Launch of New Heritage Plan for County Wicklow 2025-2030
Wicklow County Council was pleased to host a reception on Wednesday, 2nd July, to celebrate the launch of the County Wicklow Heritage Plan for 2025-2030. The event took place at Clermont House and was attended by members of the Wicklow Heritage Forum, elected representatives, and stakeholders from the Wicklow Irish Community Archive Network (ICAN).
This Plan is the fourth for County Wicklow and was developed by the Wicklow Heritage Forum before being adopted by Wicklow County Council earlier this year. The six key objectives of the Plan focus on: protecting our heritage, connecting people and places, sharing and celebrating our heritage, promoting collaboration and partnership, building and sharing knowledge, and responding to climate change.
Cllr. Melanie Corrigan, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, officially launched the Plan, stating, “This new Heritage Plan for County Wicklow outlines an ambitious strategy for how Wicklow County Council will collaborate with others to protect and manage our heritage for the benefit of all in the coming five years, from 2025 to 2030. This Plan builds upon the significant achievements of previous Heritage Plans and sets new goals for the preservation of heritage.”
Emer O'Gorman, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, remarked, “ This Heritage Plan strongly aligns with Wicklow County Council’s commitment to protecting, conserving, and promoting our heritage in all its forms, ensuring it continues to play a valuable role in our economic, social and cultural lives.”
Cllr. John Snell, chairman of the Wicklow Heritage Forum, praised the dedication of Forum members for their hard work and continued commitment to implementing the Plan's actions. He highlighted several key successes from the previous Plan, including the Wicklow Barn Owl Project, the Wicklow ICAN Network, the Glendalough Community Excavations, the Decade of Centenaries Programme, digitisation efforts from the Wicklow Archives and Local Studies Libraries, the Wicklow Swift Project, the Wicklow Community Archaeology service and the Historic Graveyards recording initiatives.
Ms. Patricia Fallon, Local Authority Liaison Officer with The Heritage Council, commended Wicklow County Council for its commitment and leadership in preparing a fourth County Heritage Plan. She added, “The Heritage Council is dedicated to partnering with Wicklow County Council and other local authorities across Ireland to enhance heritage protection and ensure local heritage needs are adequately resourced. We have collaborated with Wicklow County Council for over 20 years through the Heritage Officer role, co-funding County Heritage Plan programs and supporting local heritage infrastructure. We look forward to continuing and expanding this partnership in the future.”
For any inquiries regarding the County Wicklow Heritage Plan, please contact Deirdre Burns, Heritage Officer, at dburns@wicklowcoco.ie or by phone at 0404 20100.