St Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny is runner up at National Heritage Week ceremony

The Heritage Council has announced the national winners and runners-ups for national awards at the annual National Heritage Week awards ceremony which took place earlier this month at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham.

One Kilkenny organisation, St Canice’s Cathedral were among those that featured in the ceremony with the cathedral a runner-up in the Wild Child Award category.

St. Canice's Cathedral organised a Wild Child Day Treasure Hunt. The Wild Child Day event invited children and families to explore the natural heritage and biodiversity of St Canice’s Cathedral graveyard. Using cathedral mascots Milo and Rua, organisers created a treasure hunt that encouraged children to observe their surroundings closely as they searched for the mascots. Worksheets and pencils were provided for children to note their findings, and small prizes of jellies and stickers rewarded their efforts. The event successfully engaged children with their environment, sparking curiosity about nature; younger children gave general answers like "under a tree," while older children identified specific trees such as the yew and cherry.

Wild Child Day encourages children to look at the world around them differently, to open their eyes to the diverse beauty of the landscape in their area and to get out and explore their locality or even farther afield.

The award was presented by Nicole Kiernan from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to St. Canices Cathedral.

The National Heritage Awards recognises the enormous contribution of individuals and community groups across Ireland in ensuring the preservation, protection, and promotion of Ireland’s built, natural and cultural heritage.

The awards honour those organisers who created the most engaging and inspiring events and projects for National Heritage Week 2024 as well as Ireland’s Heritage Hero. Over 2,300 events and projects took place around the country in August during National Heritage Week, as communities and individuals answered the Heritage Council’s invitation to explore this year’s theme of living heritage.