Green Limerick: Nominations now open for National Heritage Week Awards!

THE Heritage Council has announced details of this year’s National Heritage Week Awards, inviting nominations from all event organisers in Limerick.

Every year, the Heritage Council seeks nominations for individuals or groups of people who showcased successful heritage projects and hosted engaging events during the festival.

Among the winners last year were the Hunt Museum, who took home the Inclusive Heritage Award for their Seeing Without Sight exhibition – a multisensory exhibition which enabled visitors to experience a selection of objects from its collection through tactile displays and audio descriptions.

Event organisers, who must put themselves forward for consideration for an award, can submit nominations on the National Heritage Awards website before the deadline on Tuesday, September 24.

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Included in the award categories is a county award which recognises the best heritage project in each county.

In 2023, Bruff Tidy Towns were the winners in Limerick for their ‘Mysterious Monuments’ event which gave people a chance to look at what lies beneath, in a guided walk led by Aine Brosnan, to see what lay hidden in the water, behind the ditches and under the ivy of Ballygrennan Castle.

This year’s National Heritage Week Awards will comprise the county awards, as well as a number of special categories.

The Connections, Routes and Networks Award is awarded to an event that made a special effort to incorporate the 2024 theme of National Heritage Week - Connections, Routes and Networks.

The Wild Child Event Award is awarded to an event that happened on Wild Child Day, August 24, that successfully encouraged children and families to explore biodiversity in their locality.

The Water Heritage Award is awarded to a Water Heritage Day event, held on August 25. Events considered include those that explored how a canal, river, lake or sea shaped the heritage of a locality.

The Inclusive Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that made a special effort to share heritage with everyone in the community.

The Irish Language Award is awarded to an event that took place ‘as gaeilge’.

The Sustainability and Climate Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that made efforts to incorporate environmentally friendly practices.

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that encouraged a greater appreciation of crafts, skills, customs and practices.

Every year, the Heritage Council awards a Heritage Hero Award to an individual or organisation that has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of heritage. This award is based on nominations from the public.

In addition to the National Awards (above), the Heritage Council also gives a County Award to the best event or project in each local authority area as nominated.

All participants who successfully upload a heritage project on the National Heritage Week website by the deadline will be considered for a National Heritage Week Award.

Projects will be assessed on the basis of their local reach and educational value.

The awards ceremony will take place on November 15 at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.