Latest news with #HeritageKeepers
Irish Independent
05-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Wexford beekeepers win national award for exceptional heritage project
The group was recognised for their project on the stories and traditions of local beekeeping in Wexford down through the years. Making use of extensive and deeply compelling oral history, a core objective of the project was to safekeep both the bees and the history of their keeping across the county. The memories and reflections of those who contributed to the beekeeping community in Wexford were recorded and archived with a focus on the themes of biodiversity and heritage. In collaboration with local historian Michael Fortune those leading the programme sought out people in the locality with interesting stories. From all of the resulting material submitted, 11 stories were shortlisted with interviews hosted by the group in the idyllic grounds of Johnstown Castle in May. On June 4, the exciting project was launched at Johnstown Castle with the participants and their families. Also in attendance were members of the Heritage Keepers. The group's oral history project was published on Youtube and is available for the public to view. There are six videos and among the contributors are Jim and Sean Aherne, Matt Doyle and Niall Keogh, Joe and Andrew Kelly and Loretta Neary, Pat Sills and Tony O'Brien, James Hogan and Bob Delaney and Joe Kelly who read 'The Honey Bee' by Ned Kavanagh. This was among the winning projects because it demonstrated 'how much knowledge, passion and traditions exists in communities across the country', according to the Heritage Keepers. 'By using the Heritage Keepers funding to collect an oral history of beekeeping in Wexford, our group had hoped to preserve knowledge and practices that may otherwise be forgotten,' said Jacintha Cloney. 'With the help of Michael Fortune and the support of The South Wexford Beekeepers Association, Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum and Gardens, The Irish Heritage Trust, our own South Wexford Beekeepers Heritage Keepers Group and, most importantly our interviewees, we believe we have created something even more special and rewarding than we initially set out to do.' Jacintha said that the group may revisit similar projects in the future, and that they were 'buzzing' to have been recognised in this way. The group are proud that the videos will be shown in Johnstown Castle as part of Heritage Week in August. Heritage Keepers is a programme targeted at community groups and primary schools and offers participants support to delve into, explore and truly understand local and natural heritage and provides funding to enable groups to take positive action within their communities. And a call has been made for new applications for the programme with community groups and primary schools welcome to apply, whether they are rural or urban. They can be submitted through and it's important to know that the application deadline is September 30. Since the programme started in 2022, more than 200 groups have participated, with 75 taking part last year. Due to this growing demand, this year's Heritage Keepers programme will have increased capacity.
Agriland
03-06-2025
- General
- Agriland
Co. Roscommon man wins Muintir na Tíre community award
A Co. Roscommon man has been named as the inaugural recipient of the Muintir na Tíre Community Person of the Year award. Bernard Kearney, from Fourmilehouse, Co. Roscommon was given the award at an event at Muintir na Tíre premises in Tipperary Town on Saturday, May 31. Bernard Kearney receives the 2025 Muintir na Tíre Community Person of the Year award, from Jackie Meally, national president of Muintir na Tíre. Source: Martin Quinn Kearney worked as a development officer with the organisation for over 30 years. According to Muintir na Tíre, throughout Kearney's life, he has been a firm believer in the mission statement and ethos of the organisation's founder, Canon John Hayes. During Kearney's time as a development officer, the Roscommon man was well known for his involvement with community text alert groups. Muintir na Tíre believes that Kearney's commitment to his local community, for nearly 50 years, can be seen through the many projects and initiatives that he has been involved in. The award was presented to Kearney by Muintir na Tíre national president, Jackie Meally. The event was preceded by a ceremony in Bansha, Co. Tipperary for the late Canon John Hayes, the founder of Muintir na Tíre. To mark 40 years of the community alert and text alert programme, Meally and the Irish Farmers' Association's (IFA) deputy president, Alice Doyle unveiled a new memorial bench. Muintir na Tíre In other news, local community groups are now able to apply for funding and mentoring under a programme to 'protect and celebrate' local heritage, including natural heritage. The Heritage Keepers programme is now open to applications for its fifth year. The programme is open to community groups and primary schools across Ireland in both urban and rural locations. Organisers of the initiative said that this year's programme will have an increased number of places for both community groups and schools. Heritage Keepers is an initiative of Burrenbeo Trust, and is funded by The Sunflower Charitable Foundation, through Community Foundation Ireland.
Agriland
03-06-2025
- General
- Agriland
Initiative to protect natural heritage now open to community groups
Local community groups are now able to apply for funding and mentoring under a programme to 'protect and celebrate' local heritage, including natural heritage. The Heritage Keepers programme is now open to applications for its fifth year. The programme is open to community groups and primary schools across Ireland in both urban and rural locations. Organisers of the initiative said that this year's programme will have an increased number of places for both community groups and schools. Heritage Keepers is an initiative of Burrenbeo Trust, and is funded by The Sunflower Charitable Foundation, through Community Foundation Ireland. Last year, 75 groups took part in the programme, with more than 200 groups having participated since the programme commenced. The aim of the programme is to provide funding to participants to take steps to protect built, cultural and natural heritage. The closing date for applications is September 30, with the latest round of the programme set to start in the autumn, and running until spring 2026. The programme is designed to help successful applicants develop a local plan to 'protect and celebrate their heritage' through a series of interactive workshops. When those workshops are complete, groups can apply for funding and receive ongoing mentoring to put their plans into action. Of the more than 200 groups and schools that have taken part in the programme since it was launched, some 90% have gone on to complete their funded action, the organisers of the programme said. Some past actions include exhibitions, heritage trails, tree planting, podcast creation, booklets, wildlife ponds, oral history projects, and 'place celebration' days. Funding for fieldtrips is also provided, allowing participants to visit local heritage sites. Commenting on the initiative, Heritage Keepers coordinator Mary Dillon said: 'Learning more about our places and their needs is the first step to building community stewardship, where communities and individuals feel empowered to take action locally to bring about real and meaningful change and action. 'While our programme is open to both primary schools and community groups, this year we would love to see an increased uptake in the number of applications from community groups. 'We are incredibly proud and grateful to all our previous Heritage Keepers participants who have shown an inspiring amount of pride in their place and have proved to be wonderful stewards of their community. We are very excited to meet this year's groups and hear all about their plans to protect and celebrate their local heritage,' Dillon added.
