Cllr Kieran McCarthy is calling on individuals and community groups in Cork City and County with interests in community based local heritage projects to avail of the annual Heritage Council annual grant. These grants are funded by the National Lottery. Cllr McCarthy notes: “this is an ideal award scheme for community groups to explore an area’s local identity and getting the young and old involved. Cork has a myriad of local heritage sites, which also can be harnessed to provide short term employment through research, management and education outreach. There are enormous and realistic possibilities for someone who is enterprising and innovative to get a business off the ground using the grant”.

The Heritage Council grants schemes will be open for applications until 20 November 2009. An online application system and full details of the schemes and on how to apply to them will be available on their website www.heritagecouncil.ie. The system invites applications for grants under three schemes:

(1) Heritage research provides assistance for data collection and research relating to Ireland’s heritage

(2) Heritage management supports projects that apply good heritage practice to the management of places, collections or objects

(3) Heritage education, community and outreach supports initiatives linking heritage to communities through education and outreach, promoting active engagement with and raising public appreciation of heritage.

Each scheme is open to individuals, non-profit organisations such as environmental NGOs, local community groups, heritage and preservation societies, local authorities, statutory organisations, academic institutions and private companies. Interested parties with ideas and needing help can contact Cllr Kieran McCarthy at 0876553389 (www.corkheritage. ie).

Cllr. Kieran McCarthy