Introduction to Clare heritage

About the Clare heritage office

The Clare County heritage officer programme within Clare County Council works closely with Clare County Council staff, community groups and stakeholders across our county to positively impact on our heritage in following ways:

• Identify, manage and conserve heritage for the benefit of all
• Collect and make available heritage information
• Raise awareness through education initiatives
• Acquire knowledge through surveys and research
• Inform public policy on heritage
• Support the strategic and integrated management of heritage at a local level

The Clare heritage officer

Congella McGuire was one of the first Heritage officers appointed in Ireland when she took up the role in her native Clare in 2000, having previously worked for Ireland’s National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The role also involves engaging and with and supporting local communities and groups in developing projects which are educational, conservation orientated, or heritage tourism led. Previous projects have included a focus on access and interpretation of heritage sites, heritage and wildlife audits, historic graveyards, placenames, oral history, folklore, genealogy, and conservation of built heritage.

The Clare County Heritage Plan 2017-2023 is guided by submissions from the public and directs the principle aims of the Heritage Officer’s work. The current plan is focused on six key themes and under each theme there are a number of identified actions which can be implemented over the lifetime of the plan:

1. Community
2. Training and education
3. Sustainable tourism
4. Biodiversity, Climate change and Green infrastructure planning
5. Built Heritage
6. Cultural Heritage

If you have any queries, please contact Congella McGuire at: cmcguire@clarecoco.ie.