Malin Well Old Church group win Adopt a Monument Scheme award

John and Ann Grant from Malin Well Old Church Conservation Group and Archaeological Society recently received an award recognising their work under the Adopt A Monument Programme. 

Spectacularly located along the coast of the Inishowen peninsula in the northernmost tip, Malin Well Old Church has benefitted from being adopted by the local community as they have received funding to carry out conservation work for the church and research and interpret the story of the site.

Since Adopt a Monument first began in 2016, 25 groups across Ireland have gotten involved in their locality adopting various monuments, ranging from an enigmatic prehistoric site to 19th-century industrial buildings to medieval churches and a Gaelic castle. 

All over Ireland, there is an incredible variety of heritage sites, including ancient tombs, stone circles, early monasteries, castles, churches and graveyards, landed estates, mines, kilns, mills, traditional houses and battlefields. 

The Adopt a Monument Scheme takes a very broad view of heritage and is open to applications from enthusiastic community groups all over Ireland to apply to the scheme to adopt a site that is important to them. The aim is that the chosen monument will serve as a focal point for heritage-related, educational and recreational activities and will encourage greater appreciation and understanding of local heritage.

“The Adopt a Monument Scheme is a wonderful way of ensuring our monuments remain an integral part of a community. Maintaining them and caring for them requires much-needed expertise and resources which is exactly what the scheme provides,” Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council said speaking in support of the scheme at the Heritage Council.

“We can already see the positive effect the scheme has had on the areas where a monument was adopted, and the pride of place and increased civic value brought about by the efforts of our dedicated community groups is very satisfying to see.”

Community groups around Ireland are encouraged to apply to join The Heritage Council’s Adopt a Monument scheme. This scheme is all about empowering local communities to become involved in the care and conservation of a much-loved local monument. 

The Adopt a Monument scheme offers communities expertise, mentoring and support to help them to care for their local heritage. Working in partnership with communities and state bodies, the scheme helps to ensure the sustainable future of the adopted monuments.

The scheme is managed by Abarta Heritage on behalf of The Heritage Council. The closing date for applications is November 13.