04-07-2025
New heritage plan for Wicklow will ‘connect people and places'
The fourth plan for County Wicklow, which was developed by the Wicklow Heritage Forum before being adopted by Wicklow County Council (WCC) earlier this year, contains six key objectives it will focus on, including protecting our heritage, connecting people and places, sharing and celebrating our heritage, promoting collaboration and partnership, building and sharing knowledge and responding to climate change.
After officially launching the plan, WCC cathaoirleach, Cllr Melanie Corrigan, commented: 'This new Heritage Plan for County Wicklow outlines an ambitious strategy for how Wicklow County Council will collaborate with others to protect and manage our heritage for the benefit of all in the coming five years, from 2025 to 2030.
'This plan builds upon the significant achievements of previous Heritage Plans and sets new goals for the preservation of heritage.'
'This Heritage Plan strongly aligns with Wicklow County Council's commitment to protecting, conserving, and promoting our heritage in all its forms, ensuring it continues to play a valuable role in our economic, social and cultural lives,' WCC chief executive Emer O'Gorman added.
Praising the dedication of forum members for their hard work and continued commitment to implementing the plan's actions, Wicklow Heritage Forum chair Cllr John Snell, highlighted several key successes from the previous Plan, including the Wicklow Barn Owl Project, the Wicklow ICAN Network, the Glendalough Community Excavations, the Decade of Centenaries Programme, digitisation efforts from the Wicklow Archives and Local Studies Libraries, the Wicklow Swift Project, the Wicklow Community Archaeology service and the Historic Graveyards recording initiatives.
Local authority liaison officer with The Heritage Council, Ms Patricia Fallon, commended Wicklow County Council for its commitment and leadership in preparing a fourth County Heritage Plan.
'The Heritage Council is dedicated to partnering with Wicklow County Council and other local authorities across Ireland to enhance heritage protection and ensure local heritage needs are adequately resourced,' she said.
'We have collaborated with Wicklow County Council for over 20 years through the Heritage Officer role, co-funding County Heritage Plan programs and supporting local heritage infrastructure. We look forward to continuing and expanding this partnership in the future.'
