Ireland's Heritage Hero 2015 - Mrs Ursula Leslie

The Heritage Council of Ireland are pleased to announce the inaugural Heritage Hero Award which celebrates someone who makes an outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of heritage, particularly during National Heritage Week.

The winner of the 2015 award, Mrs. Ursula Leslie of Tarbet, Co Kerry was nominated by the Tarbert Development Association. 

For the past forty years, Ursula has been a stalwart supporter of local initiatives to preserve and promote the unique heritage of Tarbert, North Kerry and West Limerick. As a founding member of the American-Ireland Fund, she has helped local heritage tourism projects including the Lartigue Railway Museum, the St. John’s Arts Centre in Listowel, the Hunt Museum in Limerick, and the Tarbert Bridewell Heritage Centre.

Twenty years ago, she and her late husband, John, opened up the parklands surrounding their home for public access. The John F. Leslie Woodland Walk as it is now known is a wonderful local amenity that is greatly appreciated and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike


What's New

More News
Hertitage Hero Award Athlone231026 8

National Heritage Week Awards 2026 - Winners and Runners-up Announced

The National Heritage Week Awards 2026 ceremony took place on Thursday, 29 October 2026, celebrating the individuals, community groups and organisations whose outstanding events helped showcase and protect Ireland's built, natural and cultural heritage.

The 2026 Awards recognise the most engaging and inspiring events from National Heritage Week 2026. Over the course of nine days from 15–23 August, communities across Ireland came together to celebrate local heritage through walks, talks, workshops, exhibitions, performances and family events. This year's theme, Heritage at Risk, encouraged people to explore and protect the places, traditions, skills and stories that form an important part of our shared heritage.
Gearoid O Brien NHW Hero 2026

National Heritage Week 2026 Heritage Hero Announced

The Heritage Council is delighted to share that the 2026 National Heritage Week Heritage Hero has been awarded to Gearóid O'Brien for his lifelong dedication to preserving, promoting and celebrating the heritage of Athlone and Ireland.

The Heritage Hero award honours an individual or organisation that has made an outstanding, long-term contribution to the protection and promotion of Ireland's heritage. Unlike the other categories, this award is based solely on public nominations and is considered a lifetime achievement award.