining their building, whether through direct conservation grant aid or through sources of information such as the building skills register as maintained by the Irish Georgian Society (www.igs.ie).

Such was the interest in ‘The Future of Sligo’s Past’ – An Information Seminar for Owners of Heritage Buildings, that unfortunately not everyone who sought to attend could be accommodated.  However, the seminar presentations are now available to view and download from the Heritage Section of the Sligo County Council website under ‘News and Events’  (www.sligococo/services/heritage).  In this way it is hoped that the information delivered on the day will be available to as wide an audience as possible.

Irelands Built Heritage A National Perspective by John Cronin - 5,903 kbs

Protected Structures and Planning by Frank Moylan, Senior Executive Planner, Sligo County Council - 1,133 kbs

Sligos Built Heritage by Sean Martin Senior Architect Sligo Borough Council - 5,613 kbs

Warm and Dry - Caring for Heritage Buildings by Alastair Coey, of Alastair Coey Architects - 4,781 kbs

The Heritage Dividend by Colm Murray, Architect, The Heritage Council - 11,968 kbs

For further information contact:
Siobhán Ryan, Heritage Officer, Sligo County Council, Riverside, Sligo. 
Tel:  071-9111226/255 or by Email:  heritage@sligococo.ie.