Contact the Heritage Unit by email: cork.heritage@corkcoco.ie or phone: 021 4276891

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Some interesting and relevant links:

West Cork Graveyards and other Records | Invasive Species | Heritage Week 2013 |

Heritage Council | Heritage Legislation | Heritage Unit 2012 Report

 

• *Added on 17/05/13*In recognition of Tree Week during March 2013, Ted Cook gave a most insightful talk in the Regional Park, Ballincollig, on Saturday 10th March. The Event was entitled "Especially For Those That Need Nature" and you may find the attached document of interest which is a summary of the talk that also includes some insightful knowledge on Ireland's native flora as well as some tips and ideas for planting, etc.
  
  
• *Added on 17/05/13* The Skibbereen Heritage Centre has recently launched a new film on Lough Hyne, the honours of which were performed by David Puttnam. David Puttnam said that he will 'never see Lough Hyne the same way again' after watching the new film on the lough. He said that it was 'really very good' and he went on to congratulate all of those concerned, many of whom were there on the night.
  
  The new short film on Lough Hyne covers a range of topics. It features the holy wells at the lough as well as the wall at the Rapids, built as a Famine relief scheme in 1847. The story of Cloghan Castle is included as is the fable of the King with donkey's ears who is said to have lived there. There's also an overview of the long history of marine research at the lough which dates back to 1886 and the film features old 1950s ciné footage of scientists carrying out experiments at the lough. Dr Rob McAllen of UCC explains how its unique habitats and rare species led to its designation as Europe's first Marine Nature Reserve in 1981 while underwater footage and sounds of some of the species of the lough give a sense of the variety of life to be found in its waters. The film also features interviews with local people and Flor MacCarthy, formerly of RTÉ, acts as narrator.
  
  The new short film will feature as part of the permanent exhibition on Lough Hyne at Skibbereen Heritage Centre and will be shown on demand in large screen HD format in English, French and German. Make sure to pay a visit!
  
   
• *Added on 16/05/13* For full details of Heritage Week 2013 and to submit details of your proposed event(s) for inclusion in the County Heritage Week Events Guide or on the Heritage Council website please click hereHeritage Week 2013
  
   
• *Added on 16/05/13* Since the latter stages of 2012, extensive work has been underway in the formulation of a Conservation, Management and Interpretation Plan for the Town Walls of Bandon. The Plan, which is now at Draft Stage has been carried out for the BANDON WALLED TOWN COMMITTEE by Tobar Archaeological Services in association with Carrig, with support from Cork County Council and the Heritage Council through the Irish Walled Towns Network.
  
  Any comments or observations that you have on this Draft Plan are greatly appreciated. Please fill out the attached questionnaire and return same by Friday 31st May. The Draft Plan can be viewed by clicking here.
  
  This Plan has been funded by the Heritage Council.
  
   
• *Added on 02/04/13* The International Day of Monuments and Sites takes place on 18th April, 2013 which is an initiative of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). It is hoped that a number of events can be organised to celebrate the day and this year's theme is that of Education. In recognition of the day, County Archaeologist, Mary Sleeman will give a talk at Bridgetown Abbey, Castletownroche, all are welcome to attend. For more information on this and other events visit the events section here. For more details on ICOMOS see the attached.
  
   
• *Added on 02/04/13* The Irish Walled Towns Network Website has been recently created. The County of Cork contains 3 such towns - Bandon, Buttevant and Youghal and details of same can be found on www.irishwalledtownsnetwork.ie
  
   
• *Added on 02/04/13* In recognition of the Year of the Gathering, 2013, Rebel Week will take place in Cork between 14th to 20th October, 2013. see the website for more information! - www.corkrebelweek2013.com
  
   
• *Added on 13/03/13* NEW DOCUMENT ADDED - Cork County Council's Guide to "Biodiversity and the Planning Process" has been added to the documents section of this website. This document and many others that may be of interest can be accessed by clicking here.
  
  
• *Added on 05/03/13* NEW DOCUMENT ADDED - Cork County Council's "Care of Historic Graveyards - A Heritage Guide" has been added to the documents section of this website. This document and many others that may be of interest can be accessed by clicking here.
  
  
• *Added on 05/03/13* For any of those interested in the Book of Kells, a fantastic group entitled ISIS New World Community with an office in Cork, have been gifted the copyright to five folios of the Book of Kells. The reproductions of these are magnified 3.7 times and allow viewers to see detail that would most certainly be missed when viewing the original with the naked eye. These folios include the Chi-Rho (XPI), the Genealogy page, the Symbols of the Gospel Writers, The Initium and the Zacharias. For more information visit the Book of Kells website which will be up and running shortly.
  
  
• *Added on 19/02/13* National Tree Week takes place between the 3rd and 10th of March in a few weeks. As part of this week a number of events have been organised, including a number of walks and talks. For more information click here
  
   
• *Added on 11/01/13*The process of reviewing the Cork County Development Plan commenced on 07/01/13 and submissions have been called for between this date and the 4th of March (04/03/13) through the County Development Plan Review Section 11 Consultation Process. Click here for further information including the link for making an online submission
  
  With particular relevance to the built heritage, submissions are invited in respect of any proposed additions or deletions to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Submission details should include full details of the property including a map of its location and the reason(s) why said property should be added to/deleted from the current RPS should be clearly stated. Please note that any requests for additions/deletions will then be included in the Section 11(4) Managers report with a recommendation to the members. Once agreed with the members work will begin on the writing of the draft development plan which will go out for public consultation on the 9th December 2013. This draft plan will include the new RPS.
  
   
• *Added on 07/01/13* Regrettably, due to additional cuts to its budget, the Heritage Council will not be in a position to run the Grants Scheme in 2013. This is the first time since the Heritage Council was established in 1997 that it will be unable to allocate funding for the wider heritage sector but they are working towards reversing this situation for 2014. Core aspects of the Heritage Council's National Heritage Infrastructure including the Heritage Officer Programme, the Irish Walled Towns Network, the Museums Standards Programme for Ireland, and the Discovery Programme will continue to receive some level of support. Grants for the 2012/13 REPS4 Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme, which is funded by the Dept. of Agriculture, Food & the Marine will not be affected.
  
   
• *Added on 18/12/12* Barn Owls in the County of Cork - In 2012 the Heritage Unit of Cork County Council provided partial financial support to Bird Watch Ireland in respect of a Survey of Barn Owls in the County of Cork. This was a follow-on from a previous survey conducted in 2010 which was also, in part, supported financially by Cork County Council. In 2012, a total of 31 active Barn Owl sites were confirmed in County Cork, which represented over one quarter of the known national population (26.6%) The total number of registered sites in the county is increased on the previous total of 24 in 2010. In addition, Bird Watch Ireland installed 15 nest boxes for Barn Owls in the County. Many thanks to John Lusby and Bird Watch Ireland for carrying out this survey.
   
• *Added on 18/12/12* The Tree Council of Ireland have recently announced a new grants scheme to support community groups and organisations who are attempting to improve their local area through the planting of trees. The main aim of the Community Tree Projects Grant Scheme, run in partnership with Balfour Beatty CLG, is to encourage community groups to plant trees in locations where people live and work and to support projects that apply good practice to the planting and management of trees. Successful applicants will receive up to 75% towards their project costs subject to a maximum grant of €500 per project. The closing date for applications is 20/01/13. For further information, please click here.  
   
   
• *Added on 15/11/12* The Skibbereen Heritage Centre have just announced that 3 additional graveyards have been added to the West Cork Graveyard Survey. This is available as a database online by clicking the following link. Click here to read the Press Release regarding same.
   
• *Added on 15/11/12*Thanks to the work of intern Rickard Farrell, another of the County Library's collections of historical photographs is now accessible online. Castles in County Cork is a 6 volume collection, containing photographs which date from 1935 onwards, with descriptive and historical notes from various sources. An index of the castles, as well as introductory essays and references are also included. The collection formed the basis for James N. Healy's research on his seminal work "The Castles of County Cork", reference copies of which are available at library HQ and a number of branches. You can browse the entire Castles in County Cork collection by clicking on here.
   
• *Added on 19/09/12* Heritage Week this year ran from August 18th up until the 26th. There were over 130 events in the County of Cork and public participation at these was for the most part fantastic. Fair dues to all of the organisers and participants!In the coming weeks there will be a blog posted here in relation to some of these events but in the meantime pay the Heritage Week Website a visit by clicking here
   
• *Added on 28/06/12* In 2011, Rubicon Heritage undertook an archaelogical survey in Caherduggan on behalf of Cork County Council. A Medieval belt was unearthed at the time, a terriffic find. Now after some conservation work in the meantime, it is considered that the belt must "surely rank as one of the greatest surviving secular medieval leather objects from medieval Ireland" as stated on the Rubicon Heritage Blogsite. Click here to visit Rubicon Heritage and find out more!!
  
   
  
  
• *Added on 20/06/12* Ireland's Walled Towns Network now contains 3 towns from Cork - Bandon, Buttevant and Youghal. This Network was established by the Heritage Council in 2005 and contains less than 30 towns throughout the country. Quoting from the Heritage Council website - "the Irish Walled Towns Network seeks to ensure that Ireland's unique cultural and archaeological heritage in relation to its walled and fortified towns and cities is protected and managed in a sustainable and appropriate manner in the longterm" (click here for further information). As part of the Network, each Walled Town will host its very own Walled Town Day and the first such day this year took place in Buttevant on Sunday 17th June. This was a fantastic day with over 1000 people in attendance -congrats to all those involved! See below for a few photos taken on the day. Also note that there will be a Walled Town Day for Youghal and for Bandon (their first!) during Heritage Week this year!
  
   
  
     
  
   
• *Added on 13/06/12* ICOMOS (The International Council on Monuments and Sites) has organised a photography competition to celebrate - 2012 International Year of the Rural Landscape. There are 3 categories - junior, youth and adult - and as well as prize monies for the winning photographs, an exhibition of these winning enties will be held in the National Museum of Ireland, Country Life. To enter and for more details see the attached document by clicking here or visit the ICOMOS website.
  
  
  
  
• *Added on 21/05/12*  Ireland's Bioblitz 2012 Champion this year is the Glengarriff National Nature Reserve! Well done to all of those involved!! The winning total of species recorded in Glengarriff was 1020, with Crawfordsburn Park coming second with a total of 984. Details of the events that took place on the day can be viewed by clicking here. Visit the Bioblitz website for more details on the success by clicking here!.
   
• *Added on 30/04/12* The colourful exhibition of the 'Mallow Streetscape Heritage Project' is in its final week in Mallow County Library. The exhibition is of the streetscape drawings of Spa Square/ Davis street, Mallow. It was carried out by the students of 6th class from Mallow No 1 school, St Patrick boys school and Convent Girls schools. Each student was assigned a building along the streetscape to draw and paint and then placed in right order to give a wonderful colourful image of Mallows streetscape. The project was the initiative of Architect Department and Heritage Unit of Cork County Councils to increase the students awareness and understanding of Mallows rich architectural heritage and the engaging in discussion in regards to the future development of the area. The students and teachers enjoyed the process and had plenty of excellent ideas to offer. The Council wish to thank the staff and students of the schools for their assistance and enthusiasm for the project.
  
   
  
     
  
   
• *Added on 16/04/12*  The National Museum of Ireland-Country Life in Castlebar, Co. Mayo is launching a collaborative heritage project with the Linenhall Arts Centre entitled May On Our Doorstep which is a celebration of traditional May Day Customs in Ireland. May Day serves to welcome and celebrate the coming of the summer evidenced by traditions including "May Bushes, May Flowers, May Boughs, May Poles and May Bonfires, all associated with luck and protection" (Clodagh Doyle, Curator Irish Folklife Division). If you have any photographs; memories you would like to share; or if you indeed still celebrate May Day, please click here for further information and make sure to visit the Our Irish Heritage Website.
  
  
    
   
• *Added on 22/03/12*  The Heritage Council in March of 2012 have launched the Strategic Plan for 2012 to 2016 which contains a number of objectives to support employment, education and tourism. Click here to view this publication or alternatively access same (including a version as gaeilge) on the Heritage Council website.
   

The Heritage of County Cork: An Overview

County Cork has a rich and diverse heritage that includes our countryside, rivers, lakes, woodlands, seas and offshore islands, our ancient sites, our villages and townscapes and the buildings that make up these. It is our history, language, folklore, customs and traditions. It is those special elements of our landscape that make us feel connected to our home place, townlands, parishes, villages, towns and county. It includes every hump and hollow, tree and stone to which a story is connected. Our heritage is constantly evolving and being created. Trees planted, houses built, stories told about matches lost and won today will become a part of the heritage of the next generation. Protection of our heritage not only has environmental benefits and benefits for the quality of life of the people of Cork, but it also brings economic benefits to the county by providing attractive towns, villages and countryside for visitors to enjoy.

This website provides information on aspects of our county heritage, sources of support and funding for heritage related projects, updates on progress with the implementation of the County Heritage Plan and much more.

For information on Heritage Week please click here. This includes a blog on some of the events attended by Heritage Unit Staff during 2011 as well as details on Heritage Week for 2012. The following image shows just one of the events attended in 2011 which took place at Ballincollig Castle, organised by the Muskerry Historical Society and Ballincollig Heritage Association!

Heritage Week at Ballincollig Castle: 28/08/11

Using This Website:

Want to explore different aspects of Cork Heritage? Click for information about Wildlife, Archaeology, Built Heritage, and Museums, Libraries and Archives.

Use the Quick Links to access other sources of national and county information, e.g. museums, libraries, archives.

The County Heritage Plan, the National Heritage Plan, heritage legislation and other documents which may interest to you are available under Documents. Also recently added are Guidelines for the Management and Development of Architectural Conservation Areas.

Maybe you're interested in getting a heritage project off the ground -- you'll need funding. Check out information about sources of funding here.

A Note on the Heritage Council:

The Heritage Council part funds the network of 28 City/County Heritage Officers in Local Authorities across the country. The Heritage Council's vision is that the value of our heritage is enjoyed, managed and protected for the vital contribution that it makes to our identity, well-being and future. For more information on the work of the Heritage Council, please visit http://www.heritagecouncil.ie by clicking the above logo