Members of the public and community groups are being invited to celebrate International Day for Monuments and Sites 2024 on Thursday, April 18th by participating in a free bus tour of some of East Galway’s most intriguing built heritage sites.
The theme of this year’s annual UNESCO-supported initiative is ‘The Heritage of Commemoration’ with a particular focus on monuments and sites that reflect the human experience.
Galway Community Archaeology Project and Galway County Council have arranged a free bus tour of Kilboght Church and Graveyard, Abbeygormican and St. Kerrill’s Abbey in Gurteen where they can hear about ongoing local community efforts to restore and promote the heritage sites. A bus will leave the offices of Galway County Council, Prospect Hill at 9.30 am with pick-ups at Oranmore, Athenry, Galway Plaza and Loughrea.
Gurteen Community Council, Kilboght Graveyard Heritage Group and Abbeygormican Cemetery Group have each worked with Galway Community Archaeology Project and the Local Authority in securing funding through the Community Monuments Fund to prepare conservation management plans and to undertake conservation works.
According to Bernie Doherty of the Galway Community Archaeology Project, “The aim of International Day for Monuments and Sites is to encourage local groups and individuals to consider the importance of cultural heritage to their lives, identities, and communities, and to promote awareness of its diversity and vulnerability and the efforts required to protect and conserve it. We very much look forward to hosting a fun and informative day for everyone who takes part in the tour of Kilboght, Abbeygormican and St. Kerrill’s.”
Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer with Galway County Council commented, “The organised tour of East Galway sites presents an excellent opportunity for heritage groups to learn from the experiences of their counterparts elsewhere in the county and how they might implement similar conservation projects in their respective communities. Promoting our built heritage is critically important, while it also benefits the local economy in light of the growth of heritage tourism.”
Details of the free tour, including bus collection times, are available from the Galway Community Archaeology Project website at www.field-monuments.galwaycommunityheritage.org , Eventbrite or from Bernie Doherty at g.c.archaeology@gmail.com / 086 1003888. Closing date for bookings is Monday, 15 April.
