The Heritage Council Annual Report 2016
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1 © The Heritage Council 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be printed or reproduced or utilised in any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or heretoafter invented, including photocopying or licence permitting restricted copying in Ireland issued by the Irish Copyright Licencing Agency Ltd., The Writers Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
Published by the Heritage Council
The Heritage Council of Ireland Series
ISBN 978-1-906304-35-5
Photo: Heritage Week 2016 - 'Hands on History 1916' with Jude Stynes, County Offaly. 2 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 © The Heritage Council 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be printed or reproduced or utilised in any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or heretoafter invented, including photocopying or licence permitting restricted copying in Ireland issued by the Irish Copyright Licencing Agency Ltd., The Writers Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
Published by the Heritage Council
The Heritage Council of Ireland Series
ISBN 978-1-906304-35-5
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 3
Contents
Chairman’s Message...... 6
Chief Executive’s Report...... 7
1. Introduction...... 9 1.1. Who are we?...... 10 1.1.1. Our Board ...... 10 1.1.2. Our Staff ...... 11 1.2. What do we do? ...... 14 1.3. 2016 at a Glance...... 16 1.4. Our Work in Numbers...... 18
Freshwater Pearl Mussel in County Clare: A Species Under Threat - Congella McGuire, Heritage Officer, Clare County Council ...... 24
2. Education, Outreach & Awareness ...... 27 2.1. Heritage in Schools ...... 28 2.2. National Heritage Week ...... 28 2.3. Island Wildlife Weekend...... 31 2.4. Museums Advocacy Day ...... 31 2.5. Media Coverage ...... 31 2.6. Diana Darke Talk ...... 31 2.7. The Heritage Council Online...... 32
European Cultural Policy - Beatrice Kelly, Head of Policy & Research, the Heritage Council...... 34
3. Policy & Research ...... 37 3.1. European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism ...... 38 3.2. Heritage Maps ...... 38 3.3. INSTAR Programme: ‘Landscape and Settlement of Later-Prehistoric South East Ireland’ ...... 39 3.4. Irish Towns and Villages ...... 39 3.5. Uplands Partnerships ...... 40 3.6. Landscape Working Group ...... 40 3.7. Archaeology 2025 ...... 40 3.8. Knockroe Passage Tomb, Co. Kilkenny ...... 40 3.9. Medieval Wexford: Essays in Memory of Billy Colfer ...... 41 3.10. National Planning Framework ...... 41
Ireland’s Female Farmers Conserving Our Heritage - Anna Meehan, GLAS Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme Project Manager...... 42
4 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016
Contents
4. Community and Conservation Initiatives & Projects ...... 45 4.1. Adopt a Monument Scheme ...... 46 4.2. Conservation Internships ...... 46 4.3. GLAS TFB Grant Scheme ...... 46 4.4. Heritage Grants Overview 2016 ...... 48 4.5. Irish Walled Towns Network ...... 48 4.6. Museum Standards Programme for Ireland ...... 51 4.7. The All Ireland Pollinator Plan ...... 52 4.8. Town Centre Health Check Training Programme ...... 53 4.9. Mayglass Traditional Homestead, Co. Wexford ...... 53
Managing our Monuments - Ian Doyle, Head of Conservation, the Heritage Council ...... 54
5. Regularly-funded Organisations...... 57 5.1. Bere Island Projects Group ...... 58 5.2. Burrenbeo ...... 58 5.3. Heritage Officer Programme ...... 60 5.4. National Biodiversity Data Centre ...... 64 5.5. Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland...... 64 5.6. Ireland Reaching Out ...... 65 5.7. Irish Archives Resource ...... 65 5.8. Irish Landmark Trust ...... 66 5.9. Irish Museums Association ...... 66 5.10. Irish Uplands Forum ...... 68 5.11. Woodlands of Ireland ...... 68 5.12. Wicklow Uplands Council ...... 69 5.13. The Discovery Programme ...... 69 5.14. The Institute of Conservator-Restorers in Ireland ...... 70
Biodiversity Research - Isabell Smyth, Head of Communications & Education, the Heritage Council ...... 72
6. International Initiatives ...... 75 6.1. EU Joint Programming Initiative for Cultural Heritage ...... 76 6.2. European Heritage Days ...... 76 6.3. EU Association of Archaeologists ...... 76 6.4. Landscape Values - Place and Praxis Conference ...... 76 6.5. 2nd European Congress – European Cities & their Heritage: The Faces of History in European Cities ...... 76 6.6 EUROPARC - The Voice of Protected Areas in Europe
7. Corporate Governance ...... 79 7.1. Prompt Payments in 2016 ...... 81
8. Financial Statements ...... 83
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
The Heritage Council’s longstanding Chairman, Conor Newman stepped down at the end of 2016. It falls to me therefore as Acting Chair to pay tribute to the outstanding manner in which Conor guided the Council through almost a decade of unprecedented social and economic flux. Conor’s resolute style of leadership saw Council retain its focus on working with and for communities the length and breadth of Ireland, supporting them in realising the potential which their heritage has to help the process of belonging and regeneration on which they are all now embarked.
I had the privilege of serving as a member of Council for a four year period with Conor at the helm. In addition to his commitment to communities, I found him a passionate believer in the power and benefits which education can bring to us all, and the place our natural and cultural heritage can occupy within both the formal and informal education system. This is a theme warmly embraced by the new cohort of members appointed by Minister Heather Humphreys in July 2016. As the new members settle into their task, their focus is firmly fixed on the development of the Council’s next strategic Plan 2017-2021. Themes are currently emerging for this plan that focus on:
- advancing national heritage priorities;
- nurturing belonging and a sense of identity;
- ensuring a vibrant heritage sector.
As this work continues in 2017, a key aspect for Council will be to show how heritage is relevant to, and can help to resolve current national imperatives such as those we face from BREXIT and also the current housing crisis. Many of our initiatives in rural Ireland and our towns and villages will be significant in that regard and perhaps particularly in our border communities which find themselves truly in the frontline of current uncertainties. I pay tribute to the ongoing and excellent work of all the Heritage Council’s staff in ensuring that members are fully briefed and informed on all of these matters. I also wish to pay tribute to the marvelous work of the County Heritage Officers promoting heritage throughout Ireland.
In presenting this Annual Report 2016, it is my hope and belief that the manner in which Council works will continue to flourish and receive ongoing support for many years to come.
Michael Parsons Acting Chairman
6 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
The year 2016 for the Heritage Council is not one that will be easily forgotten. As the Acting Chairman has noted Council’s long standing Chairman stepped down during the year. Add to that the absence of any Board members (with the exception of the Chairman) during January to July 2016 and the October departure of Council’s Head of Business Service and it can be seen that Council’s executive had to be even more imaginative and flexible in its approach than is the norm. Despite these challenges the scope and breadth of Council’s operations and outreach continue to broaden at a time when the human and financial capacity of the organisation remains severely challenged.
Contemporary work in the heritage sector is very much focused on the theme of ‘people and place’, and above all the significant role that heritage can play in improving the quality of place for people. To emphasise the extent of Council’s work in this regard, its Annual Report 2016 contains more detail on specific projects than would be the norm. In providing greater detail Council is seeking not only to ‘report’ but also provide information and a reference point for the reader who wishes to engage in a more substantive manner with our work. The inclusion of a range of feature articles at the end of each chapter serves to illustrate that point, as does the in depth information provided on a wide range of very significant issues, ranging from town centre health checks to the value of HeritageMaps.ie.
It is interesting in particular to note the significant value that derives from relatively modest investment in heritage initiatives across the country. Whether that be through Heritage in Schools, Heritage Week or the Heritage Officer Network, the potential that is offered is, I hope clear for all to see. New national policies such as the Creative Ireland programme and the Action Plan for Rural Development all emphasise the significance of our natural and cultural heritage in a way which previous such policies have not been able to do. It is up to us all in the years to come to ensure the current momentum is maintained as these policies and programmes are implemented.
In conclusion, I add my own thanks to Conor Newman for his help and guidance over eight years. Conor had an amazing ability to make the impossible seem possible – and in keeping us afloat and relevant during the period 2008-2016 he may just have been proved right. I must also say thank you to our former Head of Business Services, Liam Scott, who, like other professional staff who have moved on over the years, has secured a much-merited promotion to director level within a national agency. As a colleague, his calming influence has been much missed within the organisation as has his role as an ambassador for the Heritage Council with a very wide range of bodies and individuals. His contribution to the success of many initiatives cannot be over-emphasised and in particular his close collaboration with the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network will stand as an outstanding legacy to his time with the Heritage Council.
Michael Starrett Chief Executive
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 7 8 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1.Introduction
Outreach activities under the new Adopt a Monument Scheme at Gallowshill Fort, Co. Waterford.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 9 1. Introduction
1.1. WHO ARE WE?
The Heritage Council was established as a statutory body under the Heritage Act, 1995. The Heritage Act provides a comprehensive definition of ‘heritage’ which includes monuments, archaeological objects, heritage objects such as art and industrial works, documents and genealogical records, architectural heritage, flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes, seascapes, wrecks, geology, heritage gardens, parks and inland waterways.
The Heritage Council's vision is that this heritage is enjoyed, managed and protected for the vital contribution that it makes to both our social and economic well-being. We work in partnership with local communities, local authorities, voluntary groups, government departments, various agencies and national cultural institutions in order to deliver this vision through our support of heritage-related jobs, education and tourism in our local communities.
1.1.1 OUR BOARD
Heritage Council Board members are appointed by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Coming from diverse backgrounds and with wide ranging skills, each member provides an invaluable conduit of ideas and energy, enabling the organisation to lead, respond and deliver effectively.
All expenses to board members are paid in accordance with the guidelines and rules set down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Details of expenses are published in our annual reports.
Heritage Council Board 2016: Back row: left to right: Ivor McElveen; Kieran Coughlan; Michael Starrett, Chief Executive; Michael Parsons; Muiris O’Sullivan; Mary Gallagher; Sinead Mc Cartan. Front row: left to right: Jane Maxwell; Conor Newman, Chairman; Miriam Fitzpatrick. Not pictured: Marie Bourke, Brian Walsh & Fionnuala May
10 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
Conor Newman (Chairman) Originally appointed to the Board on 31st May 2008 until 31st May 2013 by Minister John Gormely. Reappointed by Minister Jimmy Deenihan for another fiver year period on 18th July 2013 to 18th July 2018. Stepped down as Chair on 31st Dec 2016
The period of appointment for the following Board members ended on the 26th January 2016: Dr. Ciara Breathnach, Mr. Ted Creedon, Ms. Catherine Heaney, Dr. Fidelma Mullane, Dr. Kieran O’Conor, Mr. Michael Parsons.
The following members were appointed to the Board in July 2016:
Marie Bourke Fionnuala May
• Former Keeper/ Head of Education/ Member of the • Acting County Architect, Fingal County Council (2011-to date) Management Team/ Secretary of the Board, National • Served as a member of the Heritage Council's Standing Gallery of Ireland (1998-2015) Committee on Architecture (2000-2010) • Chair (2006-09), Board Member (1999-2009), Irish Museums Association Sinead McCartan
Kieran Coughlan • Interim Director of Collections and Interpretation for National Museums Northern Ireland • Chief Executive of the Houses of the Oireachtas • Curator of Prehistoric Archaeology at the Ulster Museum, Commission, Secretary General to the Oireachtas Service Belfast (1990-2008) and Clerk of the Dáil (1990-2013) Ivor McElveen • Appointed to Ethics in Public Office Commission 1995 • Founder of historic building and conservation consultancy Miriam Fitzpatrick practice in Wexford • Trained as an architect and urban designer • Former Director of Europe, the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) • Lecturer in Architecture with specialty in Urban Design, • Previously Chairman of a large restituted estate in the University College Dublin & Waterford Institute of Czech Republic and Advisor to the Czech Government Technology Michael Parsons Mary Gallagher • Chairperson Laois Heritage Society • Secretary to the Authority of the National Sports Campus Development Authority (NSCDA) and Company Secretary, • Member of the Heritage Council since January 2012 NSCDA (Operations) Ltd. (April 2007-October 2015) Muiris Ó Súilleabháin • Head of Corporate Governance/ Secretary to the Board, Enterprise Ireland (1998-2007) • Lecturer, UCD School of Archaeology (1994-to date); Member, Scientific Committee, Carnac Alignment World Jane Maxwell Heritage Bid (2014-to date) • Dean of Arts, UCD (2014-2015); Head of School • Principal Curator, Manuscripts & Archives Research of Archaeology, UCD (2004-2008) Library, Trinity College Library • Governors and Guardians of Marsh’s Library (Provost’s Brian Walsh proxy) • Curator, County Museum, Dundalk (February 2005-to date) • Member of review committee on the National Monuments Act (2009/2010)
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 11 1. Introduction
1.1.2 OUR STAFF
The staff of the Heritage Council are a small, flexible and highly motivated group of people. Their expertise, independence and their focus on heritage define the organisational culture.
Michael Starrett Chief Executive Officer
Heads of Service Professional Officers Administrative Staff Project Managers Ian Doyle Paula Drohan Anne Barcoe Niamh Donnellan Head of Conservation Finance Officer PA to Chief Executive Officer Heritage Week Project & Chairman Manager Beatrice Kelly Alison Harvey Head of Policy & Research Planning Officer Amanda Ryan Lesley-Ann Hayden Grants Administrator Co-ordinator Museum Liam Scott Colm Murray Standards Programme Head of Business Services Architecture Officer Gerard Croke for Ireland (until Oct 2016) Administrator Anna Meenan Liam Mannix Isabell Smyth GLAS Traditional Farm Martina Malone Irish Walled Towns Network Head of Communications Buildings Grant Scheme Administrator, Website Project Manager & Education Project Manager & Social Media Content Christena Ryan Administrator
New members of the Board of the Heritage Council meet informally with Heritage Council Staff: Minister Heather Humphreys and the Chair of the Board for the first time in Michael Starrett (Chief Executive), Anne Barcoe, Gerard Croke, Ian Doyle, July 2016. Paula Drohan, Alison Harvey, Beatrice Kelly, Martina Malone, Anna Meenan, Colm Murray & Isabell Smyth
Not pictured: Amanda Ryan, Christena Ryan & Liam Scott
12 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 13 1. Introduction
1.2 WHAT DO WE DO?
The Heritage Council is a public body working in the public interest. We seek to fulfil our priorities through the provision of expert advice, funding, education programmes and advocacy.
WE ADVISE
The Heritage Council proposes policy and priorities to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on heritage issues that include sustainability, landscape management, high nature value farming, forestry and climate change.
WE EDUCATE
Education has always been at the heart of the Heritage Council’s work programme. Our Heritage in Schools Scheme, in particular, plays a key role in encouraging interest and participation at primary level. We also support a wide range of professional development programmes that to date have dealt with landscape, planning, museums, archaeology and traditional skills.
WE RAISE AWARENESS
Through our publications, promotions, social media and the hugely successful National Heritage Week we focus on contacting, informing, engaging and even entertaining as wide, as varied and as culturally diverse range as possible. We are ever-conscious of the need to remind people of the value and beauty of heritage in a time where so many other issues and events compete for their attention.
WE WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Community involvement is at the heart of the Heritage Council’s vision for national heritage. Our work with local communities supports jobs, education and heritage tourism in our local areas, delivering a rich tourism experience and excellent practice in the care of our nation’s valuable heritage assets.
Since our establishment in 1995, we have put in place heritage infrastructure and networks to enable communities to participate in and take responsibility for the development and conservation of the heritage of their areas. Success has been achieved through working in partnership with local authorities and statutory agencies. The results of such projects include the Community-Led Village Design Toolkit, the Heritage Officer Programme and a wide range of projects undertaken under the Heritage Management Grants Scheme.
WE WORK WITH PARTNERS
The Heritage Council works with partners, particularly at local level, to increase awareness of our national heritage and to highlight its importance to public policy and everyday life.
Most important is our ongoing relationships with local authorities across the country. Helping to build expertise and resources at local level has been a key objective of the Heritage Council since it was established in 1995. Management and responsibility of heritage at local level is often the best means to ensure its long-term care and sustainable use.
The Heritage Council has a complex national brief across natural, cultural and built heritage which places a heavy and welcome reliance on us to work with others to achieve common aims together. In addition, the Heritage Council provides core funding to a number of bodies in order to support the needs of the sector and to help achieve shared aims.
14 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
WE SUPPORT THE HERITAGE SECTOR
The projects and initiatives we fund, participate in or support in a range of ways are carried out in line with best conservation practice. They help support and maintain a wide network of highly-skilled heritage professionals that includes conservators, thatchers, builders, ecologists, archaeologists, conservation architects and museum curators.
Our work complements and builds on the work of other state heritage bodies which have primary responsibility for the care of property in state ownership and the designation of protected areas.
Educators at the Place-Based Learning Summer Training Course, the Burren, Co. Clare
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 15 20161. Introduction AT A GLANCE
JANUARY • The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 is launched • Period of appointment to the Board of the Heritage in conjunction with Bord Bia and the Department of Council ends for six Board members. Agriculture.
• Collections Management Workshop delivered by the Collections Trust UK to Museum Standards Programme of Ireland (MSPI) participants.
FEBRUARY • Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN) AGM and Town Wall Conservation Conference held in Dublin.
MARCH • New Heritage Plan launched by Heritage Office of Sligo • ‘Managing Volunteers for Festivals’ course held by IWTN County Council. in Kilkenny.
APRIL • National Heritage Week, Event-Organiser Training Days • Writing and Implementing Acquisition, Disposal and Loan took place in Dublin and Galway. Policies workshop delivered to MSPI participants.
• GLAS Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme featured • Two training days on the maintenance of town walls held on Irish TV. by IWTN, one course focused on specifiers, the other on practitioners. • Institute of Conservator-Restorers in Ireland deliver Introduction to Caring for Collections workshop for MSPI participants.
MAY • 171 heritage projects across Ireland are allocated a total • ‘Managing Volunteers for Festivals’ course held by IWTN of 800,000 under the Heritage Council 2016 Community- in conjunction with Galway County Council in Loughrea, Based Heritage Grants Scheme. Co. Galway.
• Six sites from around the country were selected to • Final workshop to review the Erasmus+ ‘Train the Trainer’ participate in the inaugural year of the ‘Adopt a Monument project to upskill trainers in the use of Building Lime Scheme’, operated in conjunction with Abarta Heritage. Technology, Kilkenny
JUNE • The Heritage Council presented the 2015 National • ‘Tourism for Towns’ advisory document published by Heritage Week Event Awards at a ceremony in the IWTN. Heritage Council HQ, including the inaugural Heritage • The Heritage Council supported and was represented at Hero Award which was presented to Ursula Leslie of the international Uniscape conference which took place at Tarbert House, Co. Kerry. NUI Galway. • Strategic Planning workshop delivered to MSPI participants.
16 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
JULY • New Board appointed to the Heritage Council and met • Woodlands of Ireland publishes the first National informally for the first time with the Minister and the Woodlands Strategy for Ireland. Chairman. • The Heritage Council’s Architecture Officer is interviewed • Seven of Ireland’s museums are awarded the top standard on Newstalk Radio regarding Michelle Obama’s assertion of Full Accreditation by the MSPI. that the White House, Washington, was built by slaves. The research confirms this.
AUGUST • National Heritage Week took place between August 20th- • The Heritage Council was represented at the European 28th, with the theme of ‘One Hundred Years of Heritage’, Association of Archaeologists’ annual conference held in celebrating the 1916 centenary year. Vilnius, Lithuania.
SEPTEMBER • The Heritage Council is represented at the National • The first formal meeting for new members of the Ploughing Championships. Heritage Council Board.
OCTOBER • The Heritage Council is allocated an additional €1 million • The Heritage Council is represented at the European in funding in Budget 2016 for historic towns. Heritage Days plenary meeting in Madrid.
• 28 new specialists added to the Heritage in Schools • Heritage Council Board meeting. Schemes.
NOVEMBER • Show ‘n’ Tell demonstration day held at GLAS traditional • Seminar on accessing LEADER funding for heritage farm-building project in Ballygarvan, Co. Wexford. projects provided by the IWTN.
• Irish Museums Association survey of Irish museums • Museums Advocacy Day was launched in the National launched with support of the Heritage Council. Library by Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys. • ‘Solving Our Own Problems’ regeneration event held in Bandon, Co. Cork by the IWTN.
DECEMBER
• Heritage Council Chairman, Conor Newman steps down • The publication, Medieval Wexford: Essays in Memory of after eight years in the post. Billy Colfer (former Council Member), co-authored by the Heritage Council’s Head of Conservation was launched. • The Atlas of Mammals of Ireland, produced by the National Biodiversity Data Centre is launched at the • The Heritage Council was represented at the first meeting Heritage Council Headquarters. of the National Planning Framework’s Special Advisory Group. • The Heritage Council is represented at the 2nd European Congress – ‘European Cities and their Heritage: The Faces • Heritage Council Board meeting. of History in European Cities’, held in Berlin.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 17 1. Introduction
2016 IN NUMBERS
THERE ARE 14 STAFF A NETWORK OF 28 AND THREE PROJECT HERITAGE OFFICERS CONSULTANTS WORK FROM LOCAL WORKING AT THE AUTHORITIES ACROSS HERITAGE COUNCIL. THE COUNTRY.
OVER 96,000 CHILDREN TOOK PART
58 4 MILLION IN THE HERITAGE IRISH MUSEUMS PARTICIPATE RECORDS ON IRELAND’S BIODIVERSITY ARE NOW IN SCHOOLS PROGRAMME IN THE MUSEUM STANDARDS AVAILABLE VIA WWW.BIODIVERSITYIRELAND.IE. IN 2016. PROGRAMME FOR IRELAND.
435,680 PEOPLE ATTENDED 29 389 €3M HISTORIC IRISH TOWNS TRADITIONAL FARM WAS INVESTED IN
1,876 PARTICIPATE IN THE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN NATIONAL GRANT DIVERSE EVENTS IRISH WALLED TOWNS CONSERVED SINCE 2005. PROGRAMMES IN 2016. AROUND THE COUNTRY NETWORK. FOR NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK 2016.
OVER IN 2016, THERE WERE 377 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANT APPLICATIONS AND
61 6,000 COUNTY HERITAGE
HERITAGE PROJECTS HAVE €794K PROJECTS SHARED BEEN FUNDED BY THE WAS SHARED AMONG FUNDING OF HERITAGE COUNCIL SINCE 1998, SOME SMALL-SCALE, €485K ALL RELEVANT. 166 IN 2016. PROJECTS.
18 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
SUPPORT FOR €3M INVESTED IN NATIONAL NATIONAL HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAMMES IN 2016: € GRANT PROGRAMMES 1 Irish National Strategic Archaeological 400,000 Research 2 Irish Walled Towns Network Grants towards 87,958 Walled Towns Days 3 Irish Walled Towns Network Grants towards 220,498 1 Capital Works 4 Policy & Infrastructure Grants 412,213 5 County Heritage Plan Grants 484,557 6 Community Based Heritage 794,200 7 Irish Landmark Trust 220,000 €3M 8 Discovery Programme: Centre for 750,000 INVESTED IN NATIONAL GRANT Archaeology and Innovation Ireland PROGRAMMES IN 2016 TOTAL 3,009,426
7 8 1 2 SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL AND REGIONAL HERITAGE INFRASTRUCTURE 6 €1.94M 3 IN IRELAND – ALLOCATION OUR INVESTMENT IN HERITAGE OF FUNDS INFRASTRUCTURE IN IRELAND.
4 5
HC Funding in 2016 Heritage Infrastructure Heritage Element Location/Base (€) 1. Bere Island Cultural Landscapes/ Seascapes Bere Island, Co. Cork 20,000 2. Burrenbeo Trust Cultural Landscapes and Biodiversity Kinvara, Co. Galway 20,000
3. Discovery Programme Archaeology Dublin 750,000
4. Ireland Reaching Out Genealogy Loughrea, Co. Galway 34,907 5. Irish Landmark Trust Built Heritage and Landscapes/Seascapes Dublin 220,000 6. National Biodiversity Data Centre Biodiversity Waterford 789,998 7. Wicklow Uplands Council Cultural Landscapes Roundwood, Co. Wicklow 65,000 8. Woodlands of Ireland Native Woodland Species Murrough, Co. Wicklow 40,000
Total 1,939,905
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 19 1. Introduction
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
• The Year of Commemorations was a huge national success and the Heritage Council is proud to have supported many of the events which took place throughout the year through both its grant-funding and its support of the Heritage Officer Network.
• The 1916 Centenary also provided the theme of ‘One Hundred Years of Heritage’ for National Heritage Week 2016, which saw nearly 450,000 people participate in over 1,800 diverse events around the country. The PR value of National Heritage Week has been independently estimated at €7million, representing an exceptional return on an investment of €300,000 in the initiative by the Heritage Council.
• The Heritage Council was also proud to support the first ever ‘Museums Advocacy Day’ in Ireland which was launched by Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys in the National Library of Ireland in November. The day aimed to highlight the significant work of museums across the island of Ireland and in particular, their enormous contribution to the success of the Year of Commemorations.
• The Heritage in Schools scheme continues to grow in popularity around the country, with an addition of 28 new Heritage Experts to scheme in 2016. A record 1,984 visits took place in 802 primary schools during the year.
POLICY & RESEARCH
• 2016 saw the redevelopment, redesign and re-branding of the ‘Heritage Maps Viewer’ to become HeritageMaps.ie. The target user-base was widened to include the education and tourism sectors and new data-sets were included such as UNESCO Heritage Sites in Ireland, Sheela-na-Gigs, and notable Irish stained glass. Following its official release in December 2016, user numbers of the resource increased eight-fold.
• The project entitled, Landscape and Settlement of Later-Prehistoric South East Ireland continued in 2016 with funding from the Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) Programme. Paleo-environmental sequences were obtained from sites in Co. Waterford and Co. Carlow, a total of 69 new archaeological site reports were analysed and information on features relating to the study period (1200BC-AD400) were entered into the database, which now contains 201 archaeological sites from the region. The results of the project were also highlighted at a major international conference (European Association of Archaeologists) in Lithuania in September.
• Heritage Council staff contributed to the drafting of the policy document entitled Archaeology 2025 which will both inform the emerging National Heritage Plan and provide a key contribution to the Creative Ireland initiative (2017-2022).
• The Heritage Council contributed to the preparation of the National Planning Framework – Ireland 2040 – Our Plan through participation in the Special Advisory Group, chaired by Minister for Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government, Simon Coveney and through a submission outlining the Heritage Council’s key priorities for the plan.
• The Heritage Council assisted the Irish Uplands Forum conduct two important research studies into the current activities and socio-economic conditions of uplands communities in Ireland. The reports will inform future policy and decision- making in relation to these areas.
20 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
COMMUNITY & CONSERVATION INITIATIVES & PROJECTS
• The Heritage Council, in conjunction with Abarta Heritage launched the first ever Adopt a Monument Scheme in Ireland. Six projects from over 90 submissions from around the country were selected to participate in the first year of the scheme which provides expertise, mentoring and support to local communities as they undertake the maintenance, conservation and promotion of a local monument.
• The hugely popular Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme which provides grants towards the conservation of traditional farm buildings was moved to the Green Low Carbon Agri Environment Scheme (GLAS) and has now been extended to include other farm landscape features such as stone walls, piers, field gates, cobbled yards and farm bridges. €725,488 was invested in the scheme in 2016 with 48 grantees supported to conserve 67 buildings and five other structures, including field boundary walls and a bridge.
• €800,000 was made available through both the Heritage Council Grant Scheme and the Dept. of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for the Community-Based Grant Scheme in 2016. 171 projects from around the country were selected from nearly 400 applications and included habitat, threatened species, built and cultural heritage conservation.
• The Irish Walled Towns Network provided a total of €199,000 to 13 town wall conservation projects. Additionally, €22,000 was provided to two town wall conservation and interpretation plans and €99,000 was provided to 17 towns for the running of walled towns festivals, educational and tourism events.
• Three museums participating in the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland achieved full accreditation under the programme for the first time, bringing the total number of fully accredited museums to 28. The number of museums currently holding interim accreditation is 10. In December 2016, the Heritage Council invited Cork Public Museum; Glebe House and Gallery, OPW; IFI, The Irish Film Archive; and Russborough House to become participants in the programme, bringing the total number of participating museums in the country to 58.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 21 1. Introduction
REGULARLY-FUNDED ORGANISATIONS
• The Heritage Council offered a total of €484,557 to Heritage Plan projects through the network of 28 Heritage Officers based in local authority offices around the country. Successful 1916 Centenary projects were delivered in collaboration with local communities throughout the year, as well as significant conservation, educational and promotional projects regarding local heritage.
• Biodiversity Maps, the online data and mapping system run by the National Biodiversity Centre published over 4 million observations of 15,797 species in Ireland in 2016. The system is providing information on the distribution of species, including threatened and protected species, so as to better inform policy formation and the implementation of EU Directives.
• Conservation work was carried out at two Irish Landmark Trust buildings, Saunderscourt Gate Lodge in Co. Wexford and The Mall, Co. Cork. Once works are completed, the buildings will be rented as holiday accommodation, ensuring both the conservation of the buildings and their continued use in to the future.
• Woodlands of Ireland published the first-ever Woodlands Strategy for Ireland which covers a wide range of topics, including, the creation of new native woodlands; woodland creation as part of climate-change mitigation and water quality enhancement measures; natural capital realisation; and recreational native woodlands.
• The Discovery Programme celebrated 25 years conducting advanced research in Irish archaeology and related disciplines, and disseminating its findings to a global community. The Discovery Programme held a programme of consultation and produced a draft copy of the national archaeological strategy - Archaeology 2025 on behalf of the Royal Irish Academy.
• Wicklow Uplands Council launched the Avonmore Way, a 12km sustainable walking trail linking the villages of Laragh and Rathdrum.
• Support from the Heritage Council enabled the Institute of Conservators-Restorers in Ireland to accredit six conservators- restorers in the four disciplines of paper; books and paper; furniture and wood conservation; and conservation management. It also enabled twelve conservator-restorers to attend highly specialised professional training courses both in Ireland and abroad.
22 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
• Representatives from the Heritage Council presented papers at a number of European conferences, including: the annual conference of the European Association of Archaeologists held in Vilnius, Lithuania; Landscape Values - Place and Practice held in Galway; the second European Congress annual conference – European Cities and their Heritage: The Faces of History in European Cities held in Berlin.
• The Heritage Council continued its participation in EUROPARC, the European-wide network of government agencies with responsibility for policy development relating to protected areas.
• A representative from the Heritage Council participated in the plenary meeting of European Heritage Days (EHD) national coordinators in Madrid in October that included a discussion of themes for upcoming years, 2018 – Year of Cultural Heritage and common EHD communications strategies.
• The Heritage Council continued to manage and promote the European cultural heritage research website - www.heritageportal.eu and associated social media in 2016 as part of the Joint Programming Initiative for Cultural Heritage (JPICH).
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 23 7. Featured Work fromFRESHWATER 2016 PEARL MUSSEL IN COUNTY CLARE: A Species Under Threat - Congella McGuire, Heritage Officer, Clare County Council
The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is has published A Strategy for Conservation of the Freshwater a species of bivalve mollusc that lives in rivers and lakes; Pearl Mussel in Ireland. The strategy prioritises eight of the 27 it is a larger, freshwater relative of the edible mussel. The populations and encompasses approximately 9.6 million, or freshwater pearl mussel is endangered worldwide, 90% of all 80% of the Irish freshwater pearl mussel population. freshwater pearl mussels died out across Europe during the C20th. Because of its threatened status, it is listed on Annex Cloon River is the only river in County Clare designated as a II and Annex V of the European Habitats Directive. Ireland is Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the freshwater pearl now considered to host approximately 46% of the European mussel and Clare County Council felt it necessary to survey population of the species, and has approximately 96 individual additional rivers for the presence of the mussel. In 2016, Clare populations within 139 rivers and a handful of lakes. It is County Council employed EirEco Environmental Consultants, clear, therefore, that Ireland has a very significant international in conjunction with the Aquatic Services Unit at University responsibility for the species’ conservation. College Cork to survey the Doonbeg River, Cree River and Annagheeragh River. Previous surveys of the Doonbeg River The interior of the shell of Margaritifera margaritifera is capable had found significant populations in some river reaches, of making fine-quality pearls, and was historically exploited but more information on the extent and distribution of in the search for pearls from wild sources but most cultured the population was necessary in order to ensure that the pearls today come from mussel species native to Asia and appropriate measures are taken to protect the population in North America. Irish freshwater pearl mussels live in nutrient- that location. poor, acid to neutral water of rivers which flow over granite or sandstone rock, mainly in the west, but also in areas of A ‘Stage 2’ survey of the Doonbeg River over approximately the south and south east where geological conditions allow. a 2km stretch found a minimum population for the Doonbeg They have a complex life cycle and mature between the ages system to be approximately 7,000 mussels. However, only of seven and 15 years. Capable of living for up to 130 years, a few mussels were found in the upper catchment, which they grow very slowly and begin life as a tiny larva, known as is intensively farmed and drained and where the population glochidia. is considered to be highly fragmented and at high risk of extinction. The river shows evidence of high silt loads and The glochidia, which are temporarily brooded in the female nutrient input along with widespread modification to the river gills from June each year are then released into the open banks and modification to flow regime through drainage water in high numbers in an event lasting one to two days activities. These combined stressors are evidently affecting between July and September. A small percentage of the the survival of juveniles and without intervention, the future glochidia released to the river will be inhaled by passing prospects for the freshwater pearl mussel in the Doonbeg salmonid fish which act as the pearl mussels’ temporary River do not look favourable. hosts. The glochidia initially attach to the gills of salmonid fish hosts, such as Atlantic salmon and sea trout, which The Cree and Annagheeragh Rivers were thought to provide nourishment, before they become large enough potentially contain suitable habitat due to the geology and for independent development in the river bed. The juvenile river characteristics. Stage 1 field surveys were completed mussels stay embedded in the river substrate until they reach of these rivers in order to assess the presence or absence of five years of age. Clean, fast-flowing streams and rivers are suitable habitat and/or mussels and to progress to Stage 2, if required for their survival, where they live buried or partly and where mussels were found. buried in water at depths between 0.5 and 2 meters, but sometimes at greater depth. Only five adult mussels were counted in the Annageeragh River, while the river has some suitable substrate and may The main cause of the ongoing decline of the species across historically have been a reasonably good pearl mussel river, Ireland and Europe is sedimentation and enrichment of much of it has been modified by drainage and engineering its habitat. A total of 27 populations have been designated works. In additition the river contains high levels of within 19 Special Areas of Conservation for the species in filamentous green algal growth (Oedogonium spp.), fine silt Ireland. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and detritus. The Annageeragh freshwater pearl mussel population is therefore critically endangered and without
24 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 7. Featured Work from 2016
Instream survey work using bathoscopes commissioned by Clare County Council to find occurrences of the Fresh Water Pearl Mussel in the Doonbeg River, Co. Clare considerable intervention in reducing silt and nutrient loading, suggests that it probably escaped the dredging bucket during is sadly likely to become extinct in the very near future. original drainage operations and has survived until 2016. The species can thus be sadly considered effectively extinct in the The survey found a single large adult present in the Creegh Creegh catchment. River, which was almost certainly once a good, or even very good, freshwater pearl mussel river. However, it appears The results of the study are informing the practices and that in all likelihood, owing to severe historical and ongoing decision-making of Clare County Council in relation to how drainage along most of its main channel, there may only be best to meet its obligations under the European Water this one remaining mussel in the river. The large size (and Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive. therefore apparent advanced age) of the mussel (150mm)
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 25 26 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 2.Education, Outreach & Awareness
Puffin on the west coast - one of the species recorded during Island Wildlife Weekend.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 27 2. Education, Outreach & Awareness
2.1. HERITAGE IN SCHOOLS
The Heritage in Schools Scheme is Ireland’s leading outdoor education programme for primary school children, it has been running since 2000. The scheme is unique in Ireland and provides a panel of diverse Heritage Experts who work directly with children in primary schools throughout the country.
A total of 83,747 children in 802 schools participated in the scheme in 2016, 30,770 of which were Designated Disadvantaged Schools. Due to the increasing popularity of the scheme, 28 new Heritage Experts, offering a diverse range of knowledge and skills in areas such as pollination, archaeology, local history and biodiversity were added to the panel in September. This now brings the total number of Heritage Experts to 204. For the first time, the Heritage Council collaborated with Focus Ireland on a number of outdoor visits in the Dublin area including a 'Native Tree Trail' around Saint Anne’s Park and a trip to the National Botanic Gardens.
2.2. HERITAGE WEEK
National Heritage Week took place between August 20th-28th 2016. The event has been coordinated by the Heritage Council since 2005. National Heritage Week celebrates and raises awareness of Ireland’s heritage in all its forms - built, natural and cultural. For nine action-packed days, Ireland celebrates not only heritage but community involvement and a deep connection between people and place. National Heritage Week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union in which over forty countries participate each year.
The theme of National Heritage Week 2016 was ‘One Hundred Years of Heritage’, celebrating the centenary of the 1916 Rising. 435,680 people attended 1,876 diverse events around the country, which included open days at historic buildings, natural and cultural walking tours and hands-on heritage activities for children.
Events were run by 1,083 event organisers, including many voluntary and community groups. Satisfaction ratings remained very high among event organisers with 99% stating they would take part in National Heritage Week again. 87% of events were free-of-charge despite only 27% of event-organisers receiving public funding for their event. Satisfaction ratings among the public were excellent with 100% of respondents stating they would recommend National Heritage Week to a friend. The value of the public relations generated by National Heritage Week has been independently estimated at €7 million by Kantar Media, this has increased from €5 million in 2015. This is an exceptional return on an annual Heritage Council investment of €300,000 in the initiative.
PUBLIC RELATIONS 1,083 GENERATED BY 100% EVENT ORGANISERS WOULD RECOMMEND NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK NATIONAL HERITAGE TO A FRIEND
WEEK ESTIMATED AT HERITAGE COUNCIL 87% INVESTMENT OF OF EVENTS WERE FREE-OF-CHARGE €7 MILLION €300,000
28 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 2. Education, Outreach & Awareness
Mud and Wood event, Co. Sligo - National Heritage Week 2016
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 29 2. Education, Outreach & Awareness
Tory Island, one of the five islands that took part in Island Wldlife Weekend 2016.
30 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 2. Education, Outreach & Awareness
2.3. ISLAND WILDLIFE WEEKEND
Island Wildlife Weekend was held on five of Ireland’s Atlantic islands in June of 2016. The event was held in conjunction with Bioblitz 2016, an initiative of the National Biodiversity Data Centre which brings together experts and members of the public in a competition to find the highest number of species in a given area during a 24-hour period. The event provided an opportunity for the public to record local wildlife species and to celebrate the unique heritage and character of each island. In addition to the Bioblitz, events included dolphin-spotting boat trips, sea-shore foraging, wildlife and bird-spotting walks, star- gazing, local food and craft demonstrations and evening entertainment.
2.4. MUSEUMS ADVOCACY DAY
Museums Advocacy Day was launched by Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys in the National Library of Ireland on November 30th. The event was organised by the Local Authority Museums Network (LAMN) working in partnership with the Irish Museums Association (IMA) and with the assistance and support of the Heritage Council.
The key focus of the day was to highlight the significant work of museums on our island, both north and south of the border. Of particular importance, was the leading role that our museums played in this historic year of commemorations. Museums across the country, working in collaboration with communities, brought epic tales of passion, patriotism and sacrifice to the public in an array of thought-provoking and engaging exhibitions and events throughout the year.
2.5. MEDIA COVERAGE
As noted earlier in this report the PR value generated by National Heritage Week in 2016 has been independently estimated by Kantar Media at €7 million - €2 million being generated by press coverage and €5 million being generated online. This has increased from a PR value of €5 million in 2015, representing an exceptional return on an annual Heritage Council investment of €300,000 in the initiative.
Separately, the Heritage Council received a total of 237 press, broadcast and online articles across national media, culminating in a PR value of over €2.5 million. This was driven by high levels of positive coverage in lucrative print titles such as the Irish Times and Irish Examiner, media stations such as RTE Radio1 and Newstalk and websites such as www.independent.ie. Press was the most prolific in terms of volume with 126 articles being attained, while online coverage generated the highest PR value at over €1.7 million.
2.6 DIANA DARKE TALK - ‘MY HOUSE IN DAMASCUS: AN INSIDE VIEW OF THE SYRIAN CRISIS’
In August, the Heritage Council, in conjunction with ICOMOS Ireland, hosted a talk by Diana Darke entitled, ‘My House in Damascus: An Inside View of the Syrian Crisis’, based on her book of the same name. Diana explained how her conservation of an ancient house in Damascus led her to a unique insight into the strengths of, and challenges posed to, a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic community in a strife-torn situation. The talk was a reminder, during National Heritage Week, of the importance of the heritage of others, in distant places, which can be appreciated as our common inheritance, though we may never get the chance to experience it. It also offered a very timely reinforcement of the multi-cultural nature of our own society.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 31 1. Introduction
2.7 THE HERITAGE COUNCIL ONLINE
The Heritage Council engages with a broad range of communities through a variety of social media platforms. Social media provides the organisation with an opportunity to communicate the value of the work that we do and to generate interest and awareness of both local and national heritage-related issues and activities with the general public. It also allows us to connect frequently with the diverse range of practitioners, professionals and organisations engaged in heritage-related work, allows them to connect with each other and share information related to heritage training and projects, jobs, tender opportunities, publications, research and funding opportunities. The number of followers across the range of social media platforms has increased steadily over the past number of years.
By the end of 2016, the Heritage Council's Facebook page had over 10,500 Likes, an increase of 75% from 6,000 Likes at the end of 2015. The majority of followers (29%) are aged between 35-44 years, followed in joint-second with 22% each, by 25- 34 year olds and 45-54 year olds. 55-64 year olds account for 12% of followers, 65 years+ accounts for 8% and 18-24 year olds account for 4%.
The Heritage Council is on Twitter @HeritageHubIRE. We had 5,809 followers by the end of 2016, up 37% from 4,225 followers at the start of the year. 58% of followers on Twitter are women and 45% are men, the majority of followers (46%) are aged between 25-34 years, while 31% are aged between 35-44.
EZINE
The HC’s monthly ezine had 13,141 subscribers at the end of 2016 (up from 11,000 in 2015). The ezine contains news, events, tenders and employment opportunities and is subscribed to by those with an interest in heritage and industry professionals alike.
FACEBOOK TWITTER EZINE 10,500 5,809 13,141 PAGE LIKES FOLLOWERS SUBSCRIBERS INCREASE in INCREASE in INCREASE in 75% 2016 37% 2016 19% 2016
32 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 1. Introduction
The chancel of St. Catherine's Church, Killibegs, Co. Donegal before and after conservation works supported by a Heritage Council grant in 2016
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 33 7. Featured Work from 2016 CULTURAL POLICY 2016 BEATRICE KELLY, HEAD OF POLICY & RESEARCH, THE HERITAGE COUNCIL
2016 saw an important advance in heritage-related public The findings of the survey show that over 6 million people policy through the launch of Culture 2025, the first cultural visited museums in Ireland during 2014, of which more policy for the State by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, than half were domestic visitors. Despite their popularity, Rural and Regional Affairs, Heather Humphreys. The need museums lack investment and personnel, with over 40% for a national cultural policy had been highlighted to the functioning on a budget of less than €30,000 a year. Minister by the Council of National Cultural Institutions, 76% of respondents have less than ten paid employees of which the Heritage Council is a member, in 2014. while 16% have no paid employees at all. That over Minister Humphreys and her officials took on the challenge 6 million visitors had access to a museum is an indication of drafting this framework policy to put culture at the heart of the enormous voluntary effort made by those in the of Irish life, including a widespread consultation process museums sector. across the country. In light of this effort and interest, it is relevant to note The policy promotes a collaborative approach for the arts, that Culture 2025 does not specifically include museums heritage and cultural sectors to work together at county and although many groups including the Heritage Council did national levels. The Creative Ireland initiative, launched in draw attention to the needs of this sector. Given the key role December 2016 by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, as a result of that regional museums play in providing front line cultural the positive response to the commemorative year for 2016 experiences to both Irish citizens and visitors, the Heritage will be the main engine to realise this cultural policy. Council intends to work with all relevant organisations and initiatives in order to ensure that our museums are enabled Culture 2025 also provided a policy context for the survey to fulfil their vital role in safeguarding Ireland’s cultural of the museums sector which took place last year - Irish heritage both for ourselves and for our visitors. 1 Museums Survey 2016 , the first such survey to be undertaken in ten years. The survey was launched by Minister Humphreys in November of last year at an event held in the National Library of Ireland organised by the Irish Museums Association, in collaboration with the Local Authority Museum Network and supported by the Heritage Council. The event aimed to advocate the benefits and the value that the museums sector brings to society and to highlight the role played by local authority museums in providing exhibitions marking the centenary year. Over 80 people participated in the event, including representatives from museums around the country and members of the Oireachtas.
1 Mark Fitzgerald, E. (2016) The Irish Museums Survey 2016. Published by the Irish Museums Association, Dublin. 34 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 7. Featured Work from 2016
Launch of Culture 2025, the first cultural policy for the State by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Rural and Regional Affairs, Heather Humphreys, TD
The first survey of the museums sector to be Culture 2025, the first cultural undertaken in ten years took place in 2016. policy for the State was launched in 2016 and will be delivered through the Creative Ireland initiative in the coming years.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 35 36 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 3.Policy & Research
UCD exhibition on the Easter Rising - Original postcards produced in the weeks after the 1916 Rising, to encourage and profit from battlefield tourism in Dublin city
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 37 3.Policy & Research
3.1. EUROPEAN FORUM ON NATURE CONSERVATION AND PASTORALISM
The Heritage Council has enjoyed a long-time working partnership with the European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism (EFNCP), a Europe-wide network which raises awareness of the importance of low-intensity livestock farming.
In 2016, EFNCP, working in collaboration with IT Sligo, continued to champion the identification and description of High Nature Value (HNV) farmland and how it might be supported under Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and CAP reform.
Following the announcement of the European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) initiative by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine early in early 2016, EFNCP increased efforts to support local groups in developing a locally-led scheme under the initiative. In order to facilitate the development of high quality proposals, EFNCP collated information for community groups to utilise, such as; setting up multi-actor groups, setting targets for locally-led schemes, putting together an EIP application; and the development of a scoring system for upland ecosystem health. EFNCP developed relationships with groups throughout the country in this regard, visiting the groups, giving presentations and discussing options and approaches.
3.2. HERITAGE MAPS
HeritageMaps.ie provides access to national heritage data sets in map form while incorporating additional contextual data from a wide range of online sources. It also includes datasets that are unique to the project, such as soil susceptibility to coastal erosion, museums datasets and a range of thematic County Heritage Surveys.
2016 saw the redevelopment, redesign and rebranding of the ‘Heritage Maps Viewer’ to become HeritageMaps.ie. A new, more user-friendly and intuitive interface was created and the target user-base was expanded to include the education and tourism sectors, along with both amateur and professional heritage-related groups, communities and individuals.
Heritagemaps.ie - Kildare Street, Dublin itinerary
38 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 3.Policy & Research
HeritageMaps.ie was given a soft launch during National Heritage Week 2016 and immediately saw a sharp uptake in user numbers. Following the official release in December, user numbers increased eight-fold. During 2016, work on HeritageMaps.ie included the continued collection and display of local authority datasets with 14 more counties both updating existing survey data and adding new datasets to the viewer. In addition, new Heritage Council data-sets were included, which provide the locations of UNESCO Heritage Sites in Ireland, Sheela-na-Gigs and notable Irish stained glass.
Throughout 2016 a new viewer, The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark LIFE Project, was developed. This viewer will contain data on all aspects of the Burren’s unique and rich heritage in map form. It is currently awaiting steering group approval with a view to launch, as a sub-viewer on HeritageMaps.ie, in summer 2017.
3.3. INSTAR PROGRAMME: ‘LANDSCAPE AND SETTLEMENT OF LATER-PREHISTORIC SOUTH EAST IRELAND’
The Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) Programme funded one three-year project during the period 2015-17. The project ‘Landscape and Settlement of Later-Prehistoric South East Ireland’ is an interdisciplinary study based at the Department of Archaeology, University College Cork. The project uses palaeo-environmental and archaeological methods to investigate human activity and landscape change in later prehistoric Ireland between 1200BC and AD400.
As such, the focus of the project is the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age in Counties Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Carlow. The project team, led by University College Cork, includes representatives from Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Dublin City University, University of York, University of Bradford and University College Dublin, as well as freelance contributors.
In 2016, a palaeo-environmental sequence from Lough Cullin, Co. Waterford and two further cores were obtained from upland peatlands at Rossmore, Co. Carlow and Comeragh Ridge, Co. Waterford. A total of 69 new archaeological site reports were analysed and information on features dating to the study period (1200BC-AD400) were entered into the database, which now contains 201 archaeological sites from the region. INSTAR Excavating a section through blanket peat on the Comeragh Ridge, Co. A well-attended open day was held during National Heritage Week 2016 at Cork Waterford, in advance of sampling for palae- Public Museum, attendees included representatives from Cork Butter Museum and oenvironmental analyses. The base of these peat deposits date to the Later Bronze Age. Arbutus Bakery, Cork, who baked some ‘prehistoric’ bread for the event. Other outputs included a presentation of the results of the project at a major international conference (European Association of Archaeologists, Vilnius, September 2016).
3.4. IRISH TOWNS AND VILLAGES
In 2016, the Heritage Council analysed the preliminary results of the Census 2016 to highlight urban vacancy rates. The research identified 17 larger towns which contained nearly 11,000 vacant houses or apartments, a salient fact in framing policy to address the current housing shortage and homelessness.
Council argued that extending the Living City Tax Incentive to towns such as these, as it had advocated in its 2015 ‘Policy Proposals for Ireland’s Towns’, provided a mechanism for stimulating the re-use of these housing assets and revitalising towns. Dwellings are the background fabric of our towns and these streetscapes are as much a part of what and who we are as the Rock of Cashel or Croke Park. Making use of vacant houses and apartments on main streets and others contributes to sustainability through reduced car-dependency, more efficient provision of physical and social services, and savings in building materials. The analysis was covered on Pat Kenny’s Newstalk programme and other outlets.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 39 3.Policy & Research
3.5. UPLANDS PARTNERSHIPS
The Heritage Council assisted the Irish Uplands Forum (IUF) to conduct two research studies in 2016. The Uplands Community Study is an island-wide survey of local groups undertaking sustainable management activities within Irish upland areas. The survey provides a snapshot in time and profiles where 25 of the most prominent and representative upland community groups are in relation to how they are organised, what they do and the obstacles they face. The report calls for the provision by government of multi-year funding for active upland groups and a national network co-ordinator to organise information gathering, dissemination, training and management support for the resource starved groups.
The second report - the Irish Uplands Socio-Economic Profiledraws on data derived from the Census of Population, the Census of Agriculture and the Pobal - HP Deprivation Index. The report provides an analysis of the socio-economic conditions of uplands communities within the Republic of Ireland and may be used to inform future decision-making relating to these areas.
The Heritage Council supported the IUF in organising a national conference in conjunction with the MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Access Forum where the two reports above were presented. The focus of the ‘Resourcing Upland Communities’ conference was to promote the establishment of an island-wide network of upland groups concerned with the sustainable management of Ireland’s upland areas. The conference mandated the IUF to seek government financial support to establish a national network organisation and employ a national upland community network co-ordinator.
3.6. LANDSCAPE WORKING GROUP
The Landscape Working Group continued to meet throughout 2016 to advise the Heritage Council on its contribution to the National Landscape Strategy. The National Landscape Strategy (NLS), drafted over the period 2009-15, was launched by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in 2015.
After its final meeting of the year, the Working Group made a number of recommendations, including that the role of the Heritage Council as an advocate for landscape should be maintained, and that the development of a consistent and coherent system of landscape character assessment, informed by historic landscape characterisation, remains a key objective to enable improved practice in Ireland.
3.7. ARCHAEOLOGY 2025
Heritage Council staff contributed to the drafting of the policy document, Archaeology 2025 through the Royal Irish Academy Standing Committee on Archaeology. The final policy document was launched in May 2017 by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Archaeology 2025 is intended as an advocacy document for archaeology and cultural heritage and as a key statement in advance of, and to inform, the emerging National Heritage Plan, and as a key contribution to the Creative Ireland initiative (2017–22).
3.8. KNOCKROE PASSAGE TOMB, CO. KILKENNY
The Heritage Council made a submission to Tipperary County Council concerning a proposed windfarm development near the Neolithic passage tomb of Knockroe, Co. Kilkenny. Council argued that the proposed development would be an excessive intrusion into the setting of a National Monument and that it would adversely impact on the experience of the winter solstice at the tomb, thereby causing interference with the reading of an ancient and highly significant astronomical alignment.
Council also stated that the visual intrusion of the proposed windfarm on views from the passage tomb of Baunfree, Co. Kilkenny, would also be excessive. The proposed windfarm was rejected by Tipperary County Council and is now under consideration by An Bord Pleanála.
40 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 3.Policy & Research
3.9. MEDIEVAL WEXFORD: ESSAYS IN MEMORY OF BILLY COLFER
The Heritage Council supported the publication of a book of essays in memory of the late Dr Billy Colfer, a Heritage Council Board member during the period 2005-10 and a noted scholar of medieval landscapes and castles. The volume was co-edited by Council’s Head of Conservation and consists of essays on the medieval archaeology, landscape, place-names and history of Co. Wexford. This was launched in December 2016 by the outgoing Chairman of the Heritage Council, Conor Newman.
3.10 NATIONAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK - IRELAND 2040 – OUR PLAN
The Heritage Council’s Planning Officer is a member of the National Planning Framework’s (NPF) Special Advisory Group. Following on from the group’s first meeting in December 2016, chaired by the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government, Simon Coveney, a submission was prepared by the Heritage Council which focused on seven key priorities for the plan, these are:
• The necessity to communicate the benefits of a robust NPF to the general public;
• Cultural growth and development should be categorised as the fourth pillar of sustainable development, e.g. Ireland’s historic environment is estimated to account for €1.5bn or 1% of the State’s gross value added (GVA) and approximately 65,000 jobs;
• NPF in relation to climate change and renewable energy, e.g. research undertaken by the Heritage Council in 2013 revealed that a robust framework is needed for the on-shore wind farm sector;
• NPF should embrace the implementation of the National Landscape Strategy 2015-2025, i.e. spatial planning and management of all landscapes, not just iconic landscapes;
• There is a need for spatial management of historic settlements and national regeneration programmes;
• The NPF needs to provide the foundation for the planned National Maritime Spatial Plan, which is due to be prepared by EU member states by 2021;
• The NPF should include a participatory Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process which enables monitoring and modification, if required.
The Heritage Council will continue to support and input on the preparation and implementation of the National Planning Framework – Ireland 2040.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 41 7. Featured Work fromIRELAND’S 2016 FEMALE FARMERS CONSERVING OUR HERITAGE - ANNA MEEHAN, GLAS TRADITIONAL FARM BUILDINGS GRANT SCHEME PROJECT MANAGER, THE HERITAGE COUNCIL
With the radical changes in farming in the past century, Another female farming entrepreneur who received funding traditional farm buildings are no longer at the centre of under the scheme in 2016 to repair the dry-stone boundary farm activity, many are now underused but are still highly walls of Brookfield Farm in County Tipperary was Ailbhe valued as a feature in the Irish landscape. In recognition Gerrard. Ailbhe studied sustainable development in University of this value, the Heritage Council, in partnership with the College London, and organic farming for three years in Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, administers the renowned Scottish Agricultural College. Following a an annual grants scheme to GLAS participants for the successful construction project management career, Ailbhe buildings’ conservation and repair. The scheme is jointly returned to farm beside her family home outside Nenagh on funded by the Department and the European Union under the shores of Lough Derg. the Rural Development Programme. Two female farmers are leading the way, not only in keeping these beautiful buildings Recently honoured with a Nuffield Agricultural Scholarship, in use, but in developing thriving, sustainable businesses she is well qualified to farm at Brookfield and is driven by around them. her vision of bringing agriculture back to its sustainable roots. Ailbhe believes that the key to rural sustainability is June Bourke applied for GLAS funding to conserve four having a range of farm types and diversification models. She traditional outbuildings on her farm outside Westport where farms a mixed enterprise in tillage, livestock and forestry and she keeps Jacob, Suffolk and Texel sheep. The buildings enthused by the energy generated by hosting the All Ireland contribute to the landscape setting, in that they appear to Permaculture Gathering, Ailbhe launched Brookfield Farm ‘grow’ out of the hill, built as they are, into the hill’s natural Hiveshare - an artisan, honey-food product in 2014. slope. The buildings had been well maintained but were in need of a more sustained programme of works. All work was She keeps the native Irish Black Bee and has established carried out by June’s husband, Ken, who willingly embraced an interesting model of producing honey which works lime-pointing for the first time. The final result is a group of similarly to the principles of a small co-op. She keeps some useful buildings which have retained their special character hives which people are invited to buy shares in. Ailbhe and add to this beautiful part of the County Mayo landscape. sees the venture as a way of reconnecting people with food production, and adding value and an experience to the Some years ago, June decided to set up a wool crafts purchasing of honey. Candle-making was a natural offshoot enterprise and began processing the sheep’s wool herself. to the honey production and takes place in an outbuilding on She now uses one of the conserved buildings for lambing the farm. The orchard at Brookfield Farm has also been put and for processing the wool, which is sheared from the back into use, with Ailbhe now producing apple juice, and sheep’s back and spun by June using an Ashford wheel. She planning for cider production in the near future. uses natural dyes to colour the wool, including onion skins, gorse, nettles, ragwort, wood shavings and flowers. The wool The GLAS grant which went towards the repair of the is then sold in Craft House in Westport where all the craft for farm’s dry-stone walls also provided employment for both sale is made in County Mayo. June, with her friend Sheila, set experienced and trainee craft workers, therefore helping the shop up a couple of years ago with the aim, she says, of to sustain and stimulate traditional skills in this part of the “creating our own work and employment, we hope that this country. initiative will ensure the sustainability of local craftspeople into the future”.
42 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 7. Featured Work from 2016
Top left: Ailbhe Gerrard tending to her hives at Brookfield Farm, Co. Tipperary Top right: Ailbhe is now producing apple juice from the Orchard at Brookfield. Bottom: The boundary wall repaired with funding from the GLAS scheme
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 43 3.Policy & Research
44 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 3.Policy & Research
4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
Heritage Week 2016 - Tour of Slane, County Meath
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 45 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
4.1. ADOPT A MONUMENT SCHEME
Following in the successful footsteps of Archaeology Scotland’s Adopt a Monument Scheme, the Heritage Council, in conjunction with Abarta Heritage, launched the first similar programme for Ireland in 2016. The scheme provides expertise, mentoring and support to encourage local communities to ‘adopt’ a monument in their area in order to ensure its ongoing maintenance, protection and promotion. This provides an innovative way of bringing monuments and local heritage from the periphery into the heart of local communities.
Over 90 community groups from around Ireland applied to participate in the scheme and the final selection was made based upon the heritage value of each proposed site along with the vision and commitment of the proposing group. The six successful monuments chosen for participation were Doon Fort, Co. Donegal; Church of the Rath, Co. Cavan; Gallowshill Medieval Fort, Co. Waterford; Round Hill, Co. Waterford; Baravore Crusher Building, Co. Wicklow; and Ballintleva Handball Alley, Co. Roscommon.
Activities undertaken as part of the scheme in 2016 included site-recordings; geophysical, historical and topographical surveys; the development of environmental and conservation plans; tourism-development training weekends; the production of interpretative signage; awareness-raising activities such as medieval fair days and story-telling evenings; and vegetation management and conservation works to monuments.
4.2. CONSERVATION INTERNSHIPS
Since 2006, the Heritage Council has supported a Conservation Internship Scheme with five of Ireland’s national cultural institutions - the National Gallery of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, the National Library of Ireland, the National Archives of Ireland and the Chester Beatty Library. The scheme offers an exciting opportunity for students of conservation to work with some of the world’s great treasures and is primarily aimed at those who have completed specialised conservation courses in the areas of paper, book binding and painting.
The intention of the scheme is to provide professional workplace experience for the intern, within a prestigious institution, while the host institution, in turn, benefits from the insights and recent training received by the intern. The institution also benefits further from an extra member of staff with a range of skills, thus facilitating specific projects which may not otherwise be achievable and assisting in the overall safeguarding of Ireland’s heritage.
The five interns to participate in the scheme in 2016 were Nicole Devereux at the National Library of Ireland; Cécilia Duminuco at the Chester Beatty Library; Ellen McKeever at the National Archives; Gina Grond at the National Gallery of Ireland; and Erica D’Alessandro at Trinity College Library.
4.3. GLAS TFB GRANT SCHEME
The Heritage Council has been running the hugely popular, Traditional Farm Building Scheme (TFBS) in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine since 2008. The scheme recognises the value of traditional farm buildings and their contribution to the Irish landscape by providing grants for their repair and conservation. In 2016, the TFBS was moved to the ‘Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme’ (GLAS) and is open to participants of that scheme.
The scheme has now been extended to not only support traditional farm buildings but other farm landscape features of heritage value such as stone walls, piers, field gates, cobbled yards and farm bridges. It sets out to protect the ‘ordinary’ buildings used in agriculture as these buildings and other features of the farm add value to the Irish landscape.
46 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
€725,488 was invested in the scheme in 2016 with 48 grantees supported to conserve 67 buildings and five other related structures, including field boundary walls and a bridge. This conservation work requires the engagement of skilled crafts people and professionals throughout the country. Training at multiple levels continues as a component of the scheme, including farm-skills training and demonstration days which support the active transfer of traditional skills in the vernacular context, helping to futureproof the buildings beyond the grant itself.
Highlights of the GLAS Scheme 2016
Two of the most interesting participating projects in 2016 came from female farmers living in different parts of the country who are sustainably embracing various aspects of their local heritage, using traditional craft methods to generate income and conserving vernacular built heritage in the process.
June Bourke, a Mayo-based sheep farmer is operating a small craft business from buildings the Heritage Council helped her to conserve. She shears and spins the wool herself, dyes it with natural dyes such as onion, nettles, gorse and ragwort and sells the knitting wool in a craft shop she was involved in setting up in Westport.
The grant is also supporting Ailbhe Gerrard, a Tipperary farmer, to carry out works to the field boundary of her farm which hosts native trees, an orchard and hives for the Irish Black Bee. Ailbhe produces an array of products from the farm, including honey, candles, apple juice and more recently she started making her own cider.
Conserved traditional farm building under the GLAS scheme, Co. Westmeath
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 47 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
4.4. HERITAGE GRANTS OVERVIEW 2016
€800,000 was made available through both the Heritage Council and the Dept. of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for the Community-Based Heritage Grants Scheme in 2016. 171 heritage projects from across the country were selected from nearly 400 applications to receive funding. The grants support the continuing conservation and development of Irish heritage through the work of community-based groups. A diverse range of projects benefited from the grants in both rural and urban settings, and include habitat, threatened species and built heritage conservation.
The diverse projects reflect our cultural identity and distinctiveness as a people. If properly resourced they have the potential to give back to the community and to the country for generations to come. The projects keep threatened aspects of our heritage alive and provide people with an opportunity to be directly involved in developing the future of their places. Many of the projects reflect years of ongoing work at community level to protect our heritage for the future. The grants scheme also supports the local economy, boosts tourism and makes our country a better place in which to live and work.
4.5. IRISH WALLED TOWNS NETWORK
The Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN) focuses on uniting and co-ordinating the strategic efforts of local authorities and communities involved in the management, conservation and enhancement of 29 historic walled towns in Ireland, both North and South.
In 2016, the IWTN pursued its continued development via the Helping Towns Help Themselves Plan (2015). The plan builds on the work of both the IWTN and the Historic Towns Initiative. The network provided a total of €199,000 to 13 town wall conservation projects, €22,000 was provided for two town wall conservation and interpretation plans and €99,000 was provided to 17 towns for the running of walled towns festivals and other educational and tourism activities. Roughly 47,000 people attended IWTN supported events during the year. In County Galway, Loughrea’s Medieval Weekend attracted over 15,000 people, making it Ireland’s largest free medieval festival.
In addition to its AGM, the IWTN organised or help to organise seven training events and conferences in 2016. These were - the Conservation of Town Walls Conference, training on the management of volunteers for festivals (run twice), a seminar on accessing LEADER funds for heritage projects, town wall maintenance for both specifiers and practitioners, and a two-day event focusing on the regeneration of Bandon, Co. Cork. In total, 200 people attended training events in 2016.
The IWTN also published the advisory document, Tourism for Towns. Its focus is to help residents of towns across the country create a viable tourist sector that respects the town’s cultural distinctiveness and heritage significance. Finally, a heritage interpretation plan for the medieval core of Cork City was devised.
48 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
IWTN GRANT RECIPIENTS HIGHLIGHTS
YOUGHAL TOURIST MAP
The IWTN funded the creation of a stylised tourist map of one of Ireland’s most intact medieval towns. Within the first few months of its publication, 10,000 copies of the A3 map had been used by the town’s visitors.
DUBLIN ONLINE EDUCATION RESOURCE
The IWTN also supported the development of an online educational resource aimed at both primary and secondary school children. The interactive resource at http://dublinia. ie/online-learning provides a 3D map of medieval Dublin, allowing young people to select time periods and areas of Dublin and access related engaging material such as videos, quizzes and games.
RINDOON INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE
A series of free-standing interpretive panels was installed across the abandoned medieval town of Rindoon, Co. Roscommon. The signs were designed so as not to disturb the underground archaeology and be mobile to the extent that the land-owning farmer can move them if required, but not so mobile that vandals can remove them. The signs will provide information for the 8,000 annual visitors to the site.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 49 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
Top: Heritage Council Chairman, Conor Newman presenting the Certificate of Maintenance of Accreditation to the Old Library, Trinity College Dublin. Bottom: Russborough House, Co. Wicklow and Glebe House & Gallery, OPW, Co. Donegal; two of four museums around the country invited to join the MSPI in 2016
50 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
4.6. Museum Standards Programme for Ireland
The Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI) was established by the Heritage Council to benchmark and promote professional standards in the care of collections and to recognise through accreditation the achievement of those standards within the Irish museum sector.
In 2016, the programme continued to offer specialised training to MSPI participants with workshops offered on varied topics, including writing and implementing museum governance policies, strategic planning, caring for collections and museum documentation.
Three museums participating in the programme achieved Full Accreditation for the first time, bringing the total number of Fully Accredited museums to 28. The number of museums currently holding Interim Accreditation is 10.
Five new assessors were appointed to the programme in 2016, they are: Liam Bradley, Curator, Monaghan County Museum; Dr Marie Bourke, museum consultant; Fiona Kearney, Director, Lewis Glucksman Gallery; Dr Hugh Maguire, museum consultant; and Patricia O’Hare, Curator, Muckross House, Traditional Farms and Research Library. A training programme for the new assessors was implemented. Chris Bailey, Director of the Northern Ireland Museums Council was also appointed to the MSPI Advisory Group.
In December, 2016 the Heritage Council invited Cork Public Museum; Glebe House and Gallery, OPW; IFI, The Irish Film Archive; and Russborough House to become participants in the programme, bringing the total number of participating museums to 58. In July, an awards ceremony was held at the Royal Irish Academy where Conor Newman, Chair of the Heritage Council, presented accreditation certificates to:
INTERIM ACCREDITATION FULL ACCREDITATION MAINTENANCE OF ACCREDITATION
• Irish Agricultural Museum • Athy Heritage Centre-Museum • Castletown House, OPW • Michael Davitt Museum • County Museum Dundalk • Donegal County Museum • Fota House • Old Library, Trinity College Dublin • Pearse Museum, OPW MPSI ACCREDITED MUSEUMS 2016
INTERIM ACCREDITATION FULL ACCREDITATION
• Allihies Copper Mine Museum • The Butler Gallery (M) • Knock Museum (M) • Clare Museum • Castletown House, OPW (M) • Lewis Glucksman Gallery • Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum • Cavan County Museum • Monaghan County Museum (M) • Dublin Castle State Apartments • Chester Beatty Library • Muckross House (M) • Highlanes Gallery • County Museum, Dundalk • Muckross Traditional Farms (M) • Irish Agricultural Museum • Donegal County Museum (M) • Muckross Research Library (M) • Irish Jewish Museum • Drogheda Museum Millmount • National Gallery of Ireland (M) • Michael Davitt Museum • Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane • National Print Museum (M) • Musaem Chorca Dhuibhne • Farmleigh, OPW (M) • The Old Library, TCD (M) • Museum of Free Derry • Fota House • The Pearse Museum (M) • Foynes Flying Boat Museum • Tipperary County Museum • GAA Museum (M) • Waterford Treasures: Bishops Palace (M) • The Hunt Museum • Waterford Treasures: Medieval Museum (M) • Kerry County Museum • The Zoological Museum
(M) = Maintenance of Accreditation Certificate
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 51 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
4.7. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
The All Ireland Pollinator Plan (2015-2020) was launched by the National Biodiversity Data Centre in 2015 with the support of the Heritage Council and Bord Bia in order to address the critical issue of declining pollinator numbers in Ireland. The plan has been endorsed by 68 governmental and non-governmental organisations and identifies 81 actions to make Ireland more pollinator-friendly. With the publication of the plan, Ireland has joined only a small number of countries in Europe that have developed a strategy to address pollinator decline and to protect the pollinator services.
During 2016, the plan was promoted via 139 published articles, interviews and other events. The core work undertaken during the year involved the development and release of a series of important resources, including a junior version of the Pollinator Plan as well as evidence-based guidelines for different sectors (local communities, businesses, gardens). The guidelines clearly outline practical actions that can be taken to support pollinators by providing food, shelter and safety in the landscape. Three ‘how-to’ guides were also published which explain some of the more complex actions.
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan has been presented at international fora and has attracted international acclaim and interest. The chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) working group addressing pollinators has commended the plan as an example of good practice in pollinator conservation. Most importantly, the 2016 annual review at the end of the first year of implementation showed that of the 81 actions in the plan, 84% have either been completed as agreed for 2016 or are in-train. This is an excellent start to the implementation phase and can hopefully be built upon to create a real and sustainable future for pollinators and pollination service in Ireland.
Left to right: Padraig Brennan, Director of Markets, Bord Bia; Liam Lysaght, Director, National Biodiversity Data Centre; and Michael Starrett, Chief Executive Officer, the Heritage Council launch the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.
52 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 4.Community & Conservation Initiatives & Projects
4.8. Town Centre Health Check Training Programme
The Heritage Council, along with RGDATA and the Retail Consortium have developed a pilot trans-disciplinary National Town Centre Health Check Training Programme in conjunction with seven participating towns across the country. The initiative is being delivered in collaboration with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government, the IPI, ILI, RIAI, UCD, LIT Thurles, DIT and QUB.
The aim of the training programme is to raise awareness, understanding and appreciation of the critical role that historic town centres play in the life of communities and the wide-ranging impacts that their viability have on overall socio-economic, environmental and cultural development of the town.
The pilot aims to develop an innovative town centre-led retail, cultural heritage and tourism baseline, which will be recognised internationally as a best practice collaborative development model for regeneration. Essentially, this would be an innovative national towns capacity-building programme designed by, and for, local authorities, town centre businesses and local citizens/ community groups. Close mentoring support will be provided from professional practitioners with significant experience of town centre regeneration, urban design, planning and management in Ireland and elsewhere.
The proposal will build upon Town Centre Health Check projects already undertaken by the Heritage Council and its key partners including Fingal County Council/Balbriggan Chamber of Commerce in Balbriggan in 2010; and Clare County Council/ Kilrush Tidy Towns, in Kilrush in 2012.
4.9. Mayglass Traditional Homestead, Co. Wexford
During the period 1997-2000, the Heritage Council led a programme of conservation to an C18th farmhouse at Mayglass, Co. Wexford. This led to the publication of a book detailing the conservation process in 2003. Recent visits to the house confirmed the need for works to the thatched roof of the house and one of the out-buildings. Working in partnership with the owners, the roof was repaired in 2016 by a local thatcher in a traditional style and the walls were lime washed.
2016 saw repair and conservation works to the thatched cottage in Mayglass, Co. Wexford
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 53 7. Featured Work fromMANAGING 2016 OUR MONUMENTS: COMMUNITY ARCHAEOLOGY IAN DOYLE, HEAD OF CONSERVATION, THE HERITAGE COUNCIL
The Heritage Council has been spearheading the development attractive to local authorities who are interested in place of community archaeology programmes in Ireland through making and regeneration activities. our grants programmes, by employing community-facing archaeologists in local authorities, by developing the first Successful community archaeology projects supported in ever community Adopt a Monument Scheme in Ireland in 2016 2016 included the Fingal County Council Swords Castle Project, and by providing support and training for communities. the Galway Community Archaeology Project, and the UCD School of Archaeology Glendalough Archaeology Project (with Wicklow The development of community archaeology has seen a County Council and the Glendalough Heritage Forum). broadening of participation by interested members of the public in heritage projects and this is an emerging aspect of As part of this, in 2016 the Heritage Council set up an practice that needs to be nurtured. Notable developments Adopt a Monument Scheme for the public. This empowers in recent years have been open days on excavations, communities to become actively involved in the conservation schools programmes and the development of experimental and interpretation of local archaeological heritage sites. By archaeological projects. As an indicator of this potential providing expertise, mentoring and support, the programme Fingal County Council have created a dedicated Community assists community groups in learning and caring for their Archaeology post on their full-time staff in 2017 to drive the heritage. As developed, Adopt a Monument provides people Swords Castle community archaeology project. of all ages with the opportunity to engage with heritage in a manner which empowers and educates participants, whilst A range of community archaeology projects have been promoting a sense of ownership and civic pride. undertaken in Ireland in recent years including excavation, geophysical surveys and conservation projects and the Council developed the scheme with advice from Archaeology key element of this has been equal partnership between Scotland and the programme is run on a day-to-day basis local communities and heritage professionals. Projects by an Irish SME, Abarta Heritage who successfully tendered with successful models of engagement have involved for the role. Six sites/ monuments were adopted by six shared control, capacity building, responsibility sharing communities under the scheme in 2016. and accountability of stakeholders. Experience has shown that archaeological projects embodying these practices are
Doon Fort, County Donegal, one of six monuments to participate in the inaugural Adopt a Monument Scheme in 2016.
54 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 7. Featured Work from 2016
The monuments adopted in 2016 were:
Doon Fort, Ardara, Co. Donegal Baravore Crusher Building, Glenmalure, Co. Wicklow
Doon Fort is spectacularly sited on a small island in the Ireland’s industrial heritage is represented by another middle of Loughadoon, just outside the picturesque village of successful community from Glenmalure in County Wicklow Ardara in County Donegal. The site is a large drystone fort, who applied to adopt the large ore crusher building at similar to the Grianan of Aileach, and is likely to date to the Baravore in the scenic Glenmalure Valley. The two-story early medieval period. The local community want to avail of crusher building was constructed in the late 1850s, towards the technical expertise to help record the site, manage the the end of the mining era in Baravore. It stands as a vegetation growth, stabilise the walls and to create safer and testament to the hard-working miners and entrepreneurial more sustainable access to the site for visitors. pioneers who sought to delve into the rich natural resources that lay hidden in the valleys. The group applied to seek Church of the Rath, Killeshandra, Co. Cavan assistance with the conservation of the ore crusher building, and to help promote the area for visitors. Killeshandra Tidy Towns applied to adopt the historic church at the centre of Killeshandra known as ‘Church of the Rath', Ballintleva Handball Alley, Co. Roscommon County Cavan. It is from this church that the town takes its name. The Church of the Rath is a wonderfully atmospheric Ballintleva Handball Alley in County Roscommon is graveyard that has ancient origins. The church is in need of undoubtedly the most modern monument selected to be part specialist advice for architectural conservation, and the group of this scheme. Though it was constructed relatively recently would also like to raise awareness about this important site. in the 1930s, the structure is of great social and community significance. The handball alley was a focal point for the Gallowshill Medieval Fort, Dungarvan & Round Hill, community for generations until it was recently deemed Lismore, Co. Waterford unsafe. The local community hope to bring this back into use.
The communities of Dungarvan and Lismore in County Waterford joined together as part of a combined application to adopt two medieval forts in their localities. These motte and baileys were constructed by the Anglo-Normans in the early phase of their invasions into south-eastern Ireland. Gallowshill in Dungarvan is located in the Cathal Brugha housing estate that is currently undergoing regeneration. The community wished to adopt the monument to help raise awareness of the site for visitors and locals.
The large motte and bailey known as Round Hill is situated on the banks of the River Blackwater in Lismore. This large defensive site is currently overgrown by vegetation and needs specialist advice in helping to conserve the monument and to provide better access for visitors.
Baravore Crusher Building, Co. Wicklow stands as a testament to the hard-working local miners of the C19th.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 55 56 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
Scanning project on Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry, undertaken by the Technology Department of the Discovery Centre
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 57 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
5.1. BERE ISLAND PROJECTS GROUP
Bere Island Project Group (BIPG) is a community group working to sustain the population of Bere Island, Co. Cork, through the creation of employment, promoting community initiatives and supporting local businesses. Since 2003, the Heritage Council has funded a full-time development worker to implement a conservation plan which has been drawn up for the island.
Bere Island was one of five Atlantic islands to take part in the first ever Island Wildlife Weekend which was run by the Heritage Council in conjunction with the BioBlitz 2016. The event was well attended and a total of 1,178 species was recorded on the island.
BIPG received funding towards essential safety works at Lonehort Battery, which will facilitate the opening of the battery to the public. In early June, a cruise ship anchored off Bere Island, which saw over 150 passengers and crew visit the island for a variety of planned activities. The centenary of the 1916 Rising was marked on the island through the performance of ‘A Rose Upon the Blood’. The play’s author, who is a native of the island, is currently living in Canada and was invited back to the island to perform the piece.
A weekend of events was held to mark the Celtic festival of Lughnasadh during National Heritage Week 2016. Participants enjoyed workshops in harvest-knot making, willow-basket making and a talk from a leading folklore expert at UCC.
BIPG also continued work with the West Cork Islands Interagency Group and Community Council to put Cork’s offshore islands firmly on the agenda of the various government agencies in County Cork.
5.2. BURRENBEO
Burrenbeo Trust is a landscape charity that works tirelessly to promote the Burren and its people under the common goal of working towards the future sustainable management of the region. The Trust works inclusively, to unlock the potential of the Burren as Ireland’s ultimate learning landscape and outdoor classroom. It relies on membership fees, donations, grants, and on over 90 active conservation volunteers to carry out an extensive programme promoting the unique landscape and place, local traditions, and heritage of the Burren.
A total of 50 activities and projects were undertaken by the Trust in 2016, the highlights of which included: co-ordinating the community-led Burren Winterage Weekend; the restructuring of the trust's website in order to reflect its evolving message and to further enable information-sharing; joining the European-wide HNV-LINK network where the trust’s models of land stewardship will be shared; co-ordinating the annual Learning Landscape Symposium; overseeing the inaugural ‘Working for Wellbeing of People and Place’ workshop; delivering a high standard of monthly heritage walks and talks; delivering the Burren in Bloom festival; providing conservation volunteer events; and delivering a number of place-based learning programmes in schools.
58 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
Top: Cattle drive at the Burren Winterage Weekend 2016 Bottom: Bere Island east end as seen from Cloughland Martello Tower
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 59 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
5.3. HERITAGE OFFICER PROGRAMME
The County Heritage Officer Network comprises 28 County Heritage Officers who are based in the offices of local authorities around the country. The network is part-funded by both the local authority and by the Heritage Council. County Heritage Officers play a key role in promoting heritage awareness, developing policy, providing advice and information on local as well as national heritage issues and supporting the integration and inclusion of heritage policy across all sectors. In 2016, the Heritage Council offered a total of €484,557 in County Heritage Plan projects around the country.
SOME COUNTY HERITAGE OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS
CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
County Clare Heritage Office undertook an important survey of three rivers in County Clare in order to assess the status of the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) in the rivers. The freshwater pearl mussel is endangered worldwide, Ireland is currently considered to host approximately 46% of the European population of the species and therefore has a very significant international responsibility for the species’ conservation.
The findings of the survey were not favourable for the fresh water mussel with the combined impacts of farming, drainage and river bank modification impacting on the habitat of the mussel to the extent that it can be considered critically endangered in two rivers and effectively extinct in the third. The results of the study are now informing the practices and decision-making of Clare County Council in relation to how best to meet its obligations under the European Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive.
CORK COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
2016 was an exceptional year for heritage in the County Cork. Over five hundred events took place under the 1916 commemorative programme and an additional three hundred heritage-related events took place around the county throughout the year, resulting in the county’s highest ever number of documented heritage events.
The two main projects supported by Heritage Council funding were the Heritage Centenary Sites of Rebel County Cork, and the hugely popular Shopfronts Guide. Heritage Centenary Sites of Rebel County Cork is the fourth instalment of the ‘Heritage of County Cork’ publication series which received a Citation of Excellence at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards 2015. The publication examines Cork’s pivotal role in the defining moments of Ireland and has proved very popular to date.
CORK CITY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
The Heritage Office was involved in the delivery of several successful 1916 commemoration projects in the city throughout the year, including the publication of Cork City Guide to Republican Plaques and an audio visual 1916 exhibition. Cork Heritage Open Day was held on the first Saturday of National Heritage Week. With a focus on built heritage, 40 buildings around the city, not usually open to the public, opened their doors for the day, free of charge.
Additionally, a varied programme of nearly 50 events was organised during the week, including the Coal Quay Festival and the fantastic Medieval Day which enjoyed an estimated 15,000 participants. Other successful projects delivered during the year included a city-wide survey of alien invasive flora, the Heritage Grant Scheme and the extremely popular, Schools Heritage Competition.
60 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
Top left: Unveiling of Thomas Macdonagh statue in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary during 1916 Centenary celebrations Top right: Cork Heritage Open Day Middle: Mulranny Stone Wall Festival, Co. Mayo, organised by the Heritage Office of Mayo County Council with support from the Heritage Council Bottom: 1916 Centenary celebrations in Cork City
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 61 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
One of the highlights of the 1916 Centenary celebrations was the free, two-day public conference entitled ‘Conflict and the City’ which Dublin City Council Heritage Office co-organised with Dr Ellen Rowley. The conference looked at conflict and its aftermath in urban situations across Europe and included speakers from Belfast to Beirut. The conference was supported by University College Dublin, the Decade of Centenaries, the Irish Research Council and by SIPTU.
In partnership with Dublinia and with the support of PTSB/ Scoilnet, the Medieval Dublin online, educational resource (initiated in 2014) was further developed to include a dedicated secondary schools section. Developed by NOHO Ltd. this free online teaching and learning resource includes an interactive map, animated videos and quizzes focused on the current primary and second level curriculum. www.dublinia.ie/online-learning
The final highlight of the year was the publication of the first of three volumes dedicated to Dublin city’s 20th century architectural heritage, entitled, More than Concrete Blocks, Dublin City’s Twentieth Century Buildings and Their Stories, 1900-1940. The book is both an architectural and social history book and a guidebook. It comes out of a pioneering research project initiated by Dublin City Council Heritage Office in 2011. Volume 2 will be published by the end of 2017.
FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
In addition to many successful 1916 Commemoration events, Fingal County Council Heritage Office delivered the hugely successful, Swords Castle: Digging History Project for the second year. The project, which took place as part of National Heritage Week, centred on a community excavation during August and September, over 100 people participated including locals and tourists. The project won the Heritage and Built Environment Award at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards 2016.
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
Kilkenny County Council Heritage Office was proud to establish and chair a new Local Authority Pollinator Award in the National Tidy Towns Competition. The competition will be run in partnership with local authority Heritage Officers, Biodiversity Officers and the National Biodiversity Data Centre. The establishment of the award highlights Kilkenny Heritage Office’s commitment to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020.
2016 was a landmark year for the Kilkenny’s Field Name Recording Project, which commenced in 2010. Ninety volunteers have recorded more than 7,000 field names from over 200 townlands throughout the county. The project saw the launch of a book entitled Meitheal a bPáirceanna with 2,000 copies of the book printed.
The Heritage Office also worked with the Iverk Show committee to advise on their commemoration of the 190-year anniversary of the show in 2016. An oral historian was commissioned to document and archive oral history associated with the show's history and development. Interviews with five people associated with the show were undertaken, the videos can be viewed at www.kilkennyheritage.ie
LOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
One of the highlights of 2016 for Louth County Council Heritage Office was the publication of the Ardee Heritage Guide, produced by Archaeology Ireland. The publication details the vast history, culture and heritage of the town. A tourist brochure for Ardee was also produced along with a children’s colouring-in book.
Other highlights included conservation work to Drogheda’s Old Abbey and an investigation into future conservation work on a collapsing wall of the Holy Trinity graveyard in Carlingford. The Heritage Office also consulted with farming, nature conservation and amenity interests regarding public access and environmental management in the Cooley Mountains.
62 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
TIPPERARY COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
The highlight of 2016 for Tipperary County Council Heritage Office was the publication of the first Tipperary Heritage Plan which will allow for a strategic and coordinated approach to the management, conversation and promotion of the county’s rich natural, cultural and built heritage.
As part of the 1916 Commemorations, the office delivered over one hundred and fifty events. The natural and built heritage audit of the River Suir continued during the year, and in partnerhsip with Birdwatch Ireland, the office launched Tipperary Bird Project which aims to encourage increased participation in outdoor activities by families and children.
The office also delivered the successful Discover Wildlife Day and a 'Swift Walk' which lead to the discovery of a large colony of swifts in Clonmel. The office was also involved in the delivery of the three-year, SWARE project - an Interreg Europe initiative which focuses on the sustainable management of European waterway regions.
WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE OFFICE
Wicklow County Council Heritage Office delivered a very successful programme of events for the 1916 Commemorations. The programme contained a one-day Public Collections Day which resulted in the creation of a digital archive of personal stories, letters, objects, documents and photographs, all of which have been made available on Wicklow’s online, community heritage archive at www.countywicklowheritage.org
The Heritage Office worked in partnership with Glendalough Heritage Forum to deliver a programme of events in the Glendalough Valley, promoting awareness and appreciation of the area. The programme included a volunteer community excavation, an archaeological field school, a simulated Big Dig for children, a volunteer graveyard survey, a historical photographic exhibition and the development of a graveyard trail.
The Heritage Office also worked with neighbouring local authorities on the River Liffey heritage-recording project entitled Source to Sea. The project aims to create a digital, GIS-based heritage archive of the river. Within this archive, 72 points of interest have been documented and will form a baseline information for tourism and promotional initiatives.
Heritage Week at Lea Castle, County Laois.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 63 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
5.4. NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY DATA CENTRE
The National Biodiversity Data Centre, which was established by the Heritage Council in 2007, is a national centre that collects and manages data to document Ireland’s wildlife resource and to track how it is changing. The centre is funded by the Heritage Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with an annual core budget of just over €0.6 million per year. It employs eight full-time staff.
Ireland’s biodiversity contributes at least €2.6 billion each year to the Irish economy through a range of goods and services that nature provides, such as soil fertility, nutrient cycling, pollination, water purification, etc. The work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre provides the bioinformatics infrastructure and the data management services to document and manage data about this national resource.
The centre manages a number of specific thematic work areas, including the operation of a suite of National Biodiversity Indicators, three national monitoring programmes, it is co-ordinating the implementation of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 and supporting the implementation of the EU Invasive Species Regulations.
A key component of the work of the centre is the operation of an online data and mapping system, Biodiversity Maps, which publishes high quality, validated data on Ireland’s biological diversity. This system has grown over the years so it is now the largest source of data on Ireland’s biodiversity; at the end of 2016 the system published over 4 million observations of 15,797 species from 140 different datasets. This system provides open access to information on the distribution of species in Ireland, including protected or threatened species so as to better inform policy formation and the implementation of EU directives.
5.5. INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS OF IRELAND
The Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) is the all-island representative organisation for professional archaeologists working both in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The aim of the IAI is to advance and strengthen the profession of archaeology in Ireland. Its vision is that Ireland will have a vibrant and sustainable archaeological profession that actively contributes to the protection of our archaeological resource, which in turn contributes to the social and economic well-being of the entire community.
Funding received from the Heritage Council assists the institute in the development of its Continuing Professional Development Training programme aimed at all professionals in the heritage sector on the island of Ireland. The training takes the form of a range of workshops, introductory courses and professional best-practice seminars.
In 2016, the IAI organised three such workshops which focused on upskilling Irish archaeologists in professional archaeological techniques and theory. Two events dealt with the identification of human and animal bone and an introduction to the use of metal detection for the professional archaeologist. A third event involving the effective use of social media for the wider heritage sector was organised in 2016 and delivered in early 2017. The events were open to the public and the trainers involved came from a range of statutory organisations and professional and educational bodies. The events were well attended by the archaeological profession, by members of the public and by those with an interest in the heritage sector.
64 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
5.6. IRELAND REACHING OUT
Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) enables Irish communities to connect and engage with people around the world who are descendent from their locality – whether they are living in Ireland or abroad, through the website www.IrelandXO.com. Every month, over 50,000 people visit the Ireland XO website to get free family history advice, connect with people or possible relatives from their family’s place of origin, and to share their ancestors’ stories with the Ireland XO community.
In 2016, Ireland Reaching Out launched the XO Chronicles - an interactive collaborative space for sharing local heritage information at a global level. On the Ireland XO website, every Civil Parish has its own XO Chronicles platform which enables members of the global Irish community to document the people, places and events of any area in Ireland – at any time. Anyone from anywhere in the world can contribute to this innovative database and with over one thousand ancestor, building and timeline entries already created, the XO Chronicles are fast becoming a valuable heritage resources for local communities and their descendants.
Many of our returning Diaspora are unable to get local information and therefore do not stay long in the parish of their ancestors. In 2016 the ‘Local Guide’ was added to the platform, allowing organisations and businesses to communicate with Ireland XO members, most of which are resident overseas. This free resource can be added to freely and is a perfect platform from which to engage with visiting Diaspora, or those who may be planning a once in a lifetime journey to their Irish place of origin.
Local involvement is key to the success of the Ireland Reaching Out programme and every local effort makes a difference to Irish descendants around the world, allowing generations to be bridged, geography to be redefined - putting the places that connect us at the centre of who we are and what makes all of us Irish.
5.7. IRISH ARCHIVES RESOURCE
The Irish Archives Resource (IAR), which can be found at www.iar.ie, is an online portal containing searchable archival descriptions. The purpose of the IAR portal is to allow users to locate archives and records that are relevant to their research; to increase the use of archives by directing researchers to the relevant archives services; and to encourage the development and publication of comprehensive, standardised archive descriptions.
The portal receives funding from the Heritage Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. It is run on a mainly voluntary basis with support from the Archives and Records Association and the School of History, UCD.
As part of the continuing development of the functionality of the portal, the IAR received funding from the Heritage Council in 2016 to commission a scoping document to investigate the development of Electronic Archival Descriptions (EAD) and multi- level description for the IAR website.
The report’s key finding is that it is technically feasible to adapt the existing IAR database software in order to implement multi-level description EAD. The report will underpin the IAR committee’s strategic planning in 2017 and will allow the committee to seek further funding for the project’s implementation.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 65 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
5.8. IRISH LANDMARK TRUST
Irish Landmark Trust is a non-profit organisation which conserves interesting and unusual properties that are in need of conservation and gives them new life. Since 1992, the organisation has turned 29 historic buildings around the country into self-catering holiday accommodation. The properties range from lighthouses and schoolhouses, to castles and gate lodges.
2016 built on the processes commenced in 2015 to manage the future development of Irish Landmark Trust. A new Strategic Plan was adopted in March and this will direct the work of the organisation over the next three years.
Conservation work was carried out at two Irish Landmark projects. At Saunderscourt Gate Lodges in Wexford, the work included stabilising the structures and improving the site. The site was landscaped and grass seeds sown; the outhouse was re-roofed and the ground around it lowered; and finally a new roadway to the front of the property was constructed. This was supported by a €25,000 grant from Wexford County Council. Additionally, Cork County Council and the Irish Georgian Society provided grants (€10,000 and €5,000 respectively) towards re-thatching The Mall near Mitchelstown in Co. Cork.
The role of Standards Officer has brought a new level of monitoring to the presentation of the properties, the performance of Irish Landmark’s house managers and the experience of guests. In late 2016, following a process of interview, a consultant role of Conservation Advisor was put in which will commence in early 2017.
Irish Landmark was thrilled to receive its first gift of a property during the year. Railway Crossing Cottage in Co. Donegal had been very authentically restored by its American owners about twenty years ago. The care taken by the owner of the property in the intervening years ensured that it was in excellent condition when it was offered as a donation in mid-2016.
5.9. IRISH MUSEUMS ASSOCIATION
The Irish Museums Association (IMA) is an all-Ireland professional body dedicated to the promotion and development of museums, the museum profession, and standards of excellence in museum practice, so that everyone, visitors and practitioners, can enjoy the maximum cultural, social and educational benefit. It promotes professional practice in museum management, collections care, visitor services and provides a platform for debate on museum ideas through events such as conferences, forums, lectures and seminars.
Funding from the Heritage Council assisted the IMA in presenting an annual calendar of events that provide professional development and networking opportunities to the sector. One of the highlights of 2016 was the annual conference which marked the centenary of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and its promise of "civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities for all its citizens". Entitled, ‘Museums for Society: Towards a Cultural Democracy’, the conference looked at museums as civic institutions with an important role to play in the social, cultural and educational life of society.
The annual IMA Education and Outreach Forum took place in July, now in its 11th year, the forum has firmly established itself as a key event in the calendar for museum educators to meet and discuss key developments in museum education. Speakers were selected from an open call for papers and presented examples of new and innovative access or education projects that are happening in museums and galleries across Ireland and the UK.
The IMA Annual White Lecture in the autumn provides a forum for some of the most influential national and international contemporary museum professionals to speak on matters relating to museums. Diane Lees was the guest speaker at the 2016 lecture. She is Director-General of the Imperial War Museums in the UK, which is currently heading up the cultural programme of events to mark the centenary of the First World War (2014-18).
The organisation also provided advocacy and assistance through the maintenance of a full-time, staffed office and information through outlets such as the website www.irishmuseums.org, monthly e-newsletter and the annual publication, Museum Ireland.
66 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
Field Work being undertaken at Tara, Co. Meath by the Discovery Centre
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 67 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
5.10. IRISH UPLANDS FORUM
The Irish Upland Forum (IUF) is a voluntary body which assists upland communities in addressing the many economic, social and environmental challenges arising in the upland districts of Ireland. IUF's members include farmers, recreational users, ecologists, tourism and other countryside service providers who represent those who live, work or recreate in the Irish Uplands.
Funding from the Heritage Council in 2016, allowed the IUF to commission two research reports which were published and presented to IUF stakeholders at its annual conference in May 2016.
The Uplands Community Study identifies and establishes, from direct consultation with 25 active community groups in Irish Upland areas, the current issues and challenges faced by local groups and how each group is trying to address them. IUF regard this base-line study as an initial consultation process to organise an island-wide network of all such groups with a view to consolidate and share the experience and individual stories and to establish IUF as a unified voice for upland communities.
The Irish Uplands Socio-Economic Profile provides an insight into Ireland’s inhabited and farmed upland areas. The study focuses on the electoral divisions of 17 upland areas and drew on data from the Census of Population, the Census of Agriculture and the Pobal HP Deprivation Index to assess populations, social and industrial structures, and farming activities. The analysis of evidenced based socio-economic conditions and their implications for upland communities will help inform upland futures.
Based on the findings of both reports, the IUF has now secured funding from Government for the appointment of a Uplands Communities Network Co-Ordinator. It is also seeking multi-annual funding for integrated upland groups which are committed to the sustainable management of upland areas.
5.11. WOODLANDS OF IRELAND
Woodlands of Ireland (WoI) is a membership organisation dedicated to the conservation of native Irish woodlands. The organisation’s primary objectives are to generate awareness of native woodlands amongst policy makers and the general public and to develop projects and sustainable management strategies aimed at ensuring the future viability of Ireland’s native woodlands. These objectives are addressed through the implementation of flagship projects, training courses, technical publications, policy development and the provision of support at local level.
2016 saw increased activity in the native woodland sector due, in part, to funding being made available under the RDP Forestry Programme’s Native Woodland Scheme (NWS). WoI sought to encourage the uptake of the scheme through its promotion with both public bodies and private landowners. In addition, a NWS training course to accredit foresters working on the scheme was held with a total of 64 people attending, including foresters, ecologists, landowners, NPWS, Coillte, local authority and Forestry Service staff.
2016 also saw the publication of the first-ever Woodlands Strategy for Ireland which was compiled in partnership with stakeholders in both the public and private sectors. The strategy covers a broad range of topics, including the management of ancient woodlands; the creation of new native woodlands; woodland creation as part of climate-change mitigation and water quality enhancement measures; natural capital realisation; and recreational native woodlands.
68 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
5.12. WICKLOW UPLANDS COUNCIL
Wicklow Uplands Council (WUC) is an independent voluntary organisation representing over 50 diverse member groups and individuals in the Wicklow Uplands. The Heritage Council is the primary core-funder of WUC. This funding allows the employment of a small number of staff and the development of a number of projects.
2016 was a busy year for WUC as it continued to engage with its members, project partners and the general public in addressing some of the challenges faced in the Wicklow uplands. Voluntary involvement continued to play an important role in the development of projects and policies.
Developing opportunities for sustainable recreation is a priority of WUC and 2016 saw the launch of the ‘Avonmore Way’ (Slí Abhainn Mór); a 12km sustainable walking trail linking the village of Laragh to Rathdrum. WUC developed the trail in partnership with public and private landowners, local community groups, County Wicklow Partnership and Wicklow County Council. The main driver for establishment of the route was to provide a pedestrian link between Laragh and train and bus services in Rathdrum. This has encouraged greater independent visitors to the area.
A controlled burning workshop was held in February to promote best practice in controlled burning and vegetation management in the uplands. The event was organised in co-operation with a number of upland stakeholder organisations and was attended by over 150 individuals from across Ireland.
2016 marked the 10th year of the PURE Project, a partnership project involving Wicklow County Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, South Dublin County Council, Coillte and Wicklow Uplands Council. The project provides a single, well-resourced response to littering and dumping in the Wicklow/ Dublin Uplands. PURE has removed over 2,700 tonnes of illegal dumping from the uplands to date and encouraged 62 local communities to take ownership of the ‘PURE Mile’ in 2016 alone. WUC continues to employ the PURE Project Manager, in addition to providing administrative and operational support to the project and representing private landowners on the Project Management Committee.
In October, WUC was invited to present a workshop at the annual four-day EUROPARC Federation conference – a network for Europe’s natural and cultural heritage practitioners. The workshop focused on the importance of bringing all stakeholders together in the decision-making process and the important role the farmers play in protected areas.
5.13. THE DISCOVERY PROGRAMME
The Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland receives its core funding from the Heritage Council. Its mission is to explore Ireland’s past and its cultural heritage by conducting advanced research in Irish archaeology and related disciplines and by disseminating its findings widely to the global community.
The Discovery Programme celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016 and as part of its commitment to public engagement, events were organised in eight locations on the island of Ireland. The travelling exhibition in the Ballyhoura region highlighted both past research in the area as well as ongoing research by the Monastic Ireland project. A showcase in Clones highlighted the centre’s research on St Tighernach’s Tomb Shrine and the Clones High Cross and was attended by Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys and members of the public. The day of the Discovery Programme’s initiation, May 11th, was marked by a seminar on public archaeology and the launch of the Leo Swan Aerial Photography Collection. The Upcycle Digital Heritage events in Derry’s Guild Hall showcased the increasing role of technology in communicating built heritage research to both students and the general public.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 69 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
Work on the Tara Project continued during the year and included a very successful campaign of fieldwork at Skreen, Riverstown and Faughan Hill, Co. Meath (in partnership with the Romano-Germanic Commission, Frankfurt). A new guidebook on Tara was launched at a National Heritage Week event on the Hill of Tara. Tara: The Guidebook is richly illustrated, full of fascinating facts, observations and insights into one of the most important archaeological sites in Ireland.
In 2016, Monastic Ireland completed the Irish Research Council-funded phase of a project being undertaken in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork. The publication of the 2015 Monastic Europe conference proceedings, and extensive fieldwork undertaken at twenty religious sites provided the project’s focus of activity for the year.
The Archaeology 2025 project, facilitated by the Discovery Programme, aims to develop a long-term archaeological strategy on behalf of the Royal Irish Academy. A programme of consultation continued in the first half of 2016 and a draft strategy document was prepared and made available online to allow for further consultation and feedback. The final strategy document will be published and launched in 2017.
The technology department completed scanning and modelling projects at various locations including Leinster House, the Four Courts, Joyce’s Tower in Dublin, Skellig Michael, Clones High Cross and Iona Museum. The Joyce’s Tower project was carried out as part of a 3D-gaming development project being undertaken with Boston College. It compliments an ongoing project being undertaken at Knowth in collaboration with the Office of Public Works which will create an immersive 3D visitor experience.
5.14. THE INSTITUTE OF CONSERVATOR-RESTORERS IN IRELAND
The Institute of Conservator-Restorers in Ireland (ICRI) promotes the conservation and restoration of Ireland’s cultural heritage. ICRI does this by setting standards of professional practice relating to conservation and restoration, by operating a process of professional accreditation and training for its members as well as by being an active and informed voice in the development of cultural heritage policy in Ireland.
The Heritage Council’s financial support of the institute ensures that the practice of conservation in Ireland continues to adhere to internationally accepted standards by supporting ICRI’s provision of professional accreditation, training workshops and grants to support continued professional development. ICRI assists the Council’s commitment to cultural heritage through its support of the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI) and provision of commissioned workshops in collection care.
Funding provided by the Heritage Council in 2016 supported the professional accreditation of six conservator-restorers in four disciplines: paper, books and paper, furniture and wood conservation and conservation management. The grant enabled twelve conservator-restorers to attend professional training courses in Ireland and abroad. The events attended were highly specialised in disciplines including easel paintings, photographs, furniture, paper and collection care.
ICRI was separately commissioned to organise a one-day workshop on collections care, held at the Chester Beatty Library in April for MSPI participants. The funding also enabled ICRI to organise its biennial conference, ‘Conservation Activities in Ireland V’. The conference was held at the National Library of Ireland in September and was attended by over 60 conservators and museum professionals.
70 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 5. Regularly-funded Organisations
Saunderscourt Lodge, Co. Wexford – before and after lintols and surrounds were conserved by the Irish Landmark Trust.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 71 7. Featured Work fromTHE 2016 HIDDEN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR IRELAND’S WILDLIFE ISABELL SMYTH, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS & EDUCATION, THE HERITAGE COUNCIL
Given the state of health of Ireland’s wildlife one could be There have been significant shifts in the public understanding forgiven for thinking that there was little public support for of what is meant by biodiversity loss. Since 2010 there the work of nature conservation. For example, the National has been a shift from 17% of the public recognising that Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has reported that only 9% it is about declines in natural habitats to 40% in 2016. of the habitats considered threatened and protected under This is a very significant shift in the public’s understanding. the EU’s Habitats Directive are doing well. The habitats most In 2010, climate change was seen as the number one threat in danger in Ireland are those that have been significantly to wildlife, in 2016, this threat was at number four. There reduced, notably raised bogs and species-rich grasslands. is also a greater recognition of the role our actions have One of the species of greatest concern is the Freshwater on biodiversity loss. Pearl Mussel, as only a few rivers have populations with sufficient younger generations surviving. However, there are still very low levels of understanding of the impact of invasive species and land-use change and Red Lists identify species most in need of conservation help. development which is seen by only 10% of the population to According to the latest Red List on Irish Macro-moths, 43 have an impact on wildlife. 57% of the public don’t know that species are assessed as threatened to some degree (i.e., any species in Ireland is facing extinction. vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered), which represents 8% of the current Irish list. Fourteen species are But perhaps the most hopeful figures are those that considered to have become regionally extinct. Overall, the show that the public is willing to take some responsibility NPWS has reported that only 52% of the species considered for improving the health of Ireland’s biodiversity, with a threatened and protected under the Habitats Directive are in staggering 84% of people willing to do ‘a bit’ or ‘a lot’. favourable status. But although willing, 60% of people do not know what to do to help. While the figures referenced here might surprise Nearly all of the 300 species covered by Ireland and the you they give hope that if people can be made aware of UK’s Bird Atlas have experienced changes, such as range what actions they might take to support wildlife, the vast contractions or expansions, location shifts or subtle changes majority of people are willing to do so. This is space that in numbers. Key findings for the island of Ireland are that, we must focus on in the coming years if we are to shift the over the last 40 years, the breeding ranges of 47% of species tide away from defeat and loss to something we can manage have contracted, whereas 18% of species have expanded to to drive change. new areas.1
In 2016, the Heritage Council undertook research on ‘Biodiversity Awareness, Understanding and Impact of its Loss’2. The research is similar to that which took place in 2010 and the findings provide some hope that public support is there to help reverse the decline in Ireland’s habitats and wildlife.
1 www.epa.ie/irelandsenvironment/nature 2 Biodiversity Awareness, Understanding and Impact of its Loss. B&A, April 2016, the Heritage Council
72 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 7. Featured Work from 2016
Top left: The native Red Squirrel is on the 'near-threatened' list in Ireland as it tries to compete with its grey counterpart for habitat and food. Top right: Irish Lady's Tresses found in Ireland and the UK are the only examples of the species remaining in Europe. Bottom: The once common, Wall Brown butterfly is now endangered in Ireland.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 73 74 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 6. International Initiatives
Boat trip on the River Shannon, Limerick during National Heritage Week 2016, part of European Heritage Days
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 75 6. International Initiatives
6.1. EU JOINT PROGRAMME INITIATIVE ON CULTURAL HERITAGE
The Heritage Council continued to manage and promote the European cultural heritage research website www.heritageportal. eu and associated social media in 2016 as part of the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage (JPICH). Funded by the European Commission, the JPICH aims to promote the safeguarding of European cultural heritage through shared research projects and initiatives.
6.2. EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS
European Heritage Days (EHD) are a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union in which over 40 countries participate each year. The main aim of EHD is to promote awareness of our built, natural and cultural heritage and to promote Europe’s common cultural heritage. Every year, millions of Europeans visit monuments and sites throughout Europe on EHD. In Ireland, we celebrate it with a full week of events throughout National Heritage Week.
The Heritage Council was represented at the plenary meeting of the EHD national coordinators in Madrid in October 2016. The agenda for the meeting included a discussion on themes for upcoming years, European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, common EHD communications strategies and best practice case studies.
6.3. EU ASSOCIATION OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS
The European Association of Archaeologists’ annual conference in 2016 was held in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Heritage Council’s Head of Conservation was a session co-organiser along with colleagues from Scotland and Finland. This included a presentation on community participation in archaeological projects.
6.4. LANDSCAPE VALUES - PLACE AND PRAXIS CONFERENCE
The Heritage Council supported this international conference, run by Uniscape, which took place at the National University of Ireland, Galway in June 2016. A number of Council’s staff spoke about aspects of their work, participated in field trips and operated an information stand on Heritage Council landscape projects. The conference’s presence in Ireland was important to demonstrate the ongoing relevance of, and need for the National Landscape Strategy and to set out international best practice.
6.5. 2 ND EUROPEAN CONGRESS – EUROPEAN CITIES & THEIR HERITAGE: THE FACES OF HISTORY IN EUROPEAN CITIES
In December 2016, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety hosted the 2nd European Congress on European Cities and their Heritage with the title, The Faces of History in European Cities. The Heritage Council's Head of Conservation presented a paper based on the Irish experience of communication, participation and shared responsibility. The proceedings of this conference will be published in 2017.
6.6 EUROPARC - THE VOICE OF PROTECTED AREAS IN EUROPE
The Heritage Council continues its membership of Europarc - a pan-European body with over 500 members in 40 different countries. Membership includes those directly involved in the management of protected areas such as national and regional parks, as well as government departments and agencies with responsibility for policy development.
76 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 6. International Initiatives
Walk on the Macreddin Mile, Co. Wicklow during National Heritage Week 2016, part of European Heritage Days.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 77 78 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 7. Corporate Governance
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 79 80 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 8. Corporate Governance
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The Heritage Council’s policy is to maintain the highest standards of corporate governance, in line with generally accepted policies and practices. The Council is committed to complying with the relevant provisions of the new Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies published in 2016.
The Heritage Council has established an Audit, Risk & Finance Committee, which regularly reviews the system of internal control and engages external expertise in the carrying out of its functions, including the internal audit function, as appropriate. The Heritage Council complies with Government guidelines for the appraisal and management of capital expenditure in the public sector. Government policy on pay and directors’ fees is also complied with. The Heritage Council is fully tax-compliant and does not engage in ‘offensive’ tax avoidance transactions.
7.1. Prompt Payments in 2016
The Heritage Council is required to comply with the requirements of S.I. No. 580/2012 European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations, 2012 and its predecessor, the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act, 1997 (collectively known as the ‘Regulations’). The Council’s standard terms of credit taken, unless otherwise specified in contractual arrangements, are 30 days from the receipt of the invoice. Procedures have been implemented which provide reasonable assurance against material non-compliance with the Regulations. While the procedures are designed to ensure compliance with the Regulations, they can only provide reasonable and not absolute assurance against material noncompliance with the 1997 Act and S.I. No. 580/2012.
A review of all payments made during the year ended December 31st 2016 shows 10 payments totalling €22,817.88 giving rise to an interest penalty of €600.42 under the above regulations.
With effect from July 1st 2011, the Heritage Council was required to comply with government Decisions S29296 of May 19th 2009 and March 2nd & 8th 2011, in relation to the 15-day prompt payment rule. The disclosures required in the Memorandum of Government (MoG) supporting the above decisions for the period January 1st 2016 to December 31st 2016 are detailed below:
Details Number Value (€) Percentage (%) of total number of payments made Number of payments made within 15 days 1766 1,589,157 94.08
Number of payments made within 16 days to 30 days 88 274,781 4.69
Number of payments made in excess of 30 days 23 370,320 1.23
Total payments made in Period 1877 2,234,258 100.00
Disputed Invoices1 1 8,705
1 Invoices received during the quarter and still under dispute at the end of the quarter.
7.2 New Board Member Induction and Training
Induction and Corporate Governance Training for new Heritage Council Board members took place in Kilkenny on September 14th 2016, before the new Council’s first Board meeting. Aidan Horan, Director of Training, Development and Consultancy Services at the Institute of Public Administration provided the training. New members were briefed on the following: Code of Practice for Governance of State bodies; Heritage Council business procedures; standing orders; the Heritage Act 1995; the Heritage Council’s Heritage Manifesto; remuneration and superannuation among other relevant issues.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 81 Irish Wildlife Weekend on Inis Inis Mór, Co. Galway 82 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 Financial Statements of The Heritage Council for the Year Ended 31 December 2016
Report of Comptroller & Auditor General 84
Statement of Responsibilities of the Council 85
Statement on Internal Financial Control 86
Statement of Income and Expenditure and Retained Revenue Reserves 87
Statement of Comprehensive Income 88
Statement of Financial Position 89
Statement of Cashflows 90
Notes to Financial Statements 91
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 83 REPORT OF COMPTROLLER & AUDITOR GENERAL
84 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COUNCIL
Section 21(1) of the Heritage Act, 1995 requires the Council to prepare financial statements in such form as may be approved by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs after consultation with the Minister for Finance.
In preparing the financial statements, the council is required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
- prepare financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Heritage Council will continue in operation
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
The Council is responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Council and which enable it to ensure that the financial statements comply with section 21(1) of the Act. The Council is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Heritage Council and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
______Michael Parsons Council Member 27th June 2017
______Kieran Coughlan Council Member 27th June 2017
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 85 STATEMENT ON INTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROL
On behalf of the members of Council I wish to acknowledge our responsibility for ensuring that an effective system of internal financial control is maintained and operated. The system can only provide reasonable and not absolute assurance that assets are safeguarded, transactions authorised and properly recorded, and that material errors or irregularities are either prevented or would be detected within a timely period. Key Control Procedures i) The council has taken steps to ensure an appropriate control environment is in place by: - Agreeing a detailed work programme for each year, monitoring and evaluating progress against the work programme. - Implementing financial procedures to control the significant financial elements of the Heritage Council's business. - Maintaining a comprehensive schedule of insurances to protect the Heritage Council's interest. - Reviewing and approving all Council policies and procedures. - Establishing an Audit, Risk & Finance Committee with effect from 13th October 2016 to review the effectiveness of the system of internal financial control. From 26th January, 2016 until 13th October, 2016 The Heritage Council had no Audit, Risk & Finance Committee in place and therefore the committee met on only one occasion in 2016. They reviewed reports from managment on prompt payments, budgets, internal financial meetings, appointment of external members to Audit and Finance Committee and Audit and Finance Committee terms of reference. All suppliers with turnover in excess of €5,000 per annum with Council were also reviewed in detail. - Production of regular management information, segregation of duties and a system of delegation and accountability. - Compliance with Department procedures as regards reporting and draw down of funds. - Developing and implementing an Internal Audit Work Programme. ii) The system of internal financial controls is based on a framework of regular management information, a system of delegation and accountability, a set of financial procedures, administrative procedures including segregation of duties, and rigorous checks of the finance function. In particular it includes: - Restricting authority for authorising disbursement of Council monies to designated officers. - Modern computerised Financial Accounting, Payroll and Fixed Asset Register software systems to underpin the internal financial controls of the Heritage Council. - Detailed procedures for engaging consultants. iii) Council is examining the revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in 2016 and intends to adopt as soon as is practicable given resources to hand. The adoption of the new code will include a plan of actions required under the new code with each action designated and with a target date. These actions will include the completion of risk assessment and compilation of risk register and review of System of Internal Control and Risk Management. Annual Review of Controls A review of the System of Internal Financial Control has not been carried out in respect of 2016 or in respect of the two previous years. It is intended that the Review of the System of Internal Control and Risk Management will be completed before the year end. A tender to provide a range of audit services to the Heritage Council for a period of three years is in the final stages of evaluation. These services include a report on Review of Internal Control and Risk Management which is due to be completed by 30th November 2017.
______Michael Parsons Council Member 27th June 2017
86 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE AND RETAINED REVENUE RESERVES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Notes 2016 2015 € € Income Oireachtas Grant 2 6,491,000 5,996,398 Other Income 3 232,998 242,578 Net deferred funding for pensions 11 (c) 529,000 511,000 Transfer from Capital Account 4 228,029 252,583 Total Income 7,481,027 7,002,559
Expenditure Grants 5 3,009,426 2,591,560 Policy Development 6(a) 920,951 817,571 Support for Heritage Infrastructure 6(b) 1,663,407 1,507,104 Administration Establishment expenses 7 164,902 268,810 Office supplies and administration 8 273,413 236,553 Council members' honoraria & expenses 9 14,430 46,758 Committee members' expenses 822 2,307 Staff costs 10 1,394,749 1,360,738 Depreciation 12 233,570 263,380 Total Administration 2,081,886 2,178,546
Total Expenditure 7,675,670 7,094,781
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year (194,643) (92,222) Balance brought forward at 1 January 666,639 758,861
Balance carried forward at 31 December 471,996 666,639
The Statement of Cash Flows and Notes 1 to 22 and Schedule 1 form part of these financial statements.
______Michael Parsons Council Member 27th June 2017
______Kieran Coughlan Council Member 27th June 2017
______Michael Starrett Chief Executive 27th June 2017
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 87 STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Notes 2016 2015 € €
Surplus/(deficit) for year (194,643) (92,222)
Experience gains/ (losses) on retirement benefit obligations 11 (d) 1,095,000 (45,000) Changes in assumptions underlying the present value of retirement benefit obligations (1,076,000) 509,000
Total actuarial gain/(loss) in the year 19,000 464,000 Adjustments to Deferred Pension Funding (19,000) (464,000) Total Comprehensive Income for the Year (194,643) (92,222)
The Statement of Cash Flows and Notes 1 to 22 and Schedule 1 form part of these financial statements.
______Michael Parsons Council Member 27th June 2017
______Kieran Coughlan Council Member 27th June 2017
______Michael Starrett Chief Executive 27th June 2017
88 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2016
Notes 2016 2015 € €
Fixed Assets Property, plant & equipment 12 6,343,100 6,571,129
Current Assets Receivables 13 405,883 286,143 Cash and cash equivalents 847,713 980,523 1,253,596 1,266,666
Current Liabilities (amounts falling due within one year) Payables 14 781,601 600,028 Net Current Assets 471,995 666,638
Retirement Benefits Retirement Benefit Obligations 11(b) (6,654,000) (6,144,000) Deferred Retirement benefit funding asset 11(b) 6,654,000 6,144,000
Total Net Assets 6,815,095 7,237,767 Representing Capital Account 4 6,343,099 6,571,128 Retained Revenue Reserves 471,996 666,639 6,815,095 7,237,767
The Statement of Cash Flows and Notes 1 to 22 and Schedule 1 form part of these financial statements.
______Michael Parsons Council Member 27th June 2017
______Kieran Coughlan Council Member 27th June 2017
______Michael Starrett Chief Executive 27th June 2017
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 89 STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Notes 2016 2015 € €
Cash flow from operating activities (Deficit)/Surplus for the year (194,643) (92,222) Depreciation 12 233,570 263,380 (Increase)/Decrease in receivables (119,740) (50,964) Increase/(Decrease) in payables 181,573 (49,284) Capital Account Movement 4 (228,029) (252,583) Net Cash Inflow from Operating Activities (127,269) (181,673)
Cash flows from investing activities Payments to acquire property, plant & equipment 4 (5,541) (10,797) Net Cash Flows from investing activities (5,541) (10,797)
Cash flows from Financing Activities Net Cash Flows from Financing activities 0 0
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (132,810) (192,470) Cash and Cash equivalents at 1 January 980,523 1,172,993 Cash and Cash equivalents at 31 December 847,713 980,523
90 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 1. Accounting Policies The basis of accounting and significant accounting policies adopted by the Heritage Council are set out below. They have all been applied consistently throughout the year and for the preceding year. a) General Information The Heritage Council was set up under the Heritage Act 1995, with a head office at Áras na hOidreachta, Church Lane, Kilkenny. The Heritage Council's primary objectives as set out in Section 6 of The Heritage Act 1995 are as follows: to propose policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of the national heritage and to promote its appreciation. b) Statement of Compliance The financial statements of the Heritage Council for the year ended 31 December 2016 have been prepared in accordance with FRS102, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), as promulgated by Chartered Accountants Ireland. c) Basis of Preparation The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, except for certain assets and liabilities as explained in the accounting policies below. The financial statements are in the form approved by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance under The Heritage Act 1995. The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the Heritage Council's financial statements. d) Revenue Oireachtas Grants Revenue is generally recognised on an accruals basis; one exception to this is in the case of Oireachtas Grants which are recognised on a receipts basis. Other Revenue Other revenue is recognised on an accruals basis. e) Grant Payments The Heritage Council offers grants to various bodies and individuals to carry out works under its heritage grant schemes. When a grantee accepts the terms and conditions of a grant offer from Council, Council enters into a commitment with that grantee. That commitment is recognised as an accrual only when the grantee is seen to have fulfilled the full terms and conditions of the grant offer. Details of grant commitments at 31st December 2016 are given in note 17. f) Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation, adjusted for any provision for impairment. Depreciation is provided on all property, plant and equipment, other than freehold land and artwork, at rates estimated to write off the cost less the estimated residual value of each asset on a straight line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows:
Buildings 2.50% Office Furniture 10%/20% Leasehold 10% Computers 25% Office Equipment 20% (Hardware & Software) Works of Art 0% Reference Material and 20% Motor Vehicles 20% OSI Licences Plant & Equipment 20%/10% Residual value represents the estimated amount which would currently be obtained from disposal of an asset, after deducting estimated costs of disposal, if the asset were already of an age and in the condition expected at the end of its useful life. If there is objective evidence of impairment of the value of an asset, an impairment loss is recognised in the Statement of Income and Expenditure and Retained Reserves in the year.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 91 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 1. Accounting Policies Contd. g) Capital Account The capital account comprises income allocated for the purchase of fixed assets. It is amortised in line with the depreciation of the related assets. h) Leasing Assets acquired under finance leases are capitalised and included in property, plant and equipment and depreciated in accordance with the Council policy. i) Employee Benefits Short-term Benefits Short term benefits such as holiday pay are recognised as an expense in the year, and benefits that are accrued at year-end are included in the Payables figure in the Statement of Financial Position. Retirement Benefits The Heritage Council previously established its own defined benefit pension scheme, funded annually on a pay-as-you-go basis from monies provided by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs and from contributions deducted from staff and members' salaries. The Heritage Council also operates the Single Public Services Pensions Scheme ("Single Scheme"), which is a defined benefit scheme for pensionable public servants appointed on or after 1st January, 2013. Single Scheme members' contributions are paid over to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). It should be noted that currently the Heritage Council doesn't have Single Scheme members. Pension costs reflect pension benefits earned by employees, and are shown net of staff pension contributions which are retained by the Heritage Council. An amount corresponding to the pension charge is recognised as income to the extent that it is recoverable, and offset by grants received in the year to discharge pension payments. Actuarial gains or losses arising on scheme liabilities are reflected in the Statement of Comprehensive Income, and a corresponding adjustment is recognised in the amount recoverable from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs. The financial statements reflect, at fair value, the assets and liabilities arising from the Heritage Council's pension obligations and any related funding, and recognises the costs of providing pension benefits in the accounting periods in which they are earned by employees. Retirement benefit scheme liabilities are measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit credit method. j) Critical Accounting Judgements and Estimates The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported for assets and liabilities as at the balance sheet date and the amounts reported for revenues and expenses during the year. However, the nature of estimation means that the actual outcomes could differ from those estimates. The following judgements have the most significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements. Impairment of Property, Plant and Equipment Assets that are subject to amortisation are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset's carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an asset's fair value less cost to sell and value in use. For the purpose of assessing impairment, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are separately identifible cash flows (cash generating units). Non financial assets that suffered impairment are reviewed for possible reversal of the impairment at each reporting date.
92 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 1. Accounting Policies Contd. Depreciation and Residual Values The Board have reviewed the asset lives and associated residual values of all fixed asset classes, and in particular, the useful economic life and residual values of fixtures and fittings, and have concluded that asset lives and residual values are appropriate. Retirement Benefit Obligation The assumptions underlying the actuarial valuations for which the amounts recognised in the financial statements are determined (including discount rates, rate of inflation, rates of increase in future compensation levels, mortality rates and retirement age) are updated annually based on current economic conditions and for any relevant changes to the terms and conditions of the pension and post-retirement plans. The assumptions can be affected by: (i) the discount rate, changes in the rate of return on high quality corporate bonds (ii) future compensation levels, future labour market conditions (iii) mortality rates and age of retirement
Note 2: Oireachtas Grants The amount of €6,491,000 comprises Grants from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs and the Environment Fund managed by the Department of Communication, Climate Action & Environment as follows
2016 2015 € € Administration Grants (Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, 1,468,000 1,468,000 Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Vote 33, Subhead B.3.1) Non-Capital Grants (Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, 2,087,000 1,587,000 Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Vote 33, Subhead B.3.2) (National Lottery funded) Non Capital Grants (Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, 0 25,569 Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) Non Capital Grants (Environment Fund: Natural Heritage) 460,000 377,829 Capital Grants (Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, 40,000 0 Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, National Monuments Service) Capital Grants (Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, 1,688,000 1,688,000 Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Vote 33, Subhead B.3.1) (National Lottery funded) Capital Grant (Environment Fund, Department of Communication, 748,000 850,000 Climate Action & Environment, Vote 29 ) TOTAL 6,491,000 5,996,398
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 93 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 3: Other Income
2016 2015 € €
Dept. of Agriculture Contribution towards Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme 65,838 65,848 (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Vote 30, Subhead C.3.1) Failte Ireland - Grant to Support Heritage Week 30,000 30,000 Irish Walled Towns Membership Fee & Seminar Income 67,037 67,500 Contribution of Local Authorities to Heritage Viewer Project 29,500 20,000 Council of Europe Funding towards Joint Programme for Cultural Heritage - Communications Element 0 30,486 Bord Bia Contribution to Pollinator Co-Ordinator Post in National Biodiversity Data Centre 25,000 0 Council of Europe Funding towards European Heritage Days Workshop 0 1,190 Erasmus Train the Trainer Grant re: Buildings Limes 5,282 10,568 Conferences 0 10,265 Heritage in Schools - Contribution of Local Authorities to Cost of School Visits 1,960 0 Heritage Week Advertising 6,048 5,524 Insurance Settlements 672 1,114 Miscellaneous 1,661 83 TOTAL 232,998 242,578
Note 4: Capital Account
2016 2015 € € Balance at 1 January 6,571,128 6,823,711
Transfer (to)/from Income and Expenditure Account Amount allocated to fund fixed asset purchases 5,541 10,797 Less: Amortisation in line with depreciation (233,570) (263,380) (228,029) (252,583) Balance at 31 December 6,343,099 6,571,128
94 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 5: Grants Payable
2016 2015 Total Total € € Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research 40,000 39,961 Irish Walled Towns Network Grants towards Walled Towns Days 87,958 87,063 Irish Walled Towns Network Grants towards Capital Works 220,498 101,089 Management Grants 0 12,590 Policy & Infrastructure Grants 412,213 360,435 County Heritage Plan Grants 484,557 556,980 Community Based Heritage Grants 794,200 463,442 Irish Landmark Trust Ltd. (Note 15) 220,000 220,000 Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland. (Note 16) 750,000 750,000 TOTAL 3,009,426 2,591,560 Schedule 1 contains details of grants payable during the year
Note 6(a) : Policy Expenditure
2016 2015 Total Total € € Pilgrim Paths Promotion 0 2,775 Articulation of Heritage in National Landscape Policies 76,045 3,248 Evaluate Heritage Publications 0 400 Heritage in Schools 244,432 205,730 Heritage Week 305,913 295,552 Communication of Council activities 97,728 112,386 Research & Studies 14,895 63,805 Publications 9,439 4,033 Council of Europe Funding towards Joint Programme for Cultural Heritage - Communications Element 7,954 30,486 Conservation Internships 36,251 14,444 Promotion of Preventative Maintenance 89,661 84,712 Burren Geotourism Project 38,633 0 TOTAL 920,951 817,571
Staff costs in respect of Traditional Farm Buildings Reps 4 project administration is included in "Promotion of Preventative Maintenance" of €89,661
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 95 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
2016 2015 Total Total Note 6(b): Heritage Infrastructure € €
National Biodiversity Data Centre 789,998 705,177 Field Monument Advisors database development 2,140 0 Museum Standards Programme 122,730 111,308 Heritage Officer Programme 548,897 538,160 Heritage Viewer 110,804 73,714 Irish Walled Towns Network Administration 88,838 78,745 TOTAL 1,663,407 1,507,104
2016 2015 Total Total Note 7: Establishment expenses € €
Storage 17,497 23,884 Power, heat and light 16,706 20,914 Canteen, catering and cleaning 23,536 27,347 Meetings 13,150 15,624 Repairs, maintenance & security 76,032 94,414 Insurance 17,981 18,871 Year of 20th Anniversary Commemoration1 0 67,756 TOTAL 164,902 268,810
1. In 2015 The Council decided to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Heritage Council with a function at which the guest of honour was the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins who was also the keynote speaker at the event. The function was attended by over 300 people. Costs included in Commemoration costs of €67,756 above include marquee and catering costs in the amount of €24,915, commemorative magazine and other publications and stands in the amount of €34,697. Other miscellaneous costs associated with the event were €8,144.The stands produced are still in use in the Heritage Council.
96 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
2016 2015 Total Total Note 8: Office supplies and administration € €
Telephone & postage 25,798 21,510 Stationery, printing & office equipment repairs 29,686 29,893 Library 874 156 Computer supplies & maintenance 127,591 97,000 Professional fees 66,012 60,789 Sundry 2,593 3,437 Legal Fees 1,819 1,609 Subscriptions 7,739 8,184 Audit fee 7,100 9,900 Interest & Charges 2,100 2,029 Gifts1 2,101 2,046 TOTAL 273,413 236,553 1 Gifts include presentations made to retiring board members (€238), book tokens given to grant assessment panel members and interview panel members who waived their professional fee for partaking in panels (€220), Christmas gifts of heritage publications to past and present Council members (€1,119), presentations made to staff member and intern when leaving the Heritage Council (€425) and donation to charitable organisation which was requested by consultant who waived their professional fee (€100) Note 9: Council Members Fees & Expenses Expenses Accommodation & Fee Claimed Meals Provided Total € € € € Conor Newman 0 4,238 715 4,953 Catherine Heaney 426 0 0 426 Fidelma Mullane 426 0 0 426 Ted Creedon 426 0 0 426 Ciara Breathnach 0 0 0 0 Michael Parsons 0 982 271 1,253 Kieran O'Conor 0 451 0 451 Sinead McCartan 0 679 457 1,136 Jane Maxwell 0 339 174 513 Mary Gallagher 0 344 368 712 Kieran Coughlan 0 795 249 1,044 Muiris O'Suilleabhain 0 621 348 969 Marie Bourke 0 276 358 634 Miriam Fitzpatrick 0 412 249 661 Fionnuala May 0 0 174 174 Ivor McElveen 0 0 174 174 Brian Walsh 0 478 0 478 TOTAL 1,278 9,615 3,537 14,430
The fees listed above are in respect of members whose term of office ended 25th January 2016. One of these members, Ciara Breathnach did not receive a fee under the One Person One Salary (OPOS) principle. The new board was appointed on 19th July 2016 and no fees are payable to these new board members as per letters of appointment. The expenses claimed and the Accommodation & Meal & Travel provided listed in the above columns are in respect of Conor Newman who stepped down from the Heritage Council on 31st December and are also in respect of new Board members appointed on 19th July 2016 and also in respect of Conor Newman who stepped down from the Heritage Council on 31st December 2016. Conor Newman did not receive a fee under the One Person One Salary (OPOS) principle.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 97 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 10: Staff Costs The average number of staff employed by the Heritage Council for the year was 14. This is comprised of the Heritage Council complement of 13 staff together with contract staff employed for specific projects. (2015 -14).
2016 2015 € € Staff salaries and wages 836,454 851,291 Recruitment Costs 5,934 0 Pension Costs 11(a) 473,000 454,000 Staff Well Being & Settlements 130 240 Travel and Expenses 56,632 48,875 Training 24,673 4,894 Holiday Accrual (2,074) 1,438 1,394,749 1,360,738 €45,789 was deducted from staff by way of pension levy and was paid over to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs. CEO Remuneration Package The CEO received salary payments of €109,451 in 2016. No bonus payments were made to the CEO. The CEO received recoupment of travel and subsistence expenses of €6,466. The CEO is a member of an unfunded defined benefit public sector scheme and his pension entitlements do not extend beyond the standard entitlements in the public sector defined benefit superannuation scheme.
Employee benefits 2016 2015 Salary category Number of employees Number of employees €60,000 TO €69,999 7 5 €70,000 TO €79,999 1 3 €80,000 TO €89,999 0 0 €90,000 TO €99,999 0 0 €100,000 TO €109,999 1 1
98 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 11: Superannuation Scheme (a) Analysis of total retirement benefit costs charged to the Statement of Income and Expenditure and Retained Revenue Reserves
2016 2015 € €
Current Service Costs 365,000 376,000 Interest on retirement benefit scheme liabilities 169,000 140,000 Employee Contributions (61,000) (62,000) TOTAL 473,000 454,000 (b) Movement in net retirement benefit obligations during the financial year
2016 2015 € € Net retirement benefit obligation at 1 January (6,144,000) (6,097,000) Current Service Cost (304,000) (314,000) Employee Contributions (61,000) (62,000) Interest Cost (169,000) (140,000) Actuarial gain/(loss) 19,000 464,000 Pension Payable 5,000 5,000 Net retirement benefit obligation at 31 December (6,654,000) (6,144,000)
(c) Deferred funding for retirement benefits The Heritage Council recognises these amounts as an asset corresponding to the unfunded deferred liability for retirement benefits on the basis of the set of assumptions described below and a number of past events. These events include the statutory basis for the establishment of the retirement benefit scheme, and the policy and practice currently in place in relation to funding public service pensions including the contributions by employees and the annual estimates process. The Heritage Council has no evidence that this funding policy will not continue to meet such sums in accordance with current practice. The Net Deferred Funding for retirement benefits recognised in the Statement of Income and Expenditure and Retained Reserves was as follows:
2016 2015 € € Funding Recoverable in respect of current year retirement benefit costs 534,000 516,000 State grant applied to pay retirement benefits (5,000) (5,000) Total 529,000 511,000
The deferred funding asset for retirement benefits at 31st December 2016 amounts to €6.654m (2015: €6.144m)
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 99 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 11: Superannuation Scheme Contd. (d) History of defined benefit obligations
2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 €000 €000 €000 €000 €000 Defined Benefit Obligations 6654 6114 6097 3880 3723 Experience Gains/ (Losses) on Scheme Liabilities * 1,095 (45) 94 267 1 Percentage of Scheme Liabilities 16.50% -0.70% 1.54% 6.88% 0.03% * This item consists of gains/(losses) in respect of liability experience only and excludes any change in liabilities in respect of changes to the actuarial assumptions used. (e) General Description Of The Scheme The retirement benefit scheme is a defined benefit final salary pension arrangement with benefits and contributions defined by reference to current “model” public sector scheme regulations. The scheme provides a pension (1/80 per year of service), a gratuity or lump sum (3/80 per year of service) and spouse’s and children’s pensions. Normal Retirement Age is a member’s 65th birthday, and pre 2004 members have an entitlement to retire without actuarial reduction from age 60. Pensions in payment (and deferment) normally increase in line with general public sector salary inflation. The disclosures below have been prepared for the Heritage Council in relation to benefits payable from the Heritage Council Employee Superannuation Scheme 2003 and Spouses and Children's Scheme. The schemes are un-funded of the defined benefit type, providing retirement benefits based on service and pensionable salary. The valuation used for FRS 102 disclosures have been based on a full assessment of the liabilities of the Schemes as at 31st December 2016. The present values of the defined benefit obligation and the service cost were measured using the projected unit credit method. This disclosure note includes balance sheet and assumption details for the financial year ended 31st December 2016 and 31st December 2015.
100 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
The principal actuarial assumptions used by independent qualified actuaries to calculate the liabilities under FRS 102 are set out below:
Assumptions 31/12/2016 31/12/2015 Inflation 1.80% 1.90% Rate of general long-term increase in salaries 3.30% 3.40% Rate of increase in state benefits 1.80% 1.90% Rate of increase in deferred benefits 2.30% 2.40% Pension Increases 2.30% 2.40% Discount rate for scheme liabilities 1.90% 2.75%
Mortality Assumptions At 31st December 2016, we have used updated mortality assumptions for current and future pensioners based on standard mortality tables allowing for future mortality improvements. The life expectancies from age 65 for sample ages, as derived from these updated mortality assumptions, would be as follows (31st December 2015 life expectancies also provided for comparison):
Life expectancy at age 65 31/12/2016 31/12/2015 (in years) Male, now aged 45 24.8 24.7 Male, now aged 65 22.9 22.8 Female, now aged 45 27.2 27.1 Female, now aged 65 25.1 25.0
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 101 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 12: Property, Plant and Equipment
Buildings Leasehold Office Office Plant & Computers Reference Motor Works Total Furniture Equipment Equipment Material & Vehicles of Art OSI Licences € € € € € € € € € € COST As at 1 January 2016 8,064,752 429,417 224,812 193,126 18,147 803,320 457,204 20,703 203,217 10,414,698 Additions 0 0 621 4,920 0 0 0 0 0 5,541 Disposal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 As at 31 December 2016 8,064,752 429,417 225,433 198,046 18,147 803,320 457,204 20,703 203,217 10,420,239
Accumulated Depreciation
As at 1 January 2016 1,755,371 415,105 217,737 185,223 13,698 778,528 457,204 20,703 0 3,843,569 Charge for year 201,619 14,312 452 3,564 911 12,712 0 0 0 233,570 On disposals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 As at 31 December 2016 1,956,990 429,417 218,189 188,787 14,609 791,240 457,204 20,703 0 4,077,139
Net Book Amounts
As at 1 January 2016 6,309,381 14,312 7,075 7,903 4,449 24,792 0 0 203,217 6,571,129
As at 31 December 2016 6,107,762 0 7,244 9,259 3,538 12,080 0 0 203,217 6,343,100
Note 13: Receivables
2016 2015 € € Debtors 81,942 12,793 Prepayments & Other Debtors 323,941 273,350 405,883 286,143
102 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 14: Payables
2016 2015 € € Creditors 191,749 246,717 Accruals 311,972 245,053 General Creditors & Accruals 503,721 491,770 Grants Outstanding 277,880 108,258 781,601 600,028
Note 15: The Irish Landmark Trust Ltd. The Irish Landmark Trust Ltd was established in 1992 as a non profit company with the objective of saving historic buildings that were abandoned or at risk. This is achieved by giving them a useful and viable function as short term holiday accommodation, which would secure their long-term future. The level of Council funding each year is determined by reference to Council's Five Year Plan, the Irish Landmark Trust's Corporate Plan, and Council's overall budgetary position. Note 16: Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland The Council funds the Discovery Programme that was established in 1991 and was registered as a company, limited by guarantee on 15th January 1996. The Council is responsible for appointing the Chair of the Discovery Programme and three of its directors. The Chief Executive or his nominee is one of Council's representatives on the Board of the Discovery Programme. The level of Council funding each year is determined by reference to Council's Five Year Plan, The Discovery Programme's Corporate Plan, and Council's overall budgetary position. The purpose of the programme is to enhance our understanding of Ireland's past through research and archaeological excavations. Note 17: Grant Commitments At 31st December 2016 the Council had entered into grant commitments in connection with activities due to take place after that date. The amount committed of €410,090 is not reflected in these Financial Statements.
2016 2015 € € Grants committed at 1 January 441,701 291,065 Approvals in year 3,368,995 2,939,848 Grants decommitted & write offs (391,180) (197,652) Grant expenditure in the year (3,009,426) (2,591,560) Grant Commitments at 31 December 410,090 441,701
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 103 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 18: Related Party Disclosures Key management personnel in the Heritage Council consist of the CEO and members of the Board. Total compensation paid to key mangement personnel, including Board members' fees and expenses and total CEO remuneration, amounted to €126,810 (2015: €158,588). For a breakdown of the remuneration and benefits paid to key managment personnel, please refer to note 9 and note 10. The Heritage Council adopts procedures in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform covering the personal interests of Board members. In the normal course of business, The Heritage Council may approve grants and enter into other contractual arrangements with entities in which the Heritage Council Board members are employed or otherwise interested. In cases of potential conflict of interest, Board members do not receive Board documentation or otherwise participate in or attend discussions regarding these transactions. A register is maintained and available on request of all such instances. There were no disclosures of interest in 2016.
Note 19: Going Concern The Council draws funds from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs as and when required. It recognises this income on a cash receipts basis but recognises expenditure on an accruals basis. The Council believes that the Department will continue to fund its approved activities and on this basis it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis.
104 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016
Note 20: Premises The Heritage Council operates from a premises at Áras na hOidhreachta, Church Lane, Kilkenny which it occupies and owns.
Note 21: Appointment of Board of the Heritage Council The Board of the Heritage Council was appointed by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs on 19th July, 2016. There was no Board in place from 25th January 2016 until 19th July 2016.
Note 22: Approval of Financial Statements The Financial Statements were approved by Council on 6th April, 2017.
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 105 106 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 The Heritage Council Schedule 1 to the Financial Statements
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 107 IRISH NATIONAL STRATEGIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH GRANTS
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas € AR06241 University College Cork Landscape and Settlement of later Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny & 40,000 prehistoric South East Ireland’ - Carlow Investigation into human activity and landscape change 1200BC and AD400, in Counties Wexford, Waterford, Kilkennny and Carlow. TOTAL 40,000
IRISH WALLED TOWNS NETWORK WALLED TOWNS DAY GRANTS
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas € WD06247 Cork County Council Youghal Medieval Festival 2016 Cork - Cork County 7,500 WD06258 Kildare Town Tourism Group Kildare Town Medieval Festival Cork - Cork County 3,500 WD06262 Bandon Walled Town Committee Bandon Walled Town Festival 2016 Cork - Cork County 7,000 WD06263 Galway County Council Athenry Walled Town Day 2016 Cork - Cork County 8,000 WD06267 Buttevant Heritage Group Buttevant Walled Town Day 2016 Cork - Cork County 2,000 WD06272 Clonmel Municipal District, Clonmel Walled Town Celebration Cork - Cork County 6,938 Tipperary County Council Festival 2016 WD06285 Wexford County Council Archaeological and historical Cork - Cork County 2,000 illustration of New Ross - Medieval walled town WD06286 Cashel Heritage Forum working on Seminar: Observers and Cork - Cork County 970 behalf of Tipperary County Council Participants in Heritage
WD06288 Cashel Heritage Forum working Cashel Transition Year Junior Cork - Cork County 1,500 on behalf of Tipperary County Heritage Ambassadors Training Council Programme WD06291 Cork County Council Customised 3D Illustrated Map Cork - Cork County 4,000 of Youghal WD06295 South Kildare Medieval Project Geophycis Search for Athy Cork - Cork County 3,150 Medieval Walls 2016 WD06303 Galway County Council Athenry Walled Towns: Memory Cork - Cork County 1,500 Mapping Project 2016 WD06304 Loughrea Medieval Festival Loughrea Medieval Festival 2016 Cork - Cork County 9,000 Committee WD06305 Loughrea Medieval Festival Medieval Loughrea: Memory Cork - Cork County 1,500 Committee Mapping Project 2016 WD06309 Fethard Historical Society Connecting Schools and Locals Cork - Cork County 900 to Fethard Town Wall Heritage WD06312 Dublin City Council Presentation of the City Wall at Cork - Cork County 7,000 Wood Quay Venue WD06313 Omeath District Development Carlingford street festival to Cork - Cork County 3,000 Company T/a The Cooley celebrates its heritage Peninsula Tourist Office WD06317 Cork City Council Cork City Medieval Day 2016 Cork - Cork County 4,000 WD05554 Galway City Council Tourism/Feasibility and Cork - Cork County 7,000 Economic Development Plan for Fishmarket/Spanish Arch and Old Museum Complex WD05581 Clonmel Borough District, Tourism/Feasibility and Cork - Cork County 7,500 Tipperary County Council Economic Development Plan for Fishmarket/Spanish Arch and Old Museum Complex TOTAL 87,958
108 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 IRISH WALLED TOWNS NETWORK CAPITAL GRANTS
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas € W06246 Cork County Council Phase 8 of Works to Secure the Cork - Cork County 20,000 Structural Integrity of Youghal's Town Walls W06259 Buttevant Heritage Group Buttevant Medieval Wall Cork - Cork County 10,000 Restoration 2016
W06265 Louth County Council Site investigations to inform future Louth 7,623 restoration of part of Carlingford's Town Wall (Holy Trinity) W06266 Wexford County Council New Ross Town Walls - Restoration Wexford 25,000 of Upstanding Section A, Zone 1, as per Conservation Plan W06281 Tipperary County Council Cashel City Walls Conservation Tipperary - Tipperary South 15,000 Programme 2016 Section A (Area 2) and Section I W06282 Tipperary County Council Carrick on Suir Town Walls Tipperary - Tipperary South 30,000 Conservation 2016
W06284 Mid and East Antrim Borough Conservation Report for Ireland - Northern 10,000 Council Carrickfergus Town Walls
W06301 Athy Heritage Centre Museum Conservation, Management and Kildare 9,756 Interpretation Plan for Athy 2016
W06302 Galway County Council Athenry Town Walls Conservation Galway - Galway County 20,000 Works 2016
W06306 St. John's Parish Heritage Group Urgent Conservation Works Roscommon 28,119 to Wall, St. John's Parish Roscommon W06311 Meath County Council Emergency repair and Meath 5,000 stabilisation of Trim Town Wall at Loman Street School W05563 Tipperary County Council Conservation and stabilisation of Tipperary - Tipperary South 30,000 Northern Section - Carrick on Suir Town Walls W05565 Tipperary County Council Stabilisation and Conservation of Tipperary - Tipperary South 10,000 Section A Cashel City Walls
TOTAL 220,498
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 109 POLICY & INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas € D05642 European Forum on Nature Year 2 of the 3.5 year Results All of Ireland 40,000 Conservation and Pastoralism Based Agri Payments System project D05646 Ireland Reaching Out Heritage Resource Manager for Galway - Galway County 34,907 Ireland Reaching Out D05649 Woodlands of Ireland Woodlands of Ireland Core All of Ireland 40,000 Funding 2016 D05650 Burrenbeo Trust Burrenbeo Trust education Clare, Galway - Galway County 20,000 programme 2016 D05663 Wicklow Uplands Council Wicklow Uplands Council Core Wicklow 65,000 Funding 2016 D05667 Burren Community Charter Burren Community Charter 2016 Clare, Galway - Galway County 5,000 D05670 High Nature Value Services Ltd Field Monument Advisor (FMA) Clare 15,000 (HNVS) Scheme 2016 D05675 Bere Island Project Group Bere Island Conservation Plan Cork - Cork County 20,000 2016 D05682 The Institute of Conservator- 2016 Professional Accreditation, All of Ireland 8,000 Restorers in Ireland (ICRI) CPD bursaries & training for conservator-restorers D05691 Irish Museums Association Irish Museums Association Work All of Ireland 8,500 Programme 2016
D05800 UCD School of Archaeology Surveying key 1916 Rising sites Dublin - Dublin City 5,000 D06237 An Taisce, the National Trust for The Tailors' Hall Essential Roof Dublin - Dublin City 5,000 Ireland Truss Repairs April - June 2016 D06242 European Architectural History European Architectural History Dublin - Dublin City 5,000 Network Network international conference D06260 National Biodiversity Data Centre Irish Vegetation Classification Ireland - Republic of 20,308 2016 - Phase 2 D06261 National Biodiversity Data Centre Citizen Science Plant Monitoring Ireland - Republic of 15,000 Scheme 2016 D06346 Irish Archives Resource Improving Irish Archives All of Ireland 3,000 Resource portal interoperability D06349 Centre For Landscape Studies Landscape Values: Place and Galway - Galway County 7,000 Praxis International Conference D06351 Ardara GAP Heritage and History Conservation of the fabric and Donegal 4,736 Group (GAP: Glenties, Ardara, setting of Doon Fort Portnoo) D06352 Geraldine Stout The Beactive Abbey Project: Meath 1,000 Archaeological Excavations 2009–12 D06354 Irish Uplands Forum Irish Uplands Forum Work All of Ireland 20,862 Programme 2016 D06355 Glendalough Heritage Forum 'Glendalough - An Age Old Wicklow 400 Attraction' photographic exhibition D06359 Beara Tourism and Development Beara-Breifne Way bridging project Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo, 5,000 Ltd. to further develop Beara-Breifne Roscommon Way walking and cycling route D06360 Bere Island Projects Group Ireland's Wildlife Island Cork - Cork County 500 Limited Weekend: Events on Bere Island D06361 AranLIFE Ireland's Wildlife Island Galway - Galway County 500 Weekend: Events on Inis Mór
110 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 POLICY & INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
D06364 Clare Island Tourism and Ireland's Wildlife Island Mayo 500 Heritage Weekend: Events on Clare Island D06365 Offaly County Council Publication - "Dan Edwards, The Offaly 9,500 Life and Times of a Craftsman and Artist" D06366 Cape Clear Island Ireland's Wildlife Island Cork - Cork County 500 Weekend: Events on Cape Clear D06374 Waterways Ireland Emergency Repair Works to an Dublin - Dublin City 750 iconic 45m barge D06456 Ray & Domini Codd Works on the east gable of Wexford 4,250 Clonmines Friary D05617 Leo & Eileen Casey Emergency Repairs to Thatch, Wexford 8,000 Mayglass
D06245 Design & Crafts Council of Ceramics Ireland - Developing All of Ireland 3,000 Ireland a repository of archival material for research and educational purposes D04527 University College Dublin Establish a collaborative network All of Ireland 36,000 focussed on a sustainable future for the historic urban cores of historic cities TOTAL 412,213
COUNTY HERITAGE PLAN GRANTS
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas € C05643 Dublin City Council with Fingal Publication "More Than Concrete Dublin - Dublin City 15,000 County Council/ Dún Laoghaire Blocks, Dublin’s Twentieth Rathdown County Council Century Buildings and their Stories Vol.I & International conference Conflict + the City" C05645 Waterford City and County Ecological Survey of Waterford - Waterford County 4,440 Council Kilmacleague Wetland C05651 Galway City Roscam Cemetery Recording Galway - Galway City 2,583 Project C05652 Roscommon County Council Seminar on the Route of the Táin Roscommon 3,503 in Co. Roscommon C05653 Galway City Council 6th Galway International Galway Galway - Galway City 4,186 City Heritage Conference - Talking about a Revolution C05659 Galway City Council Bohermore Cemetery Galway - Galway City 5,904 Conservation and Management Plan C05660 Laois County Council Heritage awareness activities in Laois 9,000 Laois in 2016 C05662 Tipperary County Council River Suir Heritage Audit 2016 Tipperary - Tipperary North, 15,000 Tipperary - Tipperary South C05665 Clare County Council Tree Design Guide - the use of Clare 10,000 trees in street design and urban areas
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 111 COUNTY HERITAGE PLAN GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
C05668 Galway County Council Ecclesiastical Heritage Audit - Galway - Galway County 10,500 Tuam Electoral Area C05669 Waterford City and County Council Waterford Writers Project - wall Waterford - Waterford County 1,573 chart for schools and an Arc GIS Story map C05671 Galway County Council Decade of Commemoration Galway - Galway County 2,042 Galway County Memory Map 2016 Project C05672 Galway County Council People and Nature - Galway Galway - Galway County 35,000 County Biodiversity Project 2016 C05674 Offaly County Council Develpment of Offaly archive Offaly 17,000 service C05677 Offaly County Council Audit of Geological Heritage Offaly 10,000 Sites in County Laois and County Offaly C05678 Waterford City and County Waterford Heritage Signage Waterford - Waterford County 4,000 Council C05679 Galway County Council Community Archaeology Advisor Galway - Galway County 16,850 Project, to provide advice and information to communities and landowners on the care and conservation of field monuments C05680 Dublin City Council with Fingal Dublin City Archaeology GIS Dublin - Dublin City 7,426 County Council/ Dún Laoghaire Phases 1 and 2 - Review & Rathdown County Council amendments & GIS Mapping of the Dublin City Industrial Heritage Record C05683 Tipperary County Council Heritage Awareness Activities in Tipperary - Tipperary North, 7,502 Tipperary Tipperary - Tipperary South C05684 Limerick City and County Council Exhibition and Conference Limerick - Limerick City 11,750 relating to Limerick Lace C05685 Galway City Council 1916-2016 Exhibition Panels Galway - Galway City 3,936
C05686 Cork City Council Cork Heritage Open Day and Cork - Cork City 10,000 Heritage Week Events C05689 Cork City Council Discover Cork - Schools Cork - Cork City 5,000 Heritage Project C05692 Donegal County Council Study of the Maritime Built Donegal 10,402 Heritage of County Donegal - Phase II (Action 5.8) C05693 Cork County Council Heritage Centenary Sites of the Cork - Cork County 18,000 Rebel County Cork - publication C05694 Galway County Council Lough Derg 2016 - Raptor Galway - Galway County 8,078 workbooks & video for pimary schools and Raptor Education workshops for teachers in Galway, Clare and Tipperary. C05695 Galway County Council Filming of key sites relating to Galway - Galway County 6,172 the 1916 Rising in the County of Galway C05696 Laois County Council Audit of Geological Sites in Laois Laois 8,070 and Offaly
112 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 COUNTY HERITAGE PLAN GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
C05697 Laois County Council Phase II of 3 year project to Laois 9,000 develop connections between local communities and their heritage C05698 Roscommon County Council 2016: Biodiversity Awareness Roscommon 3,244 Project - invasives and pollinators C05700 Kerry County Council Secondary school project to Kerry 4,612 involve pupils in researching heritage object culminating in exhibition of work C05701 Longford County Council Black Pigs Dyke Regional Project Cavan, Leitrim, Longford, 253 2016 Monaghan, Roscommon C05702 Donegal County Council Traditional Shopfronts & Donegal 6,300 Vernacular Signage - Seminar & Scheme (Action 2.4) C05704 Clare County Council Lough Derg 2016 - Raptor Clare 8,078 workbooks & video for pimary schools and raptor education workshops for teachers in Galway, Clare and Tipperary. C05705 Clare County Council Survey of the freshwater pearl Clare 6,000 mussel in three rivers in Co. Clare 2016 C05707 Longford County Council Longford & The Great War: Longford 2,231 Somme Commemoration 2016 C05708 Monaghan County Council Conservation and interpretation Monaghan 8,544 at Early Christian Heritage sites C05709 Tipperary County Council Raptor workbooks & video Tipperary - Tipperary North 3,125 for pimary schools and raptor education workshops for teachers in Galway, Clare and Tipperary. C05710 Cork City Council Alien Invasive Flora Species Cork - Cork City 10,000 Survey for Cork City C05711 Cavan County Council Easter 1916 Exhibition 'Changed Cavan 9,000 Utterly' C05712 Kilkenny County Council Kilkenny Fieldname Recording Kilkenny 8,000 Project 2016: Publication of Meitheal na bPáirceanna & GIS C05714 Longford County Council "Which Way Did They Go?" Táin Longford, Roscommon 1,125 Seminar in Co. Longford & Roscommon C05715 Cork County Council A Guide to Shopfronts, Signage Cork - Cork County 9,000 and Advertising C05716 Longford County Council Biodiversity Awareness Project Longford 1,369 2016 - Invasives & Pollinators C05717 Donegal County Council Audit of Oral History Recordings Donegal 4,838 for County Donegal & Oral History Training Workshop C05718 Cavan County Council Cavan Golden Way Cavan 7,500
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 113 COUNTY HERITAGE PLAN GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
C05728 Cavan County Council Implemenatation of Cavan 7,412 Recommendations of Cuilcagh Mountain Study C05729 Kildare County Council River Liffey Heritage Project Kildare 5,231
C05730 Sligo County Council Heritage Awareness Activities Sligo 7,662 in Sligo C05732 Mayo County Council Mayo Heritage Awareness and Mayo 26,790 Training Programme C05734 Kilkenny County Council The Kilkenny Archaeological Kilkenny 7,873 Project database, mapping and associated material C05735 Wicklow County Council Walled Garden Seminar Wicklow 1,850
C05736 Kildare County Council Audit of Memorials, Plaques and Kildare 8,000 Signs in County Kildare C05738 Monaghan County Council Heritage events and public Monaghan 11,241 awareness programme 2016 C05739 Fingal County Council Field Monuments Advisor/ Dublin - Fingal 10,050 Community Archaeologist C05741 Wicklow County Council River Liffey Heritage Project Dublin - Dublin City, Dublin - 5,231 South Dublin, Dublin - Fingal, Kildare, Wicklow C05743 Mayo County Council Mayo Habitat Mapping and Mayo 7,846 Biodiversity Management Plans C05745 Wicklow County Council Wicklow Pollinator Initiative Wicklow 2,400
C05747 South Dublin County Council River Liffey Heritage Project Dublin - Dublin City, Dublin - 5,231 South Dublin, Dublin - Fingal, Kildare, Wicklow C05749 Fingal County Council River Liffey Heritage Project Dublin - Fingal 5,231
C04641 Cork County Council Coordinated Signage for Cork Cork - Cork County 7,373 County Council's Heritage Tourism Assets TOTAL 484,557
114 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas € CBH05754 Ryehill Community Council Monivea and District Local Area Galway - Galway County 6,000 Heritage Audit CBH05755 Meath Travellers Workshops Restoration Traveller Heritage Meath 2,000 Living History Project: Educating school children, travellers and the wider community on Traveller Heritage and Culture CBH05757 Killybegs History & Heritage St. Catherine's Church Donegal 7,000 Committee Conservation Project CBH05758 Edgeworthstown District The Edgeworth Literary/ Heritage Longford 5,500 Development Association Ltd. Trail: Conservation Plan for the Old Rectory CBH05762 Camphill Callan a part of the Conservation Management Plan Kilkenny 4,000 Camphill Communities of for Callan Motte Entrance and Ireland Streetscape CBH05764 Dublin City Council Conservation of 23 Wide Street Dublin - Dublin City 4,000 Commission Maps (1757-1840) CBH05765 SOL (Save our Laune) River Laune invasive species Kerry 6,000 control project CBH05766 Kerry County Council Conservation Works to Killagha Kerry 6,000 Abbey CBH05770 Abbeyleix Heritage Company Protective Textile Display System Laois 3,000 CBH05772 Sligo County Council Conservation Report for Easkey Sligo 5,600 Abbey and Graveyard CBH05784 Nora White Knockboy/ Seskinan church ruin Waterford - Waterford County 2,061 and Ogham stones - conservation management plan CBH05788 Kilbarron Castle Conservation Conservation of the ruins of Donegal 2,760 Group Kilbarron Castle CBH05790 Ballydangan Grouse Project Conservation project to enhance Roscommon 8,000 the numbers of red grouse, breeding curlew and other birds of conservation concern on Ballydangan Bog, Co. Roscommon CBH05797 Kiltoom Church of Ireland Conservation works to St John's Roscommon 7,000 Group Hospital Rinn Duin CBH05798 Adare Select Vestry St Nicholas Church: Historic, Limerick - Limerick County 5,000 Windows Survey and assessment, C&M Plan 2012 Recommendation CBH05799 Adare Select Vestry Augustian friary (St Nicholas Church) Limerick - Limerick County 6,000 Cloister Roof Repairs Circ 1315 CBH05807 Sliabh Coillte Heritage Group The final remote sensing survey Wexford 1,000 of kilmokea enclosure using radar CBH05809 Woodford Gun Club Moyglass Red Grouse Galway - Galway County 4,000 Conservation Project CBH05814 St Canice's Cathedral and Conservation and Repair to 12 Kilkenny 8,000 Round Tower meter section of the internal nave at St Canice's Cathedral CBH05818 BirdWatch Ireland East Coast Nature Reserve Wicklow 4,500 Conservation Management Plan
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 115 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
CBH05819 BirdWatch Ireland Management of a rare habitat Wicklow 4,500 and people at East Coast Nature Reserve CBH05822 Martin Veale Rethatching Project, Clonea Waterford - Waterford County 5,000 CBH05825 Kells Union of Parishes. Restore roof and rainwater goods Kilkenny 4,000 on stables of the Priory, Kells CBH05826 An Óige, Irish Youth Hostel A Nature Conservation Management Wicklow 6,000 Association Plan for a 24ha site at Knockree Hostel in Glencree, Co. Wicklow CBH05830 Irish Geological Association Irish Geological Association Dublin - Dublin City, Dublin - 1,500 Archive Preservation Project Fingal CBH05831 Kenmare Tidy Towns Project Kenmare Public Realm Plan Kerry 3,000 Workshops 2016 CBH05832 Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Conservation Plan for Church Donegal 6,000 Company Ltd. Lane Street, Letterkenny CBH05833 Trinity College Dublin Developing a collection Dublin - Dublin City 4,000 management system for the Zoological Museum CBH05840 St. Catherine's Church Conservation works to St. Dublin - Dublin City 3,000 Catherine's, Thomas Street CBH05848 Ardgillan Castle Ltd. Conservation of Ardgillan Castle Dublin - Fingal 1,500 Collection CBH05852 Tea Lane Graveyard Tea Lane Graveyard Conservation Kildare 4,000 Committee Specifications and Consent Applications CBH05854 Roscommon Heritage Group Investigation of crannog at Roscommon 850 Loughnanane, Co. Roscommon CBH05868 Computer & Communications Purchase & installation of an Galway - Galway City 4,000 Museum of Ireland, Galway environmental monitoring system CBH05871 Cork LGBT Archive, Cork Gay Cataloguing and preservation Cork - Cork City 5,999 Project & repacking of Arthur Leahy Collection CBH05879 Hugh Gallagher Rethatching at Ardara, Co Donegal Donegal 4,000 CBH05880 Taughmaconnell Historical & Dundonnell Castle, Co Roscommon 1,875 Heritage Group Roscommon: Archaeological Resource Assessment for a Conservation Plan CBH05882 Kilmacrennan Abbey Conservation work to Donegal 7,000 Preservation Society Kilmacrennan Old Friary CBH05884 Kerry County Council Conservation of eight objects Kerry 1,192 relating to 1916 from Kerry County Museum's collection CBH05886 Knock Museum Conservation of 1932 Knock Mayo 1,875 Apparition Statues CBH05887 Royal Irish Academy Conservation of 1st edition OS Dublin - Dublin City 4,000 6-inch maps Derry, Galway, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford (1833 to 1846) CBH05889 Portarlington Arts & Heritage Lea Castle in Context: surveying Laois 6,000 Committee the landscape CBH05890 Mountmellick Museum Restoration of Sampler (Map of Laois 1,500 England)
116 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
CBH05892 Tullyarvan Mill Project Condition Survey, Conservation Donegal 2,500 Report and emergency roof repairs to Tullyarvan Mill CBH05896 JP Delaney Re-thatching of protected Wexford 7,000 structure CBH05900 Croí Na Laoi Conservation Plan for Church and Cork - Cork County 2,000 Graveyard in Inchigeela CBH05901 Anna Kiernan Repairs to Thatched Roof- Longford 7,000 Ardagullion, Co. Longford CBH05903 Robbie Crichton Donny Brook House Conservation Cork - Cork County 10,000 of North and South Towers CBH05905 Royal College of Physicians Conservation of - Royal Charter, Dublin - Dublin City 5,000 of Ireland Letters Patent and Grant of Arms CBH05910 Ballyhoura Development Ltd The River Maigue Catchment Limerick - Limerick County 4,000 Invasives Control Pilot Study CBH05912 Dundanion Court Residents' Dundanion Court - Landscape Cork - Cork City 7,000 Association and Setting Conservation Management Plan CBH05920 Delgany Community Council A heritage survey of Delgany so Wicklow 5,812 as to understand the heritage, history and evolution of the village CBH05923 Christina Mulligan Roof preservation of P. Donegal 8,000 Mulligan & Sons Warehouse - Ballyshannon CBH05924 BirdWatch Ireland Predator-proof fence maintenance Galway - Galway County 5,000 for breeding waders on Inishee Island, Co. Galway CBH05926 Fiona McMahon Complete rethatch of 200 year old Waterford - Waterford County 5,000 cottage on Main Street, Ardmore CBH05927 Glenamaddy Community Glenamaddy Conservation Plan & Galway - Galway County 3,000 Development Company Heritage Trail CBH05933 Kilkenny Archives Cataloguing the Katherine M. Kilkenny 3,500 Lanigan Papers CBH05934 Allin Institute Conservation Report for the Allin Cork - Cork County 5,000 Institute Community Building, Bandon CBH05935 Studio One Film Exhibitors Kildare Castle: removal of ivy, Kildare 8,000 enabling & rendering works CBH05937 St. John's Parish Centre Conservation Plan for St. John's Kerry 8,000 Church, Tralee CBH05945 Derek Walshe Mountrothe House and Lodges Kilkenny 6,000 Conservation Plan report CBH05950 Waterford County Museum Geophysical survey of Gallowshill Waterford - Waterford County 1,000 CBH05953 Eddie Kelly Conservation Report for the Pilot's Cork - Cork City 1,771 House, Dundoan, Carrigart, Co. Donegal CBH05959 Malcolm Alexander The conservation and restoration Meath 5,000 of Moyglare House and gardens CBH05961 Irene Veronica McDermott Restoration of thatched Donegal 5,000 vernacular house Leenankeel, Clonmany
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 117 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
CBH05964 Cork Butter Museum Limited Conservation works to Cork Cork - Cork City 3,000 Butter Museum Collection CBH05970 Dublin City Council A Conservation Management Dublin - Dublin City 7,000 Plan for the Rates Office (former Newcomen Bank) Cork Hill, Dublin CBH05982 Kilkishen Development Upper Crag Bridge Belvoir Clare 5,000 Limited Restoration CBH05987 Clones Community Forum Survey of Plantation Castle Monaghan 4,500 CBH05994 Ballintuber Tidy Towns Ballintober Castle, conservation Roscommon 5,000 management plan CBH06000 Royal Society of Antiquaries Restoration of Royal Society of Dublin - Dublin City 5,000 of Ireland Antiquaries of Ireland Society House CBH06005 Kilteevan Graveyard Conservation of Kilteevan Medieval Roscommon 5,000 Committee Parish Church and adjoining Burial Vault CBH06007 Killeshandra Community Update of conservation Cavan 5,000 Council management plan for Killeshandra Church of the Rath CBH06008 BirdWatch Ireland Managing habitats for key bird Donegal 5,247 species on Tory Island CBH06010 St. John's Church of Ireland, St. John's Church, Ballycastle: Mayo 3,000 Ballycastle Conservation Management Plan CBH06012 Limerick City & County Castletown Conyers Medieval Limerick - Limerick County 4,490 Council Parish Church Conservation Project 2016 CBH06018 KBK Community Project Conservation Plan & feasibility Kilkenny 4,000 study for Billy Kiely’s Cottage, Ballyhale CBH06019 Community Council Ltd Repair of windows to a John Nash Tipperary - Tipperary South 10,000 Burncourt Burncourt designed hunting Lodge c. 1830 Community Council Ltd CBH06021 St. Patrick's Cathedral St. Patrick's Deanery - Conservation Dublin - Dublin City 5,000 Plan CBH06023 John Wann Flora and fauna of roadside Donegal 6,000 verges in Inishowen Peninsula, Co. Donegal CBH06026 Sean Ross Heritage Group Urgent repairs to consolidate and Tipperary - Tipperary North 10,000 stabilise the walls of Sean Ross Abbey CBH06027 St Columba's Straid St Columba's Church - Phase 1 Donegal 10,000 Conservation Group Repair Works (Tower and West Gable) CBH06028 Cathedral Select Vestry of St. St Fin Barres Cathedral Cork Cork - Cork City 7,000 Fin Barre's Cathedral stained glass window protection and water ingress CBH06031 Louisburgh Development Restoration of windows in St. Mayo 6,000 Company Ltd. Catherine's Church of Ireland CBH06033 Athy Heritage Company Conservation/Restoration of the Kildare 9,135 Limited interior of the Quest Cabin at Athy Heritage Centre
118 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
CBH06039 St. Carthage Cathedral, St. Declans Way Conservation Waterford - Waterford County 4,000 Lismore Management Plan CBH06042 Resurrecting Monuments Survey of Dungriffin Promontory Dublin - Fingal 2,401 Fort Howth CBH06049 Lismore Heritage Company Topographical study of the Round Waterford - Waterford County 2,500 Hill, Lismore, Co Waterford CBH06050 Parish of St Michan's St Michan's Church Door joinery Dublin - Dublin City 5,000 repairs CBH06051 BirdWatch Ireland Management to help vulnerable Mayo 3,600 wildlife at Termoncarragh Meadows & Annagh Marsh CBH06053 Irish Traditional Music Archive Preservation storage & public Dublin - Dublin City 3,500 (ITMA) display of the ITMA wax & galvano cylinder audio collection CBH06054 Select Vestry of Saint Mary's Conservation works to a critical Waterford - Waterford County 6,000 Church of Ireland area of Saint Mary's Church of Ireland, Dungarvan CBH06056 Peter McCahill Rethatching of a straw roof on a Donegal 4,000 250 year old traditional Irish cottage CBH06058 Headfort Trust Headfort House roof restoration Meath 10,000 CBH06059 National Irish Visual Arts Preservation and conservation of Dublin - Dublin City 4,500 Library the Patrick Scott Archive CBH06060 Galway County Council Conservation works to St Galway - Galway County 5,000 Andrew's, Kilconly CBH06067 Islandeady Commuity Council Conservation of obelisk at Raheen’s Mayo 4,500 Estate, Castlebar, Co. Mayo CBH06068 St Mary's Church, Castlefinn St Mary's Church, Castle Finn, Donegal 3,000 feasibility study CBH06071 Donegal County Council Conservation Repair Works to Donegal 6,000 Rathmullan Abbey CBH06072 Heather Chave-Cox Conservation Report for Elsinore Sligo 4,000 House and outbuildings, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo CBH06079 Irish Museum of Modern Art The cataloguing of the Irish Dublin - Dublin City 4,500 Museum of Modern Art’s Gordon Lambert archive CBH06085 Institute of Technology Sligo/ Conservation management plan Donegal 5,000 Disert Heritage Group for the archaeological complex at Disert, Co. Donegal CBH06086 BirdWatch Ireland Citizen Science: Managing for Swifts Ireland - Republic of 4,500 CBH06088 Henry Gwyn Jones Works to the nave of Molan Waterford - Waterford County 8,000 Abbey, Ballynatray Demesne, Co Waterford CBH06089 Jackie Clarke Collection Conservation of documents dated Mayo 4,000 1917-1923 including correct and sufficient archival storage CBH06092 St. John's Parish Heritage Emergency conservation works Roscommon 10,000 Group to the gable of the medieval Rinn Duin Parish Church CBH06098 Thomas Cosby Stradbally Hall Conservation Laois 5,500 Managment Plan
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 119 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
CBH06099 Kiltane Cemetery Restoration Kiltane Church and Graveyard Mayo 4,000 Committee Conservation Management Plan CBH06101 Fenit Development A Vision for Fenit Village - Exploring Kerry 3,500 Association our maritime and industrial heritage in a public space CBH06102 Irish Film Institute Liam Clancy Collection sound Dublin - Dublin City 7,000 conservation project CBH06104 St. John's Parish Waterford Reinstatement/preservation works Waterford - Waterford City 10,000 to walls at St. John's Church, Waterford CBH06109 Kerry County Council Listowel Town Architectural Kerry 4,000 Conservation Toolkit CBH06118 St. Mary's Parish Westport, Conservation Management Plan Mayo 7,000 Co. Mayo for St. Mary's Church, Westport CBH06119 AK ILEN Company, Ltd. Conservation of wooden ship's Cork - Cork County 10,000 deck - Vessel ILEN CBH06121 The Hunt Museum Conservation Survey of the Silver Limerick - Limerick City 2,899 Collection at the Hunt Museum CBH06122 Lindi O'Hara Repair to roof of stable block at Sligo 3,000 Coopershill House CBH06123 The Little Museum of Dublin Installation of a system that monitors Dublin - Dublin City 1,476 humidity, light and temperature at Little Museum of Dublin CBH06125 Ennis Tidy Towns Ennis Biodiversity Plan Clare 3,000 CBH06127 Kerry County Council Conservation Management Plan Kerry 6,000 for buildings located within the disused Denny Factory Site, Tralee CBH06129 Comhar Dún Chaocháin Teo The conservation and management Mayo 1,300 of Cill Ghallagáin mound CBH06132 Inishbofin Development Duach Beach Conservation Galway - Galway County 1,661 Company Ltd. Management Plan CBH06133 Mulranny Environmental Mulranny Habitat Mapping and Mayo 4,000 Group Biodiversity Plan CBH06134 John Kenny Essential stabilisation and Laois 2,500 conservation works to the estate gate lodge, Dunmore, Durrow, Co Laois CBH06141 Parish of Oughaval per the Conservation Management Plan Mayo 5,000 Select Vestry of Holy Trinity for Holy Trinity Church, Westport Church CBH06142 Woodford Parish Development Bullseye Wood Heritage Galway - Galway County 4,500 Committee Conservation Plan CBH06145 Conor O'Toole ‘Get That Monster Off The Stage’ Cork - Cork City 1,800 – Finbarr Donnelly Archive Project CBH06148 Domini and Ray Codd Conservation works on the Wexford 10,000 Augustinian Friary at the Medieval Complex at Clonmines, Co.Wexford CBH06149 Killasnet Parish Repair to rotten timber bell-cote Leitrim 8,000 and repair and paint original timber windows at Lurganboy Church
120 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
CBH06152 Eilin O'Carroll Emergency repairs at Firmount Kildare 5,000 House CBH06154 Parish of Swords St. Columba's Church of Ireland Dublin - Fingal 4,000 restoration CBH06158 Mount St Joseph Abbey, Condition Report Abbey Church, Offaly 5,000 Roscrea Mount St. Joseph, Roscrea CBH06160 Jerpoint Park Stabilisation and conservation of Kilkenny 8,000 the eastern gable of St. Nicholas' Church, Jerpoint CBH06162 The Golden Eagle Trust Conservation planning & project Longford, Roscommon 6,000 development for a landscape- scale Wetland Wilderness Park in the mid Shannon/ Longford area CBH06163 Arravale Rovers GAA Club Repair of Historic Water Tower at Tipperary - Tipperary South 10,000 Arravale Rovers GAA Ground CBH06165 Bruree Rockhill Development Conservation of damaged and Limerick - Limerick County 2,896 Association at risk artefacts at De Valera Museum and Bruree Heritage Centre CBH06167 The Franciscans Repair & Maintenance of Church Kerry 8,000 and friary building CBH06168 North Parish Cathedral Restoration & preservation of Cork - Cork City 3,500 parish marriage & baptismal registers at Cathedral of St. Mary & St. Anne CBH06169 Mulranny Environmental Group Mulranny GeoDesign Project Mayo 2,500 CBH06172 Louth Nature Trust Little Tern Protection Scheme Louth 7,081 at Baltray CBH06174 Julianstown and District Julianstown Woodland Meath 2,000 Community Association Management Project CBH06177 Reads Cutlers Limited Essential facade and shopfront Dublin - Dublin City 10,000 conservation works to Reads Cutlers, 4 Parliament St., Dublin 2 CBH06183 Muintir Bháire Community Conservation plan for the O’Daly Cork - Cork County 3,029 Council Bardic School on the Sheep’s Head Peninsula CBH06187 Nicholas Redmond Erect temporary weathering Wexford 5,000 structure over traditional Wexford farmhouse CBH06188 The Select Vestry of St. St. Bartholomew's Church Dublin - Dublin City 6,000 Bartholomew's Church -stained glass windows repair CBH06193 Laois Heritage Society Conservation Plan for Fort Laois 6,000 Protector, Portlaoise, Phase 2: Conservation Issues CBH06194 Ballysaggart Church Ballysaggart 15th c. Friary Donegal 590 Restoration Project - Phase 2 CBH06200 Shannon Rowing Club Cataloguing, preservation and Limerick - Limerick City 3,000 repacking of the archives of Shannon Rowing Club 1866 CBH06201 Lewis Glucksman Gallery Art Collection maintenance and Cork - Cork City 2,000 display
The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 121 COMMUNITY BASED HERITAGE GRANTS (contd)
Ref. Number Recipient Name Project Title Local Authority Areas €
CBH06202 Irish Georgian Society Conservation of the Thomas Meath 10,000 Jervais painted enamel wWindow at Agher Church, Co. Meath CBH06206 Cavan County Council Castle Saunderson Historic Cavan 4,000 Buildings and Demesne Conservation and Development Plan CBH06210 Clifden Gun Club Grouse management, Cregg Hill, Galway - Galway County 1,000 Connemara CBH06213 Jim Conaty Conservation report for Canal Galway - Galway County 1,800 House CBH06214 St Carthage's Cathedral Conservation of carvings, west Waterford - Waterford County 7,000 wall nave, St Carthage's Cathedral CBH06219 Dublin Institute of Technology The DIT Caruana Gramaphone Dublin - Dublin City 4,500 Collection: Shellac Conservation Project 2016 CBH06220 Dermott John Griffith The Farm House, re-thatching Waterford - Waterford County 5,000 project CBH06226 Cara Konig-Brock Preparation of a conservation Louth 3,000 report for essential works at the Garden Pavilion, Beaulieu House CBH06231 Eugene Mara Rethatching cottage at Wexford 6,000 Rickardstown Kilmore, Wexford CBH04905 Martyn Linnie Trinity College Interactive discovery and learning Dublin - Dublin City 2,500 Dublin workshops in the Zoological Museum CBH05073 Gene Anderson Essential repairs to thatched roof Roscommon 3,500 of listed building CBH05097 Brendan Fox Essential repairs to thatched roof Donegal 4,000 CBH05256 Bernard Browne Publication "Medieval Wexford: Wexford 3,000 Essays in memory of Billy Colfer" CBH05326 Hollyfort Development Group River Bann Nature Trail Amenity Wexford 1,000 and Interpretative Signage CBH05335 Humbert Heritage Committee Conservation Report on Military Mayo 3,000 Barracks, Ballina, Co Mayo CBH05393 Donald Feeley Re-thatch of cottage at Roscommon 4,500 Carrowphadeen, St. John's, Lecarrow, Co Roscommon CBH05403 Upstate Theatre Project Story Trail, stories of Louth 4,000 townspeople’s histories: Creation of an electronically guided tour of Drogheda to compliment the tourist trail CBH05427 Mountmellick Heritage Society Celebration of the life and Laois 3,000 sufferings of William Edmundson CBH05467 Kenmare Tidy Town Eradication of Knotweed at Kerry 1,500 Reenagross Woodland TOTAL 794,200
122 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016 123 The Heritage Council, Church Lane, Kilkenny
056 777 0777
www.heritagecouncil.ie
124 The Heritage Council | Annual Report 2016