Tag: Ireland

Work begins on Ronnie Mathews Archive

Laois County Library Service and Laois Heritage Office are delighted to announce that work is commencing on the Ronnie Mathews Archive Collection. The collection, acquired earlier this year by Laois County Council, was compiled by the late Ronnie Mathews, a well-known and highly respected local historian and author from Portarlington. The collection contains records and artefacts relating to the history of Portarlington and environs including maps, photographs, business records and much more. It reflects the original collector’s knowledge and passion for local history, from the earliest times to recent years.

With items from the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Orla Connaughton, Archivist; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian; Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer and Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

With items from the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Orla Connaughton, Archivist; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian; Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer and Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

This important local collection will now be processed in conjunction with Eneclann, Ireland’s leading history and heritage company. Professional archivist, Orlagh Connaughton, will list, describe and physically reorganise the collection contents to facilitate future access and display. This collaboration between Laois Heritage Office and Laois County Library Service is supported by Creative Ireland Laois, as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.

Tim Mathews, son of the late Ronnie Mathews said “I think it’s great news that a start is being made on archiving my Dad’s collection. He was born and lived all of his life in Portarlington, and loved the town, and spent over half of his lifetime collecting and researching items relevant to the town and county. He would be very proud and honoured by Laois County Council’s acquisition of his collection. Everything in the collection is original, be it maps, letters, photos, postcards, etc., and many items are well over 100 years old. Archiving these material and preparing them for future display to the public will give people an insight into life in the town over the last few centuries.”

With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer and Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Sinead Holland, LCC Librarian Local Studies; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer and Dom Reddin, LCC Tourism Officer. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

Ronnie Mathews collected documents, maps and artefacts relating to Portarlington over his whole life, with the collection also including some items collected by his father. JT Mathews, established in 1866, was a bakery, confectionary, tea rooms, hardware and general provisions, and was in business for over 130 years. Ledgers and account books from the business shed a fascinating light on many aspects of life in Portarlington in the past and are also part of the collection. Among the interesting artefacts are a series of glass plate negatives showing all aspects of Irish life dating from around 1910; a cannon ball reputed to be from the site of Lea Castle outside Portarlington; and a hand painted chess board with the crest of the Dawson family of Emo Court. Materials also include a map of Patrick Street dated 1889 and a large collection of postcards by Wynne of Portarlington -showing Portlaoise (formerly known as Maryborough), Mountmellick, Monasterevin and more.

Laois County Librarian Bernie Foran said “Acquiring archives is an important first step in preventing loss of memory, but processing of archives is an essential step in ensuring that memory is shared and lives on. By processing the collection to the highest archival standards, Laois County Library Service ensures that this remarkable local collection can be accessed by this generation and preserved for the generations to come.”

With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian and Orla Connaughton, Archivist. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

With the Ronnie Mathews Collection at Bloom HQ Mountrath, from left: Tim Mathews, son of Ronnie Mathews; Bernie Foran, Laois County Librarian and Orla Connaughton, Archivist. The project is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.

Over the coming months the collection will be carefully archived and catalogued, and arrangements made for any necessary conservation, as well as preparing materials to be made available for research and for future display as part of Laois Local Studies.

Laois Local Studies was established to collect, preserve and make available for reference, material relating to the history and heritage of County Laois. It is home to the Laois Collection, a specialist collection on the local, social, political, economic and geographic history of the county. A dedicated member of staff is available to assist and support members of the public with their research and queries. The collection and service are open to all by appointment. Laois Local Studies is part of the Laois County Library Service, funded and governed by Laois County Council. Further information at www. laoislocalstudies.ie and/or 057 8594985.

4th November 2021
Celebrating Rathdowney with a brand-new mural for Culture Night 2021

A new mural artwork celebrating the people and spirit of Rathdowney will be launched at this year’s Culture Night on Fri Sept 17. The launch event will take place at the Church of Ireland Parochial Hall, The Square at 4pm. The mural is designed and created by Portarlington based artist ADW who will also give a brief introduction on the processes and background to the project as part of the launch event. ADW began this mural project by getting to know and understand Rathdowney from a socio-cultural, historic and economic perspective. The mural is inspired by the people, culture, heritage, new communities and natural hinterland landscapes of Rathdowney, as well as creative imagination and artistic license.

ADW began dabbling in art & creativity while still in primary school. After ﬁve years studying animation in Ballyfermot College, Dublin, he moved to Britain to work in the computer games industry. In 2005 he returned to a booming Ireland. However, in the fallout from the economic crash of 2008, he was made redundant from his full-time job as a 3D artist. ADW took advantage of this time and returned to his creative roots and began to produce his own art full-time.

In 2019 ADW’s mural for Cruinniú na nÓg Laois garnered local and national attention and was inspired by the 1992 Irish film ‘Into the West’ where some of the film’s iconic scenes where shot at the Savoy cinema in Portarlington. The cinema had become old and drab in the hub of the town since closing over 25 years ago. His mural artwork has not just visually reanimated the old cinema but has becoming a talking point with local recollections of the shooting of the film and a new sense of pride in one of Portarlington’s landmark buildings. For more on ADW’s work, see Instagram photos and videos at www.instagram.com/adwart.

The mural artwork is commissioned by Laois Arts Office in consultation with members of Rathdowney community and in association with The Walls Project, a creative arts agency who specialise in the delivery of large-scale public and private commissioned artwork across Ireland and Europe. It is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.

Special thanks to Cllr John King, Clodagh Kennedy (Art/CSPE/SPHE teacher at St Fergal’s College), Rev Richard Seymour-Whiteley, and Howard Coburn (Flynn’s Medical Hall) for their enthusiasm and contribution in realising this project.#

Culture Night takes place on Fri Sept 17 and for all information on Laois’s Culture Night programme, go to www.culturenight.ie/laois.

Culture Night is brought to you by the Arts Council in partnership with Laois County Council.

Further details from the Arts Office, Laois County Council at artsoff@laoiscoco.ie

14th September 2021

Laois Heritage Projects Awarded Funding under Community Heritage Grants

Five Laois heritage projects have been awarded funding totalling over €44,000 by the National Heritage Council under the Community Heritage Grants Scheme. Nationally, the scheme will see €1.2 million allocated to community groups and not-for-profit organisations. This follows on from an award of €374,599 made to community heritage projects in April 2021.

The funding will boost local economies, grow tourism, and enhance community spirit by supporting local heritage projects.

The projects are all undertaken by voluntary groups and the topics in Laois range from improved access for people with disabilities at Donaghmore Workhouse, and community monitoring of Climate Change on local built heritage to conservation of historic newspapers reporting the historic first East West Transatlantic Flight by the Col James Fitzmaurice and digital recording of medieval monuments.

Trevor Stanley (Secretary of Donaghmore Workhouse &Agricultural Museum) with Catherine Casey (Heritage Officer , Laois Co. Council ) at the opening of the Dining Hall at Donaghmore Workhouse in 2014. The Museum has been awarded funding to improve accessibility for all under the new Heritage Council Community Grants Fund. Photo: Michael Scully

Welcoming the grant awards, Cathaoirleach Catherine Fitzgerald said “These Heritage Council grants amount of over €44,000 to be injected into the Laois economy and I’d like to congratulate each of the voluntary groups involved – the Col James Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society, Donaghmore Famine Workhouse & Agricultural Museum, Mountmellick Development Association, Laois Heritage Society and Laois Federation of Tidy Towns for their hard work on behalf of the people and heritage of the county. Laois always punches above its weight when it comes to quality and quantity of community heritage projects and I’m delighted to see that trend continuing. I wish all of the groups the best with their projects and look forward to hearing about some of them during Heritage Week in August”.

Killeshin c — Killeshin Church with its carved Romanesque doorway will be digitally recorded by Laois Heritage Society under a new project funded by the Heritage Council and announced today (Photo: Laois Heritage Office).

Sean Murray, Chairman of Laois Heritage Society said “We are delighted to have obtained funding for digital 3-D modelling recording of three sites in Co. Laois. The survey will include sites identified as of National importance with regards to the Early Church tradition in Ireland. The Hiberno-Romanesque doorways of Killeshin Church and Timahoe Round tower and Early Medieval Cross Slabs uncovered at Clonenagh in 1989, which were associated with St. Fintan’s Monastery there, will all feature as part of the project. The project will engage with the local communities in the areas and workshops are planned later in the year to train people who have an interest in the digital recording heritage monuments”.

Commenting on the announcement, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, said: “I would like to acknowledge the fantastic work of the Heritage Council in supporting community heritage through this important scheme. As the scope and scale of these projects illustrate, communities play a vital role in caring for all aspects of our heritage. The new national heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030, which will be published later this summer, will recognise the role of communities in safeguarding our heritage and ensure that they continue to be supported.”

Chairman of The Heritage Council, Michael Parsons, said: “These schemes continue to provide a central focus for the work of The Heritage Council. They are testament to the close collaboration between the Council, local authorities and community groups, all sharing a common purpose.”

Teddy Fennelly of the Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society and Michael Parsons, Chair of the Heritage Council, pictured in Fitzmaurice Place Portlaoise (Photo: Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Office).

Heritage Council Community Grants, full details at https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/funding/funding-schemes

Details of Laois projects awarded funding below.

Applicant	Project Description	Offered
Col James Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society	Conservation and Digitization of Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society Archive – Phase 1	€7,550
Donaghmore Famine Workhouse & Agricultural Museum	Donaghmore Accessibility Enhancement Project to undertake elements of the Museum Accessibility Audit supported by the Heritage Council in 2020 to enrich visitor experiences.	€10,800
Mountmellick Development Association	To greatly improve the visitor experience with storyboards, 2 digital productions for use inhouse/website/Facebook.	€11,350
Laois Heritage Society	To digitally record and make accessible vulnerable carved stone features at three Laois sites – Killeshin Romanesque Doorway, Timahoe Romanesque Doorway & Early Christian Cross-Slabs at Clonenagh	€3,400
Laois Federation of Tidy Towns	To establish baseline data of built and architectural heritage via a checklist and monitoring of the key heritage features identified by a Tidy Towns as a tangible indicators of Climate Change	€11,326
TOTAL FOR LAOIS		€44,426

13th May 2021

New Approaches to Climate Change: Speaker Series

‘New Approaches to Climate Change’ is a series of free online talks over four weeks starting Wednesday, February 24. The series presents a range of international speakers who challenge how we perceive planet Earth and our collective responsibility as citizens to preserve and protect it. The series is curated by Dr. Niamh Shaw, science communicator in residence in Abbeyleix and is aimed at those with a general interest in climate change and all are welcome. Niamh has a background in science and engineering a wealth of experience in theatre and live speaking and holds the serious ambition to travel in space as a citizen and an artist. Since last September, she has been finding creative ways to engage people in Abbeyleix and the wider area to consider their role in climate action – what is it, and what can we all do about it. This role is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme [2017-2022] in partnership with Laois County Council and Midlands Science, and in association with Abbeyleix Tidy Towns.

Dr. Niamh Shaw said, “The aim of the Climate Speaker Series is to give our local community a taste of some of the really interesting science and research taking place across the globe- from the desert to the poles, and from psychological and systemic impact, climate change is being explored from so many differing points of view. And everyone is working together to find manageable solutions to create a positive climate future and an impact that we as individuals can have on climate change.”

Climate Speakers & Topics

The Climate Speakers series of talks begins on Wednesday February 24 at 7pm with two short talks championing women in science and leadership who are passionate about sharing accessible solutions to climate change. Madeleine Murray presents ‘ Sustainability – individual and systemic action to future-proof our world’. Madeleine Murray is co-founder of the Kinsale-based Change by Degrees, a company co-founded with environmentalist Dr. Tara Shine. The mission of Change by Degrees is to provide sustainability leadership and inspiration for people and organisations. She is an archaeologist by training with experience in research, editing and writing at the School of Archaeology, U.C.D. and the National Museum of Ireland. She is passionate about making complex information accessible and helping businesses to create and tell their sustainability stories.

On the same evening Dr. Niamh Shaw presents ‘How Space teaches us to be better Earth citizens’. In 2017 Niamh participated in a simulated Mars mission that changed forever her way of life, embracing a new approach to sustainability. Niamh is the science communicator in residence for the Abbeyleix Climate Action project, with a deep passion to share the perspective of Earth from space. She recently joined Homeward Bound, a global transformational leadership initiative for women with a background in science and a passion for climate action. As part of this leadership programme, she joins 100 women on an Antarctic expedition in 2022.

On Wednesday March 3rd at 7pm, Sally Weintrobe’s talk “Working through our feelings about the climate emergency” will explore common feelings many of us share about the current state of the climate and the environment; also, what can help us bear these feelings so we can better address the damage and push for change. Sally is a psychoanalyst, working on climate and the environment. She is a Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society, a founder member of the Climate Psychology Alliance and she chairs the International Psychoanalytic Association’s Committee on Climate. Her new book, “Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis” is available this April.

Sally Weintrobe’s book “The Psychological roots of the Climate Crisis” is due out this year

On Wednesday March 10 at 7pm, Dr. Anna Maria Trofaier from the European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Office will talk about “Using Space for climate change: Satellites that monitor our planet’s health”. Anna Maria oversees the sea ice, snow and glaciers projects within the ESA Climate Change Initiative to ensure delivery of technical requirements. She is currently working on developing a Massive Open Online Course on the cryosphere. She has a background in physics and remote sensing, with a focus on polar regions and initially joined the ESA Climate Office as a research fellow.

Dr Anna Maria Trofaier of the European Space Agency

On Thursday, March 18 at 7pm, LIVE from Biosphere 2, Arizona, John Adams & Kai Staats’s talk is “Seeking Earth from Space: Biosphere 2, simulated Mars analogue facilities and what we can learn about sustainability and climate action”. Originally constructed to demonstrate the viability of closed ecological systems to support human life in outer space, Biosphere 2 is now a research facility of the University of Arizona where scientists use the 3-acre site to carry out controlled experiments and study climate, water, energy and sustainability.

Biosphere 2 in Arizona

Heritage Officer with Laois County Council, Catherine Casey said, “Climate change is the most important issue facing humanity and this series of talks curated by Dr. Niamh Shaw provides a range of perspectives on individual and collective responses and research. We hope that these international stories will inform and inspire action we all take at a very local level within our own communities and county”.

Speaking about the involvement of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns in the series, Chairman Robbie Quinn said “We are delighted that our Climate Action project is involved in this series of talks curated by Dr. Niamh Shaw. Hosting this panel of international speakers, it affords us an opportunity to reflect on our local climate action efforts, explore the global context of climate change and then pool this expertise back into our community activities. One of the benefits of this pandemic has been the opportunity to connect with panellists of this calibre, something that probably would not have occurred outside of this unusual time in the world.”

Robbie Quinn, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Mark Clancy, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Niamh Shaw, Science Communicator in Residence; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer; Mary White, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns; Ann Lawlor, Creative Ireland Laois and Dr Fiona MacGowan, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns in Abbeyleix during the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project . Picture: Alf Harvey.

Jackie Gorman, CEO of Midlands Science said “The upcoming climate change speakers series provides a unique opportunity for us all to hear from and dialogue with leading voices from fields as diverse as ecology and psychology on issues relating to climate change. Midlands Science is delighted to be involved in this this project which has focused on the local actions in Abbeyleix and is now bringing global voices to the area through the upcoming speaker series. It’s great to see people connecting on this vital issue and engaging with the science that such issues involve.”

The “New Approaches to Climate Change” series will be livestreamed on the Laois Heritage Forum Facebook Page. No registration or pre-booking is required, and all are welcome. Questions or comments can be submitted in advance to heritage@laoiscoco.ie, or posed on the night during the livestream.

The series is part of the Abbeyleix Climate Action Project, supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme [2017-2022] in partnership with Laois County Council and Midlands Science, and in association with Abbeyleix Tidy Towns.

17th February 2021
New “In your Nature” Podcast Launched

A new podcast “In your Nature” has been launched by BirdWatch Ireland in partnership with Laois and Offaly County Councils.

As part of the Healthy Ireland “Keep Well” campaign, the Heritage Office of Laois County Council is running a series of events to people to get connected with nature. The campaign – called Nature is good for You – now sees the launch of a new nature podcast in partnership with BirdWatch Ireland.

“In your Nature” will be available each Monday from 1^st March for six weeks and further series will follow in the summer and autumn. The podcast will be free and available on all leading podcast providers, including Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.

“In your Nature” will be anchored by Laois native Ricky Whelan, Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, and the well-known media voice of Niall Hatch, Development Officer with BirdWatch Ireland. Many people in Laois will know Ricky from his work around the county on swift conservation, and also his roles with the Irish Wildlife Trust and Abbeyleix Bog Project. As a true Midlands conservation expert, he is the ideal voice to lead out this new podcast – an excellent communicator, he delivers regular events and lectures on various bird and biodiversity related topics and has contributed to many radio broadcasts and podcasts both in Ireland and the UK.

Ricky Whelan on Bull Island Dublin. Photograph by Eric Luke copyright.
From the Book IRISH WORKING LIVES by Marie Louise O’Donnell and Eric Luke . Published by Veritas (2019)

The spring series of the podcast will feature topics like the dawn chorus, nest boxes and looking at nature during lockdown. The podcast will also look at wider biodiversity, including spring plants and the bogs of the midlands.

Ricky Whelan said, “I’m delighted we could team up with the local authorities and the Keep Well Campaign to produce this podcast. Just talking about birds and nature excites me and lifts my mood and I hope our audience also gets a lift from listening and in-turn feel a little closer to nature”.

Niall Hatch has been a keen birdwatcher and wildlife enthusiast since childhood and has travelled the world pursuing this interest ever since. Niall has contributed to a wide variety of radio and television broadcasts both in Ireland and abroad and is a wonderful advocate for birds and biodiversity.

Speaking about the launch of the Podcast, Niall said, “When I’m not actually out watching birds, my favourite thing in the world to do is to talk about them. Ricky and I often have great chats about birds and nature anyway, so the logical next step was to record them and let others eavesdrop on our conversations. More people than even before have been turning to nature and developing an interest in wildlife in recent times, and we’re hoping that people are going to enjoy listening to our podcast as much as we enjoy making it.”

Niall Hatch of BirdWatch Ireland

In your nature challenges

The launch of the Podcast will be marked by a series of “In your Nature Challenges” on Laois Heritage Forum social media. Each week, the public will be invited to take part in a particular challenge relating to the theme of that week’s podcast – and prizes will be available!

To enter each challenge, use the hashtag #InYourNature on Laois Heritage Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages and submit a photo, a drawing, a video, even a piece of writing, showing or describing your adventure. A prize will be awarded each week.

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council, said, “We know that this period of lockdown has been very hard on everyone, but we also know that many people have been taking solace and inspiration from nature at this time. As part of the Keep Well Initiative, we are reminding everyone how getting out in nature can be good for your mental and physical health. We hope that the new “In your Nature” Podcast and the Challenges will encourage people to learn more about the biodiversity in their neighbourhood, and take part in some fun challenges to share what they learn.”

To go with the podcast and help with the challenges the newly reprinted “Gardening for Biodiversity” book and colouring book are still available to download from laois.ie/gardening-for-biodiversity and hard copies are available for free from Laois County Council.

Male Bullfinch, courtesy of Eddie Dunne

The In Your Nature Podcast is brought to you by BirdWatch Ireland, Laois and Offaly County Councils and the Keep Well Campaign, an initiative of the Government of Ireland with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and the Sláintecare Fund delivered by Pobal.

16th February 2021
Nature is Good for You!

National Campaign launched to get people connected with nature

The Local Authority Heritage Officer Network has launched a campaign to get people connected with nature, as part of the Government’s “Keep Well” Campaign.

A free booklet “Gardening for Biodiversity” has been produced and is available from all Local Authority Heritage Officers.

Catherine Casey Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “Spending time in nature is good for our physical and mental health. There are plenty of simple things that you can do to help nature in your garden or your locality this spring. Why not make a logpile, or leave a heap of leaves for hedgehogs and insects; feed the birds; or plant bee friendly trees. To find out more about what you can do, we have reprinted the Gardening for Biodiversity booklet and children’s colouring book and they are available for free from Laois County Council Heritage Office. Over the coming months the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network will co-ordinate and promote a series of practical actions for biodiversity that everyone can take part in.”

Gardening for Biodiversity was produced with funding by The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund, supported by the Heritage Council and the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network.

The reprint was funded by the Keep Well Campaign, with thanks to Healthy Ireland, an initiative of the Government of Ireland with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and Sláintecare delivered by Pobal, administered by Laois County Council.

The book and colouring book are available for free from Laois County Council, by emailing heritage@laoiscoco.ie and also available to download here.

In your Nature Podcast

As part of the Healthy Ireland “Keep Well” campaign, the Heritage Office of Laois County Council is running a series of events to people to get connected with nature. The campaign – called Nature is good for You – now sees the launch of a new nature podcast in partnership with BirdWatch Ireland.

“In your Nature” will be available each Monday from 1^st March for six weeks and further series will follow in the summer and autumn. The podcast will be free and available on all leading podcast providers, including Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.

“In your Nature” will be anchored by Laois native Ricky Whelan, Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, and the well-known media voice of Niall Hatch, Development Officer with BirdWatch Ireland.

Spring into nature

Devised by Roscommon Heritage Office and the Heritage Officer Network, the “Spring into Nature” activity sheets in suggest ideas for people to enjoy their local heritage this spring, with a focus on getting outdoors and experiencing nature and built heritage in your locality.

The sheets can be downloaded here in English and Irish or click the pictures below.

Radio Clips

A short series of “Nature is good for you” clips were prepared and broadcast by Midlands 103 radio from winter 2020 to spring 2021. These highlight the value of getting out in nature, and suggest simple things people can do to help nature in their own area. The clips are available on Soundcloud.

Nestbox Guides

As wildlife lovers we are always keen to do what we can for the birds and other wildlife in our gardens, school grounds and on our farms. We can all help in various ways, perhaps by feeding birds in our gardens each winter or providing safe and suitable nest boxes for them to raise young.

Below you will find three downloadable guides produced by BirdWatch Ireland in association with the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network that provide nest box templates and measurements for some of our favourite garden birds as well as for the amazing Barn Owl and roosting bats. Each guide features installation tips to help you correctly position each box to provide safe nesting opportunities for target species and increase the chances of uptake. We were delighted to work with BirdWatch Ireland in the production of these guides. See here for more informtion on the work of BirdWatch Ireland and how to join to support this work.

Garden Bird Nestbox Plans

This guide provides a template and measurements for you to create a range of nestboxes for a number of common garden bird species including, Robins, Blue/Great Tits, Starlings and Spotted Flycatcher. Click the picture to download a high resolution pdf.

Outdoor Barn Owl Nestbox Plan

This guide provides a template and measurements for you to create a Barn Owl nestbox suitable for installation outdoors. Click the picture to download a high resolution pdf.

Bat Roost Box Plan

This guide provides a template and measurements for you to create a bat roost box to safely accommodate roosting bats in your garden. Click the picture to download a high resolution pdf.

The Nature is Good for You” initiative is co-ordinated by the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network as part of the Government’s“Keep Well” Campaign which aims to help people to mind their physical and mental health and well being over the coming months.

Everyone is encouraged to take part in the campaign on social media using the hashtag #NatureisGoodforYou.

Supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in association with the Keeping Well Campaign in your county. Local Authority Heritage Officers are employed by Local Authorities in partnership with the national Heritage Council. Their role is to raise awareness, provide advice, develop/implement policy, collect data, conduct research and promote best practice to value and safeguard heritage for future generations.

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10th February 2021
Clonaslee Community celebrates successful conservation of medieval church

The community of Clonaslee has celebrated the end of another successful season of conservation at the medieval Kilmanman Church just outside the village.

The conservation project which started in 2019, is funded by the Creative Ireland Programme in Laois and Laois County Council, with the help of local community fundraising. This year’s work saw the conservation of the west gable with its fragile bell cote and the east gable with its beautiful carved medieval window. Some work was also carried out to stabilise the 19^th century Dunne Mausoleum adjacent to the older church.

Kilmanman Church Restoration Committee members, members of Clonaslee High Nelly Club, with Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer, Colm Flynn, Archaeologist and Jethro Sheen, Sheen Stoneworks at Kilmanman Church, Clonaslee. Photo: Alf Harvey

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “the support of the Creative Ireland programme was crucial in getting this conservation work started and the aim of the project – in addition to saving the medieval fabric of the church – was to build on the sense of place associated with Kilmanman to develop the capacity and resilience of the local community. The project has been enormously successful in this, and in addition to impressive local fundraising, the local people have been on hand to help with all aspects of the work, with the community assisting with management of vegetation, providing water and weathered stone, helping to interpret the archaeology and showing huge hospitality to the conservation team.”

She continued “ On behalf of Laois County Council and the project team, I’d like to thank most sincerely the Kilmanman Restoration Committee, Fr O’Reilly, Chris Horan, Tommy Kelly, David Brickley, Fred Mathews and Denis Feighery, the Clonaslee Graveyard Committee represented by Denis Feighery, The High Nelly Club Clonaslee, the Local Employment Scheme and Caitriona Cashin of Clonaslee Development Association and the many people living near Kilmanman who donated money and also gave so freely of their time to help.”

Fred Mathews, Chris Horan and Tommy Kelly at Kilmanman Church, Clonaslee. Photo Alf Harvey (Missing from Photo Fr O’Reilly, David Brickley and Denis Feighery)

The work this year was planned by Conservation Engineer Aoife Murphy working with David Kelly Partnership Consulting Engineers and overseen by archaeologist Colm Flynn. The contract to carry out the highly skilled lime mortar work and masonry conservation was awarded to Jethro Sheen of Sheen Stonework in Gort Co Galway.

Conservation Management Plan

In addition to the practical conservation work on site this year, the Kilmanman group was successful in sourcing Heritage Council support for a full Conservation Management Plan on the site and this was also started this year, with Conservation Architect Richard McLoughlin working with archaeologist Colm Flynn to carry out a measured survey of the site, and an analysis of the known history to date. The community hopes that phase II of the Conservation Plan will be completed in 2021, if funding is available.

Kilmanman Medieval Church, Clonaslee. Photo Alf Harvey

The conservation project at Kilmanman will continue in 2021 with conservation of the North Wall high on the priority list for the next step in this important conservation project.

The conservation work at Kilmanman was funded by The Creative Ireland Programme in Laois and Laois County Council. The Conservation Management Plan was funded by the local community and the Heritage Council

16th December 2020
Grants for Cultural and Creative Practitioners
Note

The closing date for these grants has now passed. Successful applicants will be notified as soon as possible

New opportunities for the Laois Cultural and Creative sector have been announced as part of the Jobs Stimulus Package from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Creative Ireland Laois has announced two new grant schemes for Laois Cultural and Creative practitioners (individuals & groups).

Under this fund, local projects and initiatives will provide supports for
1. placing creativity at the heart of economic development,
2. innovative place-making projects in local areas,
3. collaboration, and
4. professional development of creative practitioners and / or organisations.
There are two funds:

Equipment Grants

To promote the development of Cultural and Creative initiatives within Laois, Laois County Council Creative Ireland are awarding a number of Equipment grants to professional cultural and creative operators/ practitioners (individuals & groups) for upskilling in digital media practices.

Under this Creative Communities Jobs Stimulus measure, funding is provided for
- Enabling access to digital equipment for cultural and creative operators/practitioners (individuals & groups).
- The provision of an Equipment grant for cultural and creative operators/practitioners (individuals & groups) to adapt, reposition or reskill themselves or to repurpose their assets/offering to ensure they may continue to connect and engage with their local communities.
Full details and application information:

Laois County Council | Creative Ireland Equipment Grant Scheme Call for applications 2020 (Word version)

Laois County Council | Creative Ireland Equipment Grant Scheme Call for applications 2020 (pdf version)

The closing date for receipt of applications for the Equipment Grants is 4pm on Friday, September 25, 2020

Cruinniu na nOg Portlaoise – Vincent Hunt, Tutor, helps a young child at Dunamaise Arts Centre . Photo: Michael Scully.

Co-Create grants

Laois County Council Creative Ireland are awarding a number of Co-Create grants to professional cultural and creative operators / practitioners to collaborate in the development of new initiatives.

Cultural and Creative operators / practitioners must collaborate with a community group, or school, or NGO, or Enterprise, or community group, or voluntary group, or professional group.

Under this Creative Communities Job Stimulus Funds scheme, funding may be provided for a broad range of initiatives that:

Connect, engage & collaborate with local and marginalised communities and other communities, small towns and villages; or small to medium enterprises; or public buildings; or heritage and landscape; or local cultural and heritage venues; or Maker Spaces/Studio; and/or a blend of the above. This is not a prescriptive list and we welcome your proposals.

Full details and application information:

Laois County Council | Creative Ireland Co-Create Grant Scheme Call for applications 2020 (Word version)

Laois County Council | Creative Ireland Co-Create Grant Scheme Call for applications 2020 (pdf version)

The closing date for the Co-Create Grants is 4pm on Monday, September 28, 2020

Creative Ireland

Creative Ireland is the Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016. The Laois County Council 2018-22 five-year Culture and Creativity Plan can be viewed here.

The Creative Ireland Programme has collaboration at its heart – between central and local government; between heritage, arts, culture and industry; between artists, communities and policy makers– to facilitate a culture of creativity.
11th September 2020
Local Authority Heritage Officers team up with BirdWatch Ireland to Save Swifts.

A new book to help communities save their swifts has been launched by BirdWatch Ireland and local authority Heritage Officers nationwide.

Swifts are an iconic summer visitor to Ireland, arriving in early May following a long migration from southern Africa. Slightly larger than a swallow they are a ‘site faithful’ bird, returning generation after generation to buildings in towns and villages throughout Ireland to nest and raise young. Like many of our wild species however, Swifts are increasingly threatened through loss of nest sites and have suffered an alarming 40% population decline in the past decade. Problems arise when buildings are renovated or torn down removing the Swifts nest sites and sometimes huge nesting colonies can be lost overnight.

The good news is that there are many practical steps that we can all take to make a difference, and the new guide ‘Saving Swifts’ produced by BirdWatch Ireland and local authority Heritage Officers is available to help. The guide, funded by the Department for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as part of an initiative to encourage projects under the National Biodiversity Action Plan, contains all the information required for individuals, local groups, schools, businesses or government departments to play a role in helping this amazing and threatened species. The information is presented in a colourful and user-friendly format and includes details on Swift ecology; reasons for declines; suggested conservation measures; nest box plans, case studies and much more.

Swifts nest in buildings where small gaps allow access to the roof space or cavities in masonry. Their chosen nest sites are often in older buildings which are sometimes dilapidated or in need of renovation. Awareness about the presence and requirements of Swifts is essential to ensuring that their nest sites are protected as part of renovation works. This typically involves timing works to take place from Sept to May. Also, there are many opportunities to create new nesting sites as part of new development through installing nest boxes or nesting bricks.

Anna and Sarah Rothwell, Birr pictured at the launch of the new book “Saving Swifts” at Abbeyleix Library. The book is a joint publication of BirdWatch Ireland and the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network. Picture: Alf Harvey

Ricky Whelan, Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland said: “The Saving Swifts guide will go a long way to support groups from around the country to help their Swifts at a local level, feeding into the wider Swift conservation effort nationally. Swift surveys are planned in Sligo, Wicklow and Meath this year, following on from surveys in Offaly, Laois, Tipperary and Westmeath over the past few years, so we are getting a much better handle on the scientific side of where swifts are, and what they need.”

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “It was wonderful to work with BirdWatch Ireland and Heritage Officers across the country on this guide to help communities look after their swifts, and we are also grateful to the many swift conservation groups around Ireland who helped with expertise and success stories for the book”.

The Saving Swifts guide is available for free as a PDF download. Hard copies can be ordered from the Laois Heritage Officer.

Dearbhala Ledwidge, Kilkenny Heritage officer; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage officer and Ricky Whelan, Birdwatch Ireland pictured at the launch of the new book “Saving Swifts” at Abbeyleix Library. The book is a joint publication of BirdWatch Ireland and the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network.
Picture: Alf Harvey

22nd May 2019
Heritage Week is almost here!

The theme for Heritage Week this year is “Sharing Stories” and with over 70 events registered for Laois so far, this year promises to be one of the best yet. The full guide to all the fun, family events happening across Laois for Heritage Week – Saturday August 18th and Sunday August 26th – is now available to download. .

From the story of our waterways at Vicarstown to old coins and measurements in Mountmellick, and from bats in the belfry in Timahoe to the story of our landscape seen in old maps, there is a great range of activities on show in the county this year.

Checking out the jewellery at Portarlington Library for the The Fingal Living History Society Viking period workshop as part of Heritage Week.
Picture: Alf Harvey/HRPhoto.ie

The Libraries of Laois always put a great effort into Heritage Week and this year is no exception, with free events in most of the Libraries of the County, ranging from straw craft for adults and children and genealogy to exploring the stories of our history and wildlife with Michael Moylan of Irish History Live and Dale Treadwell of Naturally Wild. All of the library events are free, but most require booking, so please do contact your branch as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

Events at the Dunamaise Arts Centre for Heritage Week include the launch of the Wolfhill Mining Project on Wednesday 22nd, and on Saturday 18th August, “What good is looking well when you’re rotten on the inside?” a fascinating play by Emma O’Grady based on the writings of her grandfather, a Civil Servant from Mountrath.

Wildlife events include an update on the Laois Swift Survey and the fate of the dipper, by BirdWatch Ireland, an exploration of the Grand Canal and Garryhinch Woods with the Irish Wildlife Trust, a beekeeping demo and nature walk in Emo Court, a bat walk in Timahoe, and a tour of the wildlife of Portlaoise. Our native bees are well looked after again this year, with this year’s Pollinator Party taking place in Mountrath,

The Stradbally Woodland Express Steam Train , in full Steam on Sunday last -as part of Heritage Week. Photo : Michael Scully

Other highlights of the week will include the Bulfin Heritage Cycle across the county, with participants in period costume on High Nelly bikes, the ever-popular stream trains in Stradbally Woods and the chance to experience sunset on the Rock of Dunamase.

There are open days in Stradbally Hall, and the gardens of Abbey Leix Estate, farm heritage walks on at Ballykilcavan and Castlewood, guided tours of Portlaoise and Abbeyleix, and local community photography exhibitions in Portarlington and Mountmellick.

There really is a great range of events planned and the week is a great opportunity to get out and discover your own local heritage, and maybe share a story or two with neighbours or visitors!

Heritage Week is co-ordinated locally by the Heritage Office of Laois County Council, and at national level by the Heritage Council. Details of all events happening across the country are at www.heritageweek.ie.

23rd July 2018
New Laois Passport Launched

A new Laois Passport has been published to encourage adults and children, tourists and residents alike to explore the wonderful heritage sites of Laois this summer. The passport, produced in a collaboration between Laois Offaly Education and Training Board and Laois County Council with the support of the Heritage Council, details 7 of the heritage sites of Laois, with a space for a passport stamp each time a site is visted. Stamps are available at Timahoe Heritage Centre (and the Corner shop in Timahoe), Mountmellick Museum, Donaghmore Workhouse, Dunamaise Arts Centre and Portlaoise Tourist Ofice, Abbeyleix Heritage House and Emo Court.

Participants in the Laois Offaly ETB literacy project: Serena Fitzpatrick, Edel Phelan, Hilary Doran, Sabrina Bowden, Karla Jordan and Nicole Delaney with pupils from Scoil Bhríde, Portlaoise at Emo Court for the launch of the Laois Passport for Heritage Sites.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

Passports are availble from each of the sites featured, and the Tourist Office in Portlaoise. They are also available for collection by primary school teachers at Laois Education Centre.

The passport grew out ‘Unravelling Laois’, a Portlaoise-based family learning project, which aimed to capture some of the hidden gems of the county. ‘Unravelling Laois’ started to unfold when a group of parents in Scoil Bhríde enabled their family learning project to take on a different dimension when they developed an interest in history. The DEIS funded programme, in collaboration with the HSCL in Scoil Bhride, Adult Literacy Service in Laois Offaly ETB supported these parents in visiting a range of historical sites in Laois during the autumn months of 2017.

Frances Byrne, Local Link Laois Offaly; Deirdre Delaney (HSCL Co-ordinator Scoil Bhríde Portlaoise); Denise Dunne (Creative Writing Tutor); Catherine Casey, (Laois Heritage Officer); Mary Delaney (Art Tutor) and Lisa McEvoy, (Laois Offaly ETB) at Emo Court for the launch of the Laois Passport for Heritage Sites.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

Laois Offaly Local Link ensured that the group arrived at each destination safely and returned everybody to the school full of imagination. After each trip, the parents reflected on their adventures through artwork and creative writing. With the encouragement of their tutors, Denise Dunne and Mary Delaney, they have created art that illustrates their new understanding of the history of this county along with compiling a book through their own book club, that captures all their experiences throughout the project.

This inspirational project is family learning in its true sense, supporting parents to help their children learn and providing them with an opportunity to develop their own learning skills.

The project developed further and it was decided that the group would publish a passport at the end of their travels, for parents to use when bringing their children to each of the sites during the summer months. This passport was taken to the next level with the support of Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer, and is available to all primary schools in Laois now and is also available from the Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise Tourist and all the heritage sites the project visited.

OPW guide Joan Phelan stamping passports for Daniel Doran, Clodagh Fitzpatrick, Aaron Bowden-Adair, Eoin Bowden-Adair and Ryan Dunne from Scoil Bhride, Portlaoise at Emo Court for the launch of the Laois Passport for Heritage Sites.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

Unravelling Laois will be exhibited in Emo Court for the summer. Drop in and don’t forget to collect your passport at reception or download it here – happy travels!

5th June 2018
James Fintan Lalor Autumn School 2017

This year’s James Fintan Lalor School, organised by Laois Heritage Society, takes place at the Midlands Park Hotel Portlaoise, on Saturday 18th November.

Speakers include Diarmaid Ferriter, Jane Maxwell, Seamus Hosey, Claire O’Brien, David Norris, Patricia King, Kevin Myers, Marie Louise O’Donnell and Muiris O’ Suilleabhain.

Following the official opening of this year’s school by Charlie Flanagan, TD Minister for Justice and Equality, the day will include Panel Discussions on topics such as “Brexit: Our Identity, Our Future”, and “Ireland Today”, with an individual soapbox style presentations from Jane Maxwell and Kevin Myers.

Musical entertainment will be provided by members of Portlaoise and Mountmellick Comhaltas.

Audience participation will be encouraged throughout the day. When formal procedures are over a showing of the play “From the sod to the sky” by Mike Finn will be introduced by MC Kathleen Culliton.

To book email laoisheritagesociety@gmail.com.

Download the full programme:

James Fintan Lalor Autumn School 2017 Leaflet

The school is supported by Laois County Council through the Creative Ireland programme.

2nd November 2017