The Heritage Council has allocated almost half a million euros to specific projects across County Galway aimed at ensuring local historical, archeological and biodiversity initiatives may continue.
Specific projects in the Galway East Dáil constituency received €357,764, while Galway West received €116,526. A range of national funding streams will also benefit ongoing initiatives under the auspices of Waterways Ireland, the Irish Georgian Society, the Irish Wildlife Trust, and others.
A total of €474,290 has been spilt between 17 organisations and projects in Galway East, and 12 in the western side of the county.
Submissions for Galway’s 2024-2029 draft Heritage Plan are currently open until July 25, and the Galway City Community Network has called on members of the public to get their thoughts together.
“Galway’s Heritage belongs to everyone, so we all have a right to contribute to future plans for protecting and sharing it,” says GCCN co-ordinator, Jacinta Fay. “If you are unsure about making your own submission, then just keep it short and straightforward. You can use bullet points if you want to keep it simple and come to us if you need any help in making a submission.”
Terryland Forest Park Alliance is a member of GCCN, and its spokesperson Brendan Smith says the draft Heritage Plan gives the public a critical opportunity to make their views known on the need to preserve, protect, nurture and enhance the city’s landscapes and traditions, especially as increased urbanisation can impact negatively.
“Galway city pulsates with a multi-layered heritage of medieval buildings and 19th century canals. We have a mix of active farmland, traditional rural greenways, woods, rivers and seashores rich in native biodiversity. We also have a vibrant culture of song, dance, literature and drama,” he says. “We need to protect these landscapes more than ever before in a time of a global climate and biodiversity crises.”
Derrick Hambleton from GCCN member organisation, An Taisce, agrees. “Galway has a unique natural, built and cultural heritage that gives the city its identity and which contributes significantly to our wellbeing,” he says. Hambleton suggests the City Council should allocate funds in each of its annual budgets to cover the costs of delivery of the five-year heritage plan.
In Galway city, the Heritage Council has allocated funds to the Galway City Biodiversity Action Plan (2025 to 2030 ), an annual Galway City Heritage Conference, the 2024 Archaeological and Environmental School, Galway cemeteries and graveyards, the Three Castles conservation project, and Merlin Woods dry stonewalling.
Outside the city, in Galway West funding has been allocated to a digital heritage trail in Roundtsone, the Oughterard Golden Mile walk, Kylemore Abbey, the Ballinakill Abbey restoration, swan and tern rafts in Oranmore, and the Galway County Council 2024-2025 Heritage and Biodiversity Plan.
In Galway East, a LiDAR survey of Knockma and the Galway County Community Archeology Project received funding. Phase 3 of the 2024 Digital Mapping of Graveyards Project is on the list, plus a separate digital survey of St Mary’s in Tuam. An audit of oral history recordings and an audit of holy wells across Galway received funds, as well as mapping traditional Traveller camping sites.
Abbeyknockmoy was allocated funds for a community heritage audit, Ballindereen Community Centre to preserve oral memories of the GAA there, while funds were earmarked for works on Ardrahan Church, Kilchreest medieval church, and Athenry’s town walls.
The Mountbellew workhouse digitisation and Gort Town Hall projects are on the list, as are community heritage projects in Milltown and with the Vincent Wildlife Trust.
Galway East TD Sean Canney (Ind ) welcomed the Heritage Council’s 2024 funding choices.
“I welcome the funding and I congratulate all the groups who were successful and Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer in Galway County Council, for her hard work and dedication in helping secure this level of funding for these valuable heritage projects.”
