Heritage Keepers

02/09/2026

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

Explore your place. Learn something new. Turn your ideas into action.

Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 Heritage Keepers programme, for primary schools (senior classes) and community groups across Ireland.

Through five free online workshops, participants will explore the built, cultural and natural heritage of their local place, develop ideas for a local project, and put those ideas into action with funding available to support their project.

The programme also includes opportunities for fieldtrips and shared learning with other Heritage Keepers.

📅 Applications close 30 September 2026
📚 Programme runs November 2026 – May 2027

Ready to get started? Find out more at heritagekeepers.ie or apply via the link in our bio.

Heritage Keepers is partially funded by The Sunflower Charitable Foundation through Community Foundation Ireland.

A programme for schools and communities that explores the heritage of their local place
Follow us on Insta: .keepers

01/09/2026

We approve of this approach. 👀

31/08/2026

Fieldtrip Diaries 2026
Scoil Mocheallóg, Limerick

The class took a trip to the local Lough Gur and saw the Stone circle, the Church in ruins (New Church) the Carraig Aille ring forts and of course the Visitor centre!

30/08/2026

Applications will soon open to community groups and primary schools (senior classes) for our Heritage Keepers programme which offers free workshops and the opportunity to apply for a grant to support local heritage actions and fieldtrips.

28/08/2026

Project Diaries 2026

Our Lady's Abbey, Adare

The class made outdoor signs to highlight interesting biodiversity and heritage aspects of our school grounds that featured QR codes containing information that they researched about their biodiversity or heritage feature. They now have a lovely trail around our school with a tree section, bird section, mini- beast/mammal section, historical section and one wildflower poster and a poster about ivy and fern found on the stone walls. Each poster has both English and Gaeilge on it!

26/08/2026

Back to School!

As classrooms across Ireland fill up again, we're celebrating the curiosity, creativity and sense of place that make school such an important part of our communities.

Just last spring, the pupils of St. Mary's NS in Castlerahan, Co. Cavan explored the stories of their own community as part of their Heritage Keepers project. They created a booklet about the old schools in their area, interviewing past and present pupils and members of staff, gathering photographs and memories, and bringing these stories together in a beautiful record of their local history.

Their Heritage Keepers journey also took them to Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff, where they explored the heritage of their county through artefacts, photographs, documents and stories spanning thousands of years.

From the Killycluggin Stone to the memories of former pupils, their project is a lovely reminder that heritage isn't only found in museums. It's also in our buildings, our photographs, our memories and the stories people share.

Here's to a new school year full of questions, discoveries and opportunities to learn more about the places we call home.

25/08/2026

Fieldtrip Diaries 2026
Our Lady's Abbey, Adare

The class travelled to Mary's Organic Garden in Woodlands House Hotel, Adare to see how things worked on an organic farm and get a 'taste' of their local environment!

23/08/2026

Project Diaries 📖

📍 Lurga NS, Galway

The 5th and 6th class at Lurga NS delved into local history through the Schools’ Collection, a remarkable archive of stories gathered across Ireland in 1937–1938 and now available through Dúchas.ie.

The children explored stories collected in their own area, selecting the ones that captured their imagination. They carefully rewrote them where needed, preserving the original stories while making them accessible to a new generation, and brought them to life through their own illustrations.

A wonderful blend of research, literacy, creativity and local heritage — connecting today’s young people with the voices and traditions of the past. 🌿📚

21/08/2026

Project Diaries
St.Comgall's, Clones, Monaghan

"We were absolutely delighted to be part of this wonderful initiative and it’s safe to say it made a real buzz in our school!

Creating a bee garden turned out to be a fantastic choice for us. With plenty of space to work with—and a strong appreciation for honey among our pupils—it was the perfect fit.

By the end of the project, our pupils had not only developed a strong understanding of bees and their importance to the environment, but they also cultivated a sense of responsibility for protecting local wildlife. It’s an initiative that truly brought learning to life—and one we’ll be proud of for a long time to come." Ann-Marie Powell, Teacher

20/08/2026

Project Diaries 🌿📖

📍 Bunniconlon, Mayo

For their Heritage Keepers project, members of the group did extensive research using primary and secondary sources and connected with the local community to uncover the stories, places and traditions that have shaped Bunniconlon over generations.

The result: 18 heritage panels tracing the village’s history from its pre-Christian origins to the present day, exploring everything from ancient sites and churches to language, farming traditions, biodiversity and key local events. The project also included new signage and restoration work at the Joe Ring Monument.

And the stories are now being shared beyond the initial project itself: the panels featured at the Bunniconlon Agricultural Show in August, alongside a Heritage Walk, and information gathered through the project has also been used for new heritage boards in the village.

Local research, local stories, shared with the community. 🌿