Transcript Heritage Projects and LEADER - Department of Arts, Heritage and

HERITAGE PROJECTS
AND LEADER
Pauline Gleeson – National Monuments Service
Jacqui Donnelly – Architectural Heritage Advisory Unit
Longford 29th July 2015
THE PREVIOUS
PROGRAMME
Additional Operating Rules 2012
• A number of measures in previous RDP programme
required awareness of the protection afforded our built
and natural heritage e.g. Conservation and Upgrading of
the Rural Heritage
• Agreement between DECLG and DAHG to provide basis
for best practice in relation to Heritage Projects within
the RDP rules.
• Provide clear information on statutory requirements
regarding Heritage Projects
• Provide for consistent approach across all LAGs
Definition of Heritage Projects
• Monuments and places protected under the National
Monuments Acts 1930-2004
• Protected structures and proposed protected structures
• Architectural Conservation Areas
• Protected Nature Conservation Sites
• Protected species of flora and fauna
• Other nature conservation sites and biodiversity areas
HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE?
Archaeological Heritage
• Record of Monuments and Places (RMP)
• www.archaeology.ie
Architectural Heritage
• Record of Protected Structures & Architectural
Conservation Areas in Local Authority Development Plan
• www.buildingsofireland.ie
Natural Heritage
• Nature conservation legislation
• www.npws.ie
Main Principles
• Protect and Preserve
• Best Practice
• Expert Advice
• Project Manager
• Multi-disciplinary Project Team
• Skilled operatives and craft-workers
• Archive
• Statutory Compliance
PREVIOUS
HERITAGE PROJECTS
Carrickabraghy Castle
Isle of Doagh, Co. Donegal
• 16th century keep with
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17th century tower
Exposed coastal location
In private ownership
Carrickabraghy Restoration
Society formed in 2010 by group
of committed local enthusiasts
Heritage Council funded initial
rectified photography study
LEADER funded main project
Conservation work began 2012
Project team of Conservation
Architect, Archaeologist,
Structural Engineer and skilled
masons
Carrickabraghy Castle
Isle of Doagh, Co. Donegal
September 2014
St Peter’s Church
Laragh, Co. Monaghan
• Laragh is a tiny former milling
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village in rural Monaghan
St Peter’s – an exceptionally
unusual building corrugated-iron
church of significant
architectural, social and
technical special interest
Considered to be a building of
national importance
Deconsecrated and largely
abandoned for decades
Laragh Heritage formed in 2012
by a group of local residents and
friends of Laragh village
St Peter’s Church
Laragh, Co. Monaghan
St Peter’s Church
Laragh, Co. Monaghan
POTENTIAL
HERITAGE PROJECTS
Heritage projects
• Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is working
on a number of initiatives that have the potential to fit with
the indicative themes of the new LEADER programme:
• Cultural tourism
• Heritage-led regeneration of rural towns
• Training in traditional building skills
• Climate change adaptation
CULTURAL TOURISM
Cultural Tourism Strategy - DAHG
• Promote and protect Ireland’s unique
cultural heritage
• Mentor development of cultural
tourism initiatives across sectors
• Improve access to sites – both
physical access and access to
information
• Encourage initiatives to help
communities to promote engagement
with local cultural heritage
• Develop and implement a Cultural
Tourism Action Plan
HERITAGE-LED
REGENERATION
Historic Towns Initiative
Ireland’s historic towns - the context
© Sligo Champion, Feb. 2013
Regeneration of Ireland’s towns
• Towns will need to be smart, sustainable and creative in the
future
• Multi-pronged approach is needed but one that is heritage-led
to capitalise on the distinctiveness of each town
• Integrated, strategic approach to planning
• Strong civic leadership
• Community engagement
• High-quality design that respects local culture, and traditional
skills and materials
Historic built environment
• Heritage gives a historic town a unique competitive advantage; it
changes a location into a destination
• Heritage assets are an opportunity rather than a constraint and can
be the catalyst for sustainable change
• Re-using existing buildings is key to sustainability
• Historic built environment reinforces a sense of place and contributes
to the quality of life of the community
• Attracts the ‘culturally curious’ tourist
• Promotes traditional skills, craftsmanship and materials
Historic Towns Initiative
• A joint undertaking by the Department of Arts, Heritage
and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council and Fáilte Ireland
• Using a heritage-led regeneration approach to preserve
local distinctiveness, support communities and promote
sustainable tourism
• Making towns attractive places to live, to work and to visit
• Supporting towns in their role as the centres of civic,
commercial and cultural life of their region
Historic Towns Initiative framework
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Undertake a comprehensive audit of the town and its
region
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Build up local support for the preparation and
implementation of the plan
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Identify challenges and opportunities for the town
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Develop a clear vision for the town supported by a
realisable action plan
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Implement the actions
6.
Regularly monitor and review the plan
Historic Towns Initiative Pilot 2013-2014
Three towns were invited to
take part in the pilot:
• Youghal, Co. Cork
• Westport, Co. Mayo
• Listowel, Co. Kerry
Working group set up in
summer 2012 with reps from
the state bodies and the 3 pilot
towns
Pilot ran from January 2013 to
June 2014
Baseline surveys
• Behaviour & Attitudes carried out 3 baseline surveys in
the pilot towns to establish the opinions of residents,
businesses and visitors
• The locale’s history and culture (visitor attractions) were
dominant reason for visitors to come to the towns
• Over 90% of residents and businesses surveyed consider
the preservation of the history and heritage of their town
to be ‘important’ or ‘extremely important’
TRADITIONAL BUILDING
SKILLS
Training scheme pilot
Traditional building skills
• Currently there is a
shortage of traditional
building craft skills to
carry out works to historic
buildings
• Also a shortage of
training opportunities to
learn skills such as:
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Thatching
Masonry
Ironwork
Carpentry and joinery
Traditional building skills initiative
• Dept of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht ran a pilot scheme in 2014
with three local authorities
• Purpose is to help bridge the gap between the skills needed, the
courses offered and the potential for workers to learn new skills or to
upskill
• Fingal: upskilling of carpenters and joiners in the repair of a 19th
century greenhouse; DIT students participating
• Galway: training unemployed workers in limework and masonry skills
at a historic workhouse with assistance of local Education and
Training Board
• Kilkenny: work to repair two medieval churches; with participation of
Waterford IT and private contractor
Traditional building materials
• Also a need to support the
production of traditional
building materials for
historic building repairs
including:
• Thatch
• Stone
• Slate
• Timber
• etc.
CLIMATE CHANGE
ADAPTATION
Heritage Sectoral Plan
Climate Change Adaptation
• The National Climate Change
Adaptation Framework requires
relevant government depts to
prepare an adaptation plan for
their sector
• Poor or misguided adaptation
may be the biggest threat to
built heritage
• Correctly maintaining historic
structures and keeping them in
good repair makes them more
resilient to extreme weather
events
CONCLUSION
Lessons learned
• The most successful heritage projects were those that:
• Were well-designed and well-chosen projects that respected the
heritage of the site and did not try to over-restore or significantly
alter its character
• Involved a multi-disciplinary team from the outset with the
necessary skills and expertise
• Had a motivated and engaged community group behind them
• Had good ongoing liaison with the statutory authorities
Heritage projects
• Conserving the features of the traditional rural landscape
enhances the quality of life of the whole community
• Local heritage contributes to a sense of identity and a
sense of place through the use of locally sourced
materials and local traditions of construction
• Well designed and managed heritage projects
• Prolong the life of historic buildings
• Protect archaeological resources
• Provide a source of local pride
• Attract tourists and others to visit