Six local community heritage projects are among 127 nationwide to get a share of a €2million funding pot.
The Heritage Council’s granted €39,120 to County Kilkenny which breaks down as follows:
- Butler Gallery’s “Butler Gallery Conservation Project – The Original Collection,” (€25,000)
- Keep Her Lit Festival’s “Heritage Events and Workshops at Keep Her Lit Lunasa & Samhain Festivals in 2026,” (€8,255)
- Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement’s “Stories of the Road – Insights from Travellers on life, survival, and tradition in a moving Ireland,”(€3,800)
- Windgap Tidy Towns for “Old House in a League of its own” (€2,065)
While two groupings in Carlow between them get €33,456 as follows:
- Carlow Older Peoples for Echoes of the Barrow: A Digital Oral Archive of County Carlow 1950s–1960s (€25,000)
- Ardattin Community Group for Conservation Management Plan focusing on guidance on the restoration of the windows and doors (€8,456)
The annual initiative supports community groups, voluntary organisations and non-governmental organisations to protect, share and celebrate heritage at a local level. It enables groups to continue existing projects or to develop new initiatives that enhance community engagement.
Funding is available for a broad range of activities, including conservation management plans, conservation works on buildings and biodiversity sites, skills-based workshops and training, collections management, biodiversity initiatives, digital resources and the purchase of specialised conservation equipment.
Following a competitive call for applications in March, the Heritage Council received hundreds of submissions from heritage volunteers, community groups and organisations demonstrating strong public engagement with Ireland’s shared heritage.
All funded projects are required to host an in-person event during National Heritage Week (15-23rd August) providing an opportunity to showcase their work and engage directly with the public.
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, said: “I am delighted to see these projects receiving support under the Community Heritage Grant Scheme. This funding empowers local communities to protect and celebrate their heritage. From preserving built heritage to capturing personal stories from our past, these initiatives ensure that our shared heritage is safeguarded and made accessible for future generations. The strong level of interest in this Scheme demonstrates the deep commitment of communities across Ireland to their local heritage, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have over the coming months.”
Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, said: “The Heritage Council is proud to support these community-led projects that bring our heritage to life at a local level. The projects selected in Kilkenny reflect both the richness and diversity of our heritage, from oral histories that deepen our understanding of everyday life in the past, to practical conservation planning that will protect important built assets. This Scheme is about enabling communities to take an active role in caring for their heritage and sharing their stories. We look forward to seeing these projects develop and to the opportunities they will create for public engagement, particularly during National Heritage Week.”
