An employee of the Heritage Council of Ireland, based in Kilkenny, has been chosen by the European Parliament to sit on a prestigious EU panel which will decide on the most important heritage sites in Europe over the next three years.
Beatrice Kelly, head of policy and research at the Heritage Council of Ireland, was nominated to the position by Ireland East MEP Nessa Childers.
From a final short list of 15 candidates put forward from across Europe, Ms Kelly was then chosen as one of four independent experts recommended by the European Parliament to choose which sites will qualify for the new European Heritage Label.
Speaking of the nomination, Ms Childers said: “The successful nomination of Ms Kelly is a testament to the talent that we have in culture and arts in this country. Ms Kelly's expertise, experience, and position at the centre of heritage in Ireland made her a stand-out nominee for this European panel. I wish her all the best in her work over the next three years.
“The European Heritage Label has the potential to greatly increase tourism at the sites which are selected, add prestige to their area, and make everyone think again about what it means to be European.
“Though Ireland is disconnected physically from the European mainland, we have still contributed greatly to the heritage of the continent,” Ms Childers added. “Close to the European Parliament in Brussels is the Irish College at Leuven, which dates back to the Flight of the Earls in 1607 and still acts as a cultural centre for the area. Sites in Ireland which could qualify for the European Heritage Label include monastic sites like Glendalough; Political centres like Dublin Castle; and learning centres like Trinity College.”
