Congratulations to all those heritage projects which received this year's Heritage Council/Ford Ireland Local Heritage grants.
Community and heritage groups which are undertaking projects such as the restoration of the Victorian monument in Dún Laoghaire (The Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company), the development of gardening skills in an educational context (Marino Institute of Education, Dublin) and the restoration of a section of the Howth tramline as a walking route (Fingal Council, Parks Department) are among the award recipients in Dublin this year. Award winners outside the capital include the Ardagh Tower Group to aid the completion of the Martello Tower on Ardagh Hill, Bere Island, Co Cork, the Kilshanny Millennium Committee for the conservation of St Augustine's Well, Co Clare and the Tullahought Community Development Association for the creation of a wildlife lake in the village of Tullahought, Piltown, Co Kilkenny. Ninety-five projects in total received grants from a total fund of €380,000. See www.heritagecouncil.ie for entry details for next year.
THE first Glendalough Farmers' Market takes place tomorrow between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. in the Brockagh Resource Centre, Laragh, Glendalough, Co Wicklow. More than 30 stalls will sell organic foods including meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, cheese, eggs, jams, pickles, herbs, gourmet and ethnic foods. Hot vegetarian food and hand-made ice cream will also be on sale. In an age when many people are concerned about the quality of the food they buy, this face-to-face contact with producers is a welcome development. The market will take place on the second Sunday of each month.
A smaller organic market takes place the first Sunday of every month in the grounds of the Brooklodge Hotel, near Aughrim, Co Wicklow. Known as the Macreddin village market, it has a popular following, with the hotel providing barbequed food throughout the evening. The market runs from 12.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Dublin Food Co-op continues to hold its organic and wholefood market in St Andrew's Resource Centre, Pearse St, Dublin on Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lectures on specialist areas of interest are also often a feature of this market, and today at noon, Chinese medicine practitioner, Josephine Lynch will give a talk on Natural Alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Children aged four to 14 are invited to enter an art competition as part of the Natural History Museum's programme for this year's heritage week. The theme is Animal Families: Big and Small, and a prize of €125 will be awarded to the entry which has best interpreted this theme in each age group (four-seven, eight-11 and 12-14). Runners-up in each category will be awarded €65. Entries must be accompanied by a form and returned to the Education and Outreach Department, National Museum, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 by Monday, September 30th. Tel: 01-6777444 for entry forms and more details. Or e-mail bookings@museum.ie
A last minute reminder for those able to attend the Irish Seed Savers orchards and garden open day tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Cappaore, Scariff, Co Clare. The site of Ireland's only Native Apple Collection, the gardens also have a rich variety of vegetables. Experts will be on hand to advise on the preservation of native apple trees, soft fruits, vegetables and grains. Duchas botanist, Tom Curtis will give a talk at 1 p.m. Cost €5. Tel: 061-921866 for more details, or check www.irishseedsavers.ie www.antaisce.org
Actor Jeremy Irons gave Ireland's most prominent environmental watchdog website a high profile re-launch last month. A keen environmentalist, Irons lives for much of the year in a restored castle in west Cork. The website has a pictorial archive of buildings at risk, documents relating to planning and lobbying on environmental issues, press releases from An Taisce and environmental news.