Page 45 - Donegal CC An Rpt 19

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Heritage Officers from across Ireland pictured with President Michael D. Higgins (seated centre), Michael Parsons (Chair of the Heritage Council Board), Virginia Teehan (Chief Executive, The Heritage Council) and staff of The Heritage Council and the Department of Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht at a reception in Áras an Uachtaráin to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Heritage Officer Programme.
Heritage Week was a tremendous success with over 120 events taking place. The Heritage Office contributed to the Learning Through The Landscape CPD Course in Glenveagh National Park and the Creative Habitats workshops for children.
The Heritage Office co-initiated a Thatch Repair Grants Scheme and undertook the Historic Towns Initiative on Church Lane, Letterkenny with the Conservation Office after securing €200,000 in funding from The Heritage Council. County Heritage Plan implementation included videos on traditional building skills, the Donegal Traditional Shop Fronts & Signage booklet and launch of Audit of Columban Cultural Heritage. Funding was secured for Curlew and Lapwing projects in partnership with BirdWatch Ireland and habitat assessments of historic graveyards. Donegal County Council signed-up to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and Buncrana won the National ‘Tidy Towns’ Pollinator Award sponsored by local authorities.
This rope thatched property at Straboy, Glencolmcille was among the thatched structures supported under the pilot Thatch Repair Grants Scheme.