Wicklow Groups Recording the Heritage of Their Place

Wicklow Community Heritage Archive Network Update 2024

The Parish Hall in Roundwood provided the venue for the inaugural meeting of the newly expanded Wicklow Online Community Heritage Network, part of the Irish Community Archive Network (ICAN) on Tuesday 27th Feb 2024.

This was a very enjoyable event that allowed existing and new members of the network to meet and share their knowledge and experience. We were delighted to receive presentations from both the Roundwood Historical Society and the United Friends of Derralossary followed by a presentation from Yvonne Whitty, from Wicklow Community Archaeology Service of Wicklow County Council who described the actions undertaken at Derralossary Church & Graveyard in 2023. This project was funded through the Community Monuments Fund  (CMF) and entailed a digital recording of the headstones,  the production of physical information boards and a digital story map. The afternoon session involved a guided visit to Derralorssary Graveyard and a training session for the new groups facilitated by Lorna Elms, iCAN development Officer from the National Museum of Ireland

Community Archives?

Community Archives are website based platforms that empower local communities to document and share the heritage of their local people, place and topics.  This initiative is co-ordinated on a National level by the National Museum of Ireland, and on a local level by the Heritage Office of Wicklow County Council and the Archives & Local Studies Library services as an action of the County Wicklow Heritage Plan.

In Wicklow, following our open call in 2023, five new groups have recently signed up as iCAN members. This brings the total number of participating groups in the county to eleven. Participating groups receive training and guidance and other supports designed to equip members with the knowledge and skills to present authentic, accurate, accessible and re-usable heritage material and to be confident editors of their community archive websites.

The five additional communities joining the county  Wicklow network are; Roundwood Historical Society, United Friends of Derralossary , Blessington Historical Group, Tinahely History, and the Wicklow Town Archive Film Project .

These new groups now join the existing Wicklow network which includes County Wicklow Heritage, Donard Imaal History, Glendalough Heritage Forum, The Medieval Bray Project, Rathdown Ancient Heartlands,  Delgany Heritage Village and Glens of Lead.

Part of a national network

The Wicklow groups are part of a national network of 37 groups under iCAN which includes members in Counties Galway, Mayo, Tipperary and Cork.  Regular online communication and training, as well as  one in person event per year, provide excellent opportunities for different  groups to share knowledge and experiences. iCAN is a partnership the National Museum of Ireland, The Heritage Council and the relevant Local Authority Heritage Officers. Explore the iCAN network at Our Irish Network