Heritage Groups and Societies
The Fingal Heritage Network brings together heritage groups from around the county to work together and pool information and resources. The network also represents the views of its members and seeks to inform policy making in Fingal County Council and other relevant organisations.
Naming Heritage Signage & Heritage Trail Guidance
Interpretative signage of our archaeological, historical and natural heritage sites can add significantly to the understanding and enjoyment of these sites by visitors and locals alike. Equally signage done carelessly or placed badly can have a detrimental effect. A heritage audit is a useful tool to establish your baseline of heritage assets, accessibility, and the stories you want to tell and how best to tell them. For guidance on best practice, alternatives to signage and what you need to know about signage in Fingal the following guidance has been developed.
Historic Graveyards
There are 54 historic graveyards within Fingal which form a significant element of the county’s heritage. Many are still in use. Some such as Lusk, Swords, St Douloughs and Grallagh are associated with saints and date from the earliest periods of Christianty. Others like Cloghran, Holmpatrick and Mulhuddart are medieval parish graveyards. Many contain church ruins, holy wells and interesting gravestones. These ancient graveyards were only enclosed in the 19th century and as such there is the potential for burials to be discovered beyond the present graveyard walls.
Fingal Fieldnames Project
The Fingal Fieldnames Project aims to explore and record the rich legacy of fieldnames and related heritage in our local landscapes.
Heritage by Area
Fingal has a rich heritage dating back thousands of years, from the passage tombs of Bremore to medieval church settlements such as Swords and Lusk and castles like Malahide and Ardgillan. Fingal also has a unique natural heritage of coastline, waterways, landscape and wildlife, and a cultural heritage of local history, music and folklore. The Fingal Heritage Plan 2018 – 2023 sets out a range of objectives to protect, manage and promote Fingal’s Heritage.
Fingal Heritage Office commissioned Sinéad Begley & Associates to conduct a heritage audit of the Donabate-Portrane Peninsula to identify heritage sites and features, and to provide recommendations on the best way to highlight and interpret these. This report provides a framework and promote a strategic and consistent approach to the development of heritage resources and interpretative materials for residents and visitors to the area. The value the local community places on heritage is evident in the action of local groups and individuals involved in recording, communicating, protecting and celebrating the unique character of Donabate and Portrane.
Abarta Heritage were commissioned Fingal Heritage Office to work with members of Howth Peninsula Heritage Society to undertake an audit of the built, natural and cultural heritage of Howth. A community survey was created, and two community workshops were held in Howth to gather information from the residents. This allowed the local community to share stories, memories, objects and express their feelings and desires for the future of their area’s heritage. Over one hundred sites were researched and narrowed down to 21 key points of interest that were visited and evaluated by the project team. The results of this evaluation and key recommendations from the audit can be found in this report. This is action of the Fingal heritage Plan 2024-2030.
Fingal Thatch Project and Report
