New National Inventory To Secure Cultural Heritage

A new permanent National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, celebrating living cultural heritage practices in Ireland, has been launched by Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan.

30 elements of living Irish culture were given official recognition at an event at Waterways Ireland. Some of the traditions included are water based such as Boyne Currach Making, traditional sea currach making, Floating Heritage, encompassing aspects of navigation on Ireland's inland waterways, Snap Net Fishing and a heritage barge played a central role in the occasion.

Others practices being recognised which presented at the event were Irish traditional musicians and Mummers of Fingal. Some of the customs and traditions have a national reach such as the practices of breeding, showing and working with Native Irish Pedigree Dog Breeds while others are specific to regions such as tradition of carillon (bellringing percussion organ) in Cobh, County Cork. Carrickmacross and Limerick lacemaking and the practices at Holy Wells in County Clare.

Making the announcement, Minister Madigan, said: "It is wonderful to see such a variety of customs and traditions from all over the country being acknowledged here today. Each of these threads in the cultural tapestry of our lives makes us richer as individuals and as a country. None of this would be possible without the work of committed volunteers all around the country, whose involvement in their communities' cultural practices and heritage traditions have sustained them over the generations. I am delighted to honour those customs, practices and traditions through official State recognition on the National Inventory."

Dr. Brendan Dunford, Manager, Burren Programme in in relation to Winterage in the Burren region, added: "This is a welcome acknowledgement of the importance of the farming community and their traditions in a landscape renowned for its geology, archaeology and ecology. It's a lovely way to honour the past generations of farmers who devised these innovative practices in response to the constraints imposed by the Burren's rocky terrain, while it's also an encouraging message to current and future generations of farmers that we, as a society, value and appreciate them and their unique traditions which sustain this magnificent landscape."