2017 Awards
The 2017 National Heritage Week Awards took place at the Medieval Mile Museum in Kilkenny city on 12th April 2018. The 13 winners came from eight counties from Donegal to Kerry. Co. Clare came out on top with three winners.
Heritage Hero
The Heritage Council’s Heritage Hero Award celebrates someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of heritage in Ireland.
The 2017 winner was historian and author Sharon Slater from Limerick. Sharon has worked tirelessly over the years in local history research in Limerick. As well as writing books on Limerick’s history, she established www.limerickslife.com in 2004, an unparalleled treasure trove of Limerick history from rare images to untold stories of Limerick’s people and places. Sharon devotes her time to heritage in the community from local heritage projects with Limerick Fishermen to leading bicycle tours! Sharon brings history to life for the people of Limerick and is a worthy recipient of the Heritage Hero Award.
Hidden Heritage Award
Event: The Great Irish Garden
Organiser: Irish Seed Savers in Co. Clare
Runners-up
Event: Mining Heritage Hill Walk
Organiser: Glenmalure PURE Mile/Adopt a Monument Group and Glens of Lead in Co. Wicklow
Event: Laneways & Bow-ways of Ennis walk
Organiser: Ennis Tidy Towns in Co. Clare
Event: Sea Kayaking and Geology Tour
Organiser: Wild Water Adventures in Co. Kerry with Gosia
Heritage Communities Award
Event: The Foyle: Tales of Salmon Fishing
Organiser: Wild Strands in Co. Donegal in collaboration with Men’s Shed
Runners-up
Event: Benny Duffy's Photographs
Organiser: Bailieborough Heritage Society in Co. Cavan
Event: Spa Wells Pumps 150yrs
Organiser: Lisdoonvarna Tidy Towns
Event: Public Street Signage in Cork
Organiser: Niamh Daly & Joanne Hughes, Cork City Council
Cool for Kids Award
Event: Go Wild Nature Camps in Co Galway
Organiser: BirdWatch Ireland in collaboration with The Vincent Wildlife Trust, Animal Magic, GMIT, NUIG, and Oughterard Trout Hatchery, Galway County Council, Oughterard Heritage Group, Oughterard Courthouse Centre and the Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna.
Runners-up
Event: Pollinator Party in the Park
Organiser: Laois Heritage Office with the IWT Laois-Offaly Branch in collaboration with the Portlaoise Mens Shed, Dunamaise Beekeepers, Laois Outdoor Education and wildlife experts to plan the party.
Event: Food and Eating in Prehistory
Organiser: Katharina Becker and Ben Gearey of University College Cork
Event: Chase a Fairy, Find a Bee
Organiser: Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna, Co. Galway
