Offaly Heritage
The Heritage Office was established in November 2000. The Offaly Heritage Forum meets four times annually, with working groups meeting as needed. The Offaly Heritage Office, along with members of the Offaly Heritage Forum aims to:
“work with all of us in Offaly, to increase awareness and appreciation of our manmade, cultural and natural heritage, leading to actions which promote its protection, enhancement and vitality.”
The role of the Heritage and Biodiversity Officers are to:
- work with the Heritage Forum to deliver the 2023 – 2027 Offaly Heritage Plan.
- work with groups and individuals to help plan and deliver appropriate heritage related projects.
- to assist all sections of Offaly Local Authorities on heritage related matters.
Included in Heritage are the following categories:
Buildings, Monuments, Archaeological objects, Heritage objects, Architectural heritage, Flora, Fauna, Wildlife, Habitats, Landscapes, Seascapes, Wrecks, Geology, Heritage gardens and parks and Inland waterways.
Heritage Council
The Heritage Council’s vision is that the value of our heritage is enjoyed, managed and protected for the vital contribution that it makes to our identity, well-being and future.
The Heritage Council supports the heritage officer and biodiversity officer posts in Offaly County Council and in addition, provides support for the delivery of the County Heritage Plan actions. Many of these actions are profiled during National Heritage Week each August which the Heritage Council and Heritage teams co-ordinate.
Download a brochure on the role of heritage officers.
For more information on the work of the Heritage Council, please visit www.heritagecouncil.ie
Offaly Heritage Forum
Member Representing Organization
| Cllr Eamon Dooley – Strategic Policy Committee chair, Offaly County Council |
| Teresa Ryan Feehan – Birr Historical Society |
| Brian Caffrey – BirdWatch Ireland |
| James Condron – Planner, Planning Department, Offaly County Council |
| Rachel McKenna – Conservation Architect, Offaly County Council |
| Bridget Horan – Farming Organizations |
| James Scully – Offaly History |
| Pat Foley – Offaly Public Participation Network |
| Christine Byrne – Slieve Bloom Rural Development |
| Fiona Devery – Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland |
| Julie McLoughlin – Bord na Mona Energy Ltd |
| Aidan Reynolds / David Conroy – Coillte |
| David Webster – Teagasc |
| Martina McCarthy – Waterways Ireland |
| Colm Malone / Alison Delaney – National Parks and Wildlife Rangers, Department Housing |
| Caimin O’Brien – National Monuments Division, Department Housing |
| Maura Allen – Offaly Local Development Company |
| Basil Mannion – Water and Communities Officer |
| Ricky Whelan – Offaly Biodiversity Officer, Offaly County Council |
| Amanda Pedlow – Offaly Heritage Officer, Offaly County Council |
| Karen Gray – Creative Ireland, Creative Communities Engagement Officer , Offaly County Council |
| Orla Connaughton – Offaly Archives Service |