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Irish Independent
21-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Sligo's bid for UNESCO World Heritage underway with first formal nomination meeting
Chaired by Martin Lydon, Chief Executive of Sligo County Council, the Nomination Team convened to progress Ireland's bid to inscribe 'The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo' on the World Heritage List. Following a site visit to Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, the first official Nomination Team meeting was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Rosses Point, Sligo. The meeting brought together a cross-sectoral team of national and local stakeholders, including representation from the National Monuments Service, the Office of Public Works, Sligo County Council, Coillte, NPWS, Sligo Leader, Fáilte Ireland, Sligo Neolithic Landscapes group and the Farming Pillar. The Nomination Team will guide the preparation of a Nomination dossier and management plan for 'The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo'. The bid aims to achieve global recognition for one of Europe's most significant prehistoric landscapes. The World Heritage bid is led by Sligo County Council in partnership with the National Monuments Service (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) and the Office of Public Works, and a Memorandum of Understanding to progress the World Heritage bid has been signed by the parties. Sligo County Council will act as Lead Proponent for the World Heritage bid. In November 2024, Sligo County Council appointed Robert Hensey to the role of Project Coordinator for The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo World Heritage Tentative List Site. The World Heritage Site Nomination process, which will continue until 2030, will be guided by the recently appointed Dr. Carol Westrik, an experienced World Heritage expert from the Netherlands. The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo was officially placed on Ireland's World Heritage Tentative List in July 2022, an essential first step towards World Heritage inscription. From this point, work begins to secure local stakeholder engagement and support for the bid as well as preparing a preliminary assessment request, Nomination dossier and management plan for the site. Dating back over 5,000 years, the Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo includes renowned sites such as Carrowmore, Carrowkeel, and Knocknarea. It is a landscape of extraordinary international importance, and the Nomination process offers an opportunity not just to secure UNESCO status, but to deepen our understanding and protection of these unique prehistoric sites, in partnership with local communities. The bid is an opportunity to ensure the protection of Sligo's remarkable and unique passage tomb landscape for future generations, with the support of landowners, the local community and the wider public. It is also about new opportunities, and heritage-led economic and social regeneration. UNESCO places great importance on the voice and support of landowners and local communities in shaping the Nomination bid. It is, at heart, a community-led, process. Public engagement will be a cornerstone of the Nomination bid, ensuring that key stakeholders and the community are actively involved throughout the Nomination journey. Over the next five years, Sligo County Council will engage with the whole community to see how together we can best protect, manage and celebrate this extraordinary Neolithic inheritance. If successful, the Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo would join Ireland's existing World Heritage Sites – Brú na Bóinne and Sceilg Mhichíl – further highlighting Ireland's exceptional archaeological and cultural legacy on the world stage. For more information please contact: Robert Hensey, Sligo County Council. Project Coordinator for The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo World Heritage Tentative List Site. rhensey@
Irish Post
10-07-2025
- Irish Post
Ireland seeks to increase number of world heritage sites over next decade
THE Irish government has set out its plans to increase the number of world heritage sites recognised within the country over the next ten years. In a new World Heritage Strategy, released today, the government has outlined its ambition to increase the number of UNESCO sites within the country. 'We are so fortunate in Ireland to be known globally for our rich natural and cultural heritage and our iconic sites such as Sceilg Mhichíl and Brú na Bóinne have achieved worldwide recognition as World Heritage Sites,' Minister for Heritage, James Browne said as he launched Ireland's Strategy for World Heritage in Ireland 2025-2035 in Paris today. 'This Strategy foremost shows that we have ambition to expand the number of World Heritage sites in Ireland and to match that expansion with resources to protect and manage these nationally and globally significant sites,' he added. Sceilg Mhicíl/Skellig Michael is one of Ireland's two existing UNESCO World Heritage sites (Pic: National Monuments Service) 'In doing so we aim to bring economic benefits to the regions, by creating opportunities for investment in visitor services, in conservation work and in growing a sustainable local tourist economy.' The Minister claims an increase in World Heritage sites will generate increased global recognition for Ireland's unique heritage but also bring 'transformational social and economic dividend s' for the associated regions. Ireland currently has two World Heritage Properties: Brú na Bóinne in Co. Meath, which was added to the UNESCO list in 1993, and Sceilg Mhichíl in Co. Kerry which was added in 1996. Ireland's current 'Tentative List of potential World Heritage Properties' was last updated in April of this year. It includes The Passage Tomb Landscape in Co. Sligo and the Transatlantic Cable Ensemble, which is a transnational application between Valencia in Co. Kerry and Newfoundland in Canada. The Royal Sites of Ireland, including Dún Ailinne, in Kildare; the Hill of Uisneach in Westmeath; the Rock of Cashel in Tipperary and Rathcroghan in Roscommon; and the Hill of Tara in Meath, is a potential all island application, which is due to also include Navan Fort in Armagh. The Historic Astronomical Observatories of Ireland, including Birr Castle in Offaly and Dunsink Observatory in Dublin) is another potential all island application, due to include Armagh Observatory. 'The Strategy commits to undertake an extensive review of Ireland's Tentative List by 2035, ensuring other sites have an opportunity to be added to the List,' Minister Browne's department confirmed. It was also confirmed today that the Government has agreed to proceed to ratify the UNESCO Convention on Underwater Cultural Heritage, which aims to prevent loss of underwater cultural heritage. See More: Ireland, UNESCO, World Heritage Sites
Irish Independent
27-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Update on restoration of popular Tipperary landmark – ‘hopefully the clock will be ringing again'
Councillors at the Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District (MD) have been informed that works on the Town Clock in Carrick are progressing, but that the results of a bat survey will mean works on part of the clock will have to wait until September. While the bat survey didn't find any bats living in the clock, it did find nesting birds, who cannot be disturbed until after nesting season is over. At the June meeting of the Carrick-on-Suir MD, councillors were told by the district administrator that works on the upper part of the clock can't take place until after nesting season. "We have no bats in the Town Clock at the moment, but we do have nesting birds, and that just has an impact on the timing of works,' councillors were told. 'We can work on the lower floors after July 20, because of the Section 12 notification, but the works on the upper part can't be done until after September 1, and we have some pieces of work that we need to do before that goes ahead. "But we have the funding in place so hopefully the Town Clock will be ringing again, assuming no major dramas with the clock, we'll get our people up there to fix it up,' the district administrator added. A Section 12 notification allows the National Monuments Service to consider any works to a recorded monument, and how best to protect the monument during the works. At last month's meeting of the Carrick-on-Suir MD, councillors were informed that €9,000 in funding had been allocated to carry out works on the town's landmark. The Carrick-on-Suir MD have also allocated €10,000 towards the project from their municipal funding allowance.
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Tipperary council on target to surpass 2025 housing target
In the June management report, the local authority stated that their housing delivery target, set by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, is 170 units. However, the council also said they are on target to deliver 259 homes across the county this year. There are a number of housing development projects that are at various stages across the county, ranging from early design stage to complete and handed over to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Among these, in the village of Gortnahoe, 12 units have been stage one approved, with a design team to be appointed to the project. Phase two of a development in Bansha is underway, with 16 units set to be delivered, with this project also at stage one approval with a design team to be appointed. 30 homes will be delivered in Borrisoleigh, which is also awaiting a design team appointment having been stage one approved. In Tipperary town, two homes on Father Matthew Street are at design review and engagement with National Monuments Service following a potential historical find on the site. In Ballingary (south), 18 units will be delivered, with this project being at revised stage two design, allowing for an increase in units in this development. The next step for this development is stage two approval. In Clogheen, a Part 8 planning process has begun for the delivery of 15 units, while in Roscrea, a development of 17 homes in Gantley Road was given planning approval by councillors at the June meeting of Tipperary County Council. Seven units will be delivered at Gort an Oir in Fethard, with planning permission granted for this development. In Thurles, six units could be built on Croke Street, subject to planning permission, with the planning section seeking further information on this development. In Boherlahan, seven units are in turnkey condition in Longfield Park, while on Grove Street in Roscrea, a contractor has been appointed to deliver nine units there. A 61 home development on Thomas Street in Clonmel is also in turnkey condition and has received approval from the Department of Housing, with hopes that these homes will come on stream in 2026. In Roscrea, a contractor is on site to deliver 50 homes at Glencarrick, with delivery due later this year, while at the Radharc na Carraige development in Glencarrick, the builder is on site developing 47 homes which will be complete in 2026. In Dun Lia in Thurles, 61 homes are under construction with an expected delivery in 2025, while at Rosefield on the Dundrum Road in Tipperary town, 16 units are due to be delivered in 2025 or 2026. Worriyingly, five developments totaling 68 units, all in Nenagh – Gortlandroe, Millersbrook, New Line Road, the Rialto site and William Street, are on hold due to Uisce Éireann. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Popular Tipperary landmark to get new lease of life with funding allocated for restoration
The Town Clock in Carrick-on-Suir has been awarded funding under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme for upgrade works to the landmark. The local landmark has fallen into disrepair in recent years, with councillor Kieran Bourke raising the issue at past meetings. At the May meeting of the Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District (MD), it was confirmed that €9,000 in funding had been allocated to carry out works on the town's landmark. The Carrick-on-Suir MD have also allocated €10,000 towards the project from their municipal funding allowance. Plans for the restoration works on the clock are now complete, with the National Monuments Service also having been served with notice of intention to carry out works. The next step, councillors were informed at May's MD meeting, is for a bat survey to be carried out to ensure that any works on the landmark don't disturb any bats that may be living within the clock itself. Works to provide safe access for anyone working on the clock will be the first to take place, followed by getting the clock itself working again, as well as restoration works to the timber louvres that sit on top of the clock tower. Works on the masonry and the leadwork on the historic clock will be carried out at a later date, subject to additional funding from the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, councillors at the meeting were also informed. "It's a slow process, even the National Monuments Service, we must stand down for two months before we do what's in the notification, but in the meantime we'll get the bat survey done and and get all the works done, but it's lined up,' the district administrator told the meeting.
