Laois Heritage Plan 2014-2020

Implementation of the Laois Heritage Plan 2014 – 2019 was extended to cover 2020 and is now complete. Work on preparing a new Heritage Plan to cover the period 2021 to 2026 is underway.

Below are details and summary reports of the projects undertaken with Heritage Council and other funding through the period of the plan. Copies of the Heritage Plan 2014-2020 can be downloaded below.

2020

Projects completed in 2020 with the support of the Heritage Council include:

Projects completed in 2020 with the support of the National Biodiversity Action Plan include:

Other major projects in 2020 included:

  • Conservation of medieval masonry at Killabban Church and Kilmanman Church (Supported by Creative Ireland)
  • Conservation of medieval bell tower and graveyard at Old St Peter’s Graveyard Portlaoise (supported by URDF)
  • Abbeyleix Climate Action Project (supported by Creative Ireland)

Community members at Killabban Church, where conservation continued in 2020

 

2019

Projects completed in 2019 with the support of the Heritage Council include:

Other major achievements during 2019 include:

  • Conservation of Fort Protector and regeneration of Fitzmaurice Place under Historic Towns Initiative an URDF programme for the Portlaoise Cultural Quarter. Fitzmaurice Place project formally opened June 2019.
  • Continuation of the conservation project at Old St Peter’s Graveyard Portlaoise
  • Conservation of medieval masonry at Killabban Church, Kilteale Church and Kilmanman Church(with the support of Creative Ireland Laois).
  • Working with Laois Heritage Society to write a Conservation Plan for Fort Protector in Portlaoise
  • Creation of radio ads on pollinators for broadcast on Midlands 103 and commissioning a guide to managing wildlife in your garden, supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, through the National Biodiversity Action Plan (to be published 2020).

Committee members and Officials at Kilmanman Graveyard, Clonaslee: Photo Michael Scully

2018

Projects completed in 2018 with the support of the Heritage Council include:

  • The continuation of “Connecting Communities” programme, focusing on
    • Commemoration of people and groups of note in Laois. In 2018 we commemorated Col James Fitzmaurice and the 90th anniversary of the first east-west transatlantic plane flight.
    • Mapping – Final phase of the new book on historic maps of Laois was completed and the book was published by Wordwell in late 2018.
    • Biodiversity – We worked with the BirdWatch Ireland to carry out a full survey of swifts in Laois.
  • Heritage Awareness projects for Biodiversity Week, Heritage Week and Science Week. A new Laois Passport was published in association with Laois-Offaly ETB, to promote visits to heritage sites in Laois.
  • We published the Conservation Plan for Timahoe Monastic Site and continued work on the Conservation Plan for Fort Protector in Portlaoise (in partnership with Laois Heritage Society).

Other 2018 projects included:

  • Continuation of the conservation project at Old St Peter’s Graveyard Portlaoise
  • Conservation of the masonry at Killabban Church, in partnership with the Killabban Monastic Site group
  • Phase II in the Conservation of Ballyroan Schoolhouse, a Town and Village Renewal Scheme project.

 

2017

Projects completed in 2017 with the support of the Heritage Council included:

  • A short term Conservation Project Officer updated the Record of Protected Structures
  • Full prohramme of heritage events for Biodiversity Week, Heritage Week and Science Week
  • The continuation of “Connecting Communities” programme, with the focus in 2017 on
    • Commemoration of people and groups of note in Laois. This year projects will be undertaken to commemorate Jack Moyney VC and William Dargan.
    • Mapping – Phase II of the new book on historic maps of Laois was researched in 2017. The book will be published in 2018.
    • Pollinators – we worked with the Laois Federation of Tidy Towns to implement Local Biodiversity Action Plan actions, with a special focus on pollinators, as part of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan.

Other 2017 projects included:

  • Conservation at Old St Peter’s Graveyard Portlaoise, which is now part of the Adopt-a-Monument scheme
  • Working with Laois Heritage Society to write a Conservation Plan for Fort Protector in Portlaoise
  • Conservation of Ballyroan Schoolhouse, a Town and Village Renewal Scheme project.

2016

Project undertaken in 2016, with the support of the Heritage Council, included:

  • Audit of Geology in Laois (in partnership with Offaly County Council)
  • Heritage Awareness projects for Biodiversity  Week, Heritage Week and Science Week
  • The continuation of “Connecting Communities” programme, focusing on
    • Commemoration of people and groups of note in Laois. in 2016 plaques were erected to commemorate Thomas Prior of Rathdowney (one of the founders of the RDS) and the site of Biddy Aghaboe’s Well in Portlaoise.
    • Mapping Laois book – Phase I research started in 2016.
    • Tidy Towns and Biodiversity – we worked with the Laois Federation of Tidy Towns to implement Local Biodiversity Action Plan actions, with a special focus on pollinators.

Other 2016 projects included:

  • Co-ordination of the Ireland 2016 commemoration of the 1916 Rising for Laois
  • James Fintan Lalor Autumn School
  • Launch of new Laois Heritage Trail smartphone app, featuring multi-lingual audio and video guides to the heritage sites of Laois

2015

Projects undertaken in 2015, with the assistance of the Heritage Council include:

  • Continuation with work on our book on the Rock of Dunamase
  • Heritage Awarenesss programme, including events for Biodiversity Week, Heritage Week, the National Ploughing Championships and Science Week
  • “Connecting Communities”, a new programme on engaging communities with their local heritage, with several strands:
    • Commemoration of key people and groups from Laois, including prominent Scientists, Quakers, Folktales and Artists
    • Tidy Towns Biodiversity, including Biodiversity training for Tidy Towns and production of Local Biodiversity Action Plans (in association with Environment Section)
    • Folklore – A new book on the Folktales of Laois by Nuala Hayes, was published in August 2015. The book is now available in local bookshops or directly online from the History Press Ireland. A series of folklore and storytelling workshops were held in association with this (in Partnership with Laois Arts Office).
    • 2015 Architecture of Ireland Seminars – A series of Talks on the Architecture of Laois was held during the summer 2015, in association with the Buildings of Ireland Trust and Portlaoise Branch Library.
Laois Heritage Office events during 2015 for Heritage Week, Science Week and the Ploughing Championships

Laois Heritage Office events during 2015 for Heritage Week, Science Week and the Ploughing Championships

Other 2015 projects included:

  • Co-ordination of Ireland 2016 Planning for Laois
  • Production of two further audioguides to Heritage Sites in Laois (in partnership with Laois Tourism and Laois Partnership)
  • James Fintan Lalor Autumn School
  • Portlaoise Town Park Regeneration project
  • Provision of Information and advice on all aspects of heritage to the elected members and executive of Laois County Council and to the public, including but not limited to provisions of assistance in management of heritage structures, sourcing funding for heritage projects and community use of heritage for economic and rural development

Community Projects in 2015

  • Conservation work at Timahoe Round Tower (with community funding from the Heritage Council).
  • Conservation work at Lea Castle (with community funding from the Heritage Council).
  • Technical Advisory group of Abbeyleix Bog Project

Laois County Council-owned buildings

  • Conservation work at Borris in Ossory Courthouse
  • Management of Donaghmore Workhouse & planning for the future

2014

Projects undertaken in 2014 with the assistance of the Heritage Council included:

  • Work on a Publication on the Rock of Dunamase
  • Heritage Awarenesss programme, including events for Heritage Week and Science Week and the preparation of Communications Strategy
  • Assistance with the publication of the Pevsner guide to the Buildings of Laois & Offaly.

Other 2014 projects included:

  • Production of audioguides to Heritage Sites (in partnership with Laois Tourism and with the assistance of Laois Partnership)
  • Conservation work at Donaghmore Workhouse (with funding from Laois Partnership)
  • Conservation reports (with local communities) at Timahoe Round Tower and Lea Castle (with community funding from the Heritage Council).

Heritage Plan Cover 2014-2019

Download the Laois Heritage Plan 2014 – 2019

 

Heritage Council Logo

Our thanks to the Heritage Council for their ongoing support of all elements of the Laois Heritage Plan

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