A new initiative called ‘KnowYour5k’ has been launched from the Heritage Council and National Museum of Ireland and invites the Irish public to share their discoveries and insights about the hidden heritage of their locality.
In these strange times and restricted in their ability to travel, people have become much more familiar with their immediate locality. People have been seeing new sites and hidden gems in a new light by perhaps noticing what they may have overlooked before.
The ‘Know Your 5K’ initiative encourages the public to use a wealth of online resources to find out more about the story of their locality.
Heritage is quite a broad term and includes archaeology and architecture like ancient monuments, old graveyards, or historic buildings. It can be old documents, photographs or letters of historic value also are part of our heritage and indeed the flora and fauna, rivers, lakes, or mountains (even fields!)
‘This crisis affects us all, our families, our friends and our colleagues, we have all felt anxiety or fear yet amidst all this people are seeing their immediate area with new eyes,’ Virginia Teehan, CEO of the Heritage Council said.
‘In ‘KnowYour5k’ we are looking for any aspect of heritage that interests you, and that is associated with where you are. Tell us about your local historic graveyard, or the history of an old limekiln in your locality.
‘You might have photographs or letters from long ago about a time or place, or you might know a folk tale behind a particular bridge or fairy tree. Was the old dilapidated ballroom once the scene of romance? Was a field once the venue for hurling or football matches against the local rivals? Do the ruins of an old cottage at the end of the lane have a story to tell?’
You can find more information about KnowYour5k on the OurIrishHeritage.org. Our Irish Heritage is the home of the Irish Community Archive Network (iCAN), a National Museum of Ireland project that is dedicated to improving access to Irish history and heritage by helping communities share their local collections online.
On the website you can find a how-to section to help you to research your locality, you can browse other people’s submissions to see what they have in their area or you can submit your own through an easy to use form.
Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan welcomed the new collaboration saying:
‘Our heritage reminds us of our long history and great resilience, which is so important right now. This very practical and local initiative will brighten up many people’s days around Ireland over the coming crucial weeks. So many of our heritage, cultural and arts organisations are playing an invaluable role lifting our spirits and I want to thank both The Heritage Council and National Museum.’
Know Your 5k is part of the Heritage Council’s Adopt a Monument Scheme community heritage project, managed by Abarta Heritage.