The ‘People, Places, Events – Exploring Our Heritage’ Project is all about bringing new people to learn about the heritage local to them and share in their experiences of what heritage means to them.
Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, four regional projects took place across Northern Ireland. You can access highlights from each regional project –Belfast, Derry-Londonderry, Fermanagh, and Kilkeel – through four short films providing a sense of what each project entailed and how they connected with the heritage they explored.
You can also access a short film guide on ‘How to deliver a Heritage project’ here, which provides advice on designing a project and gives an overview of the People, Places, Events – Exploring Our Heritage project.
Each project was facilitated by a lead organisation who recruited participants to their project bringing together a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds.
In Belfast, iAssist NI and Diverse Youth NI undertook a project exploring ‘Who Lives Here?’ which looked at key events during the Decade of Centenaries in Ireland 1912-23, before focusing in on the communities and wealth of cultures living in Northern Ireland in 2022. Participants from Eritrea, Mauritius, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, and Syria, among others, showcased the value of their culture and heritage in our society today.
In Derry-Londonderry, the Holywell Trust brought together participants to learn about and uncover the rich history behind St. Columb’s Hall in the city. The ‘Stories from St. Columb’s Hall’ project explored aspects of the social and political history of the Hall and included unique personal stories which participants brought to life through a Showcase Event with guided tours celebrating the role that St. Columb’s Hall continues to have in the city and beyond.
In Fermanagh, the project facilitated by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, focused on learning about the sporting heritage throughout the county. Participants from a range of sporting backgrounds including, angling, tennis, soccer, and GAA, explored the heritage of their sport and its impact across Fermanagh and the border counties. A highlight of the project was bringing the Lipton Cup, known locally as the Peace Cup, to Enniskillen Castle, where it’s unique story was brought to life through a Showcase and Engagement Event.
In Kilkeel, the Schomberg Society hosted a heritage project which focused on the impact that the Decade of Centenaries period 1912-23 had on the local area around Kilkeel and the surrounding Kingdom of Mourne. Through engaging workshops including informative talks, displays, and personal reflections, participants addressed the impact that Home Rule and the First World War had on the area. Participants also explored the reality of Partition in Ireland as well as highlighting the importance of industry in Mourne including the construction of the Silent Valley.
We would like to thank our Funders, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, our lead organisations, and importantly the participants across the four regional projects on People, Places, Events – Exploring Our Heritage for all their hard work and engagement throughout the project.
