National Heritage Week announces official partners for 2022

These organisations are a key part of National Heritage Week, and together with local authority Heritage Officers, help the Heritage Council share all of the wonderful built, natural and cultural heritage events and projects that make National Heritage Week what it is. The partners are also invaluable resources for organisers developing and researching events and projects.

Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland is a tourism development agency that assists the Irish tourism industry in the development of engaging experiences for domestic and overseas visitors and the improvement of the range and quality of things for holidaymakers to see and do. Fáilte Ireland believes that the development of brilliant visitor experiences is the key tool to unlocking growth and motivating potential tourists to visit. It works to develop a strong regional spread of stand-out experiences that engage visitors and provide them with compelling reasons to stay and spend longer in the destination, helping to support sustained economic growth and community wellbeing whilst valuing our heritage, history and environment.

The authenticity of National Heritage Week aligns with the needs of our visitors to experience Ireland’s heritage offering at a local level and engage with the stories and characters of Ireland. By facilitating the opening up of Ireland’s natural, built and cultural heritage, National Heritage Week allows for the development of visitor experiences through the discovery and exploration of both well-known and rarely opened attractions through demonstrations, music, re-enactments, walks and talks.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your heritage project, check out their pages on the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Dublin.

The Office of Public Works
Established in 1831, the Office of Public Works manages the State’s property portfolio as well as numerous iconic heritage properties. From Dublin Castle to Lough Gur to the Hill of Tara, chances are you’ve come across the OPW’s preservation work. The organisation preserves and presents Ireland’s two World Heritage Sites, 780 National Monuments and over 2,000 acres of gardens and parklands.

As part of their partnership with National Heritage Week, the OPW will be opening up their sites for free on Saturday, 13th August, and giving away Family Heritage Cards as prizes in our National Heritage Week radio competitions.

If you’re planning a heritage project, consider using OPW sites as inspiration. Is there a natural landmark that you’ve always wanted to learn more about? Does your family have a special connection to a national monument? The OPW and its sites provide useful resources that can support you as you develop your heritage event or project.

Local Authority Waters Programme
The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is a local authority shared service working with the 31 local authorities, relevant State agencies, stakeholders and communities. LAWPRO works to coordinate efforts to achieve the water quality objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive. It supports the involvement of local communities in caring for their local waters as well as in decision-making and river basin management plans. They identify the issues impacting on water quality in the PAAs and refer them for action.

If you’re interested in a heritage project that focuses on a lake, river, seashore or other waterway, you may want to check-in with your County Water Officer. Don’t forget, Sunday, 21st August 2022 is National Heritage Week’s Water Heritage Day, supported by the Local Authorities Water Programme. The day is dedicated to all things water related, which will highlight outstanding projects focused on water heritage. Water Heritage Day is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate water as an integral part of our natural heritage as well as a vital part of our future. It also gives us the opportunity to reflect on the importance of water and water quality to our daily lives and consider what more we can do to conserve this valuable resource.

Irish Landmark Trust
For thirty years, the Irish Landmark Trust has found interesting and unusual properties in need of conservation and given them new life as holiday accommodations, turning historic buildings into truly special self-catering holiday accommodation. With properties ranging from historic lighthouses and schoolhouses to castles and gate lodges, the Irish Landmark Trust aims to conserve built heritage sites as living buildings. Irish Landmark aims to respect the history and architectural integrity of the structures they conserve while ensuring they have all the contemporary comforts people want in their holiday accommodation.

Keep an eye out for some exciting opportunities to win a stay at an Irish Landmark Trust property during National Heritage Week!

The Heritage Council is grateful to each of these partners for supporting National Heritage Week. Remember to check out their social media channels for heritage event and project highlights in the weeks leading up to and during National Heritage Week, 13th-21st August 2022.