O’Neill praises community heritage project

Wednesday, 1 February 2012 - ‘ENVISION’ a new community heritage project was officially launched today at An Cárn, Tikrane, Maghera by Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill.

Carntogher Community Association is working in collaboration with the Friends of Ballynahone Bog to deliver the ‘ENVISION’ project. The objective of the project is to collate and present the heritage assets of a rural community for the benefit of the local community and for the advancement of a successful rural economy in south Derry. These heritage assets include Archaeology, Built Heritage, Environment, and the Irish language.

The project will involve the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) to record heritage assets associated with Ballynahone National Nature Reserve and Drumnaph Woodland. This will include the creation of computerised 3D Visualisations of the evolution of how today’s landscapes have evolved through human history in Ireland.

Launching the project Minister O’Neill said: “I have a keen interest in any project which will protect and enhance our rural landscape and can contribute to sustainable rural development by utilising our past and present heritage assets. ‘ENVISION’ is an excellent example of such a project."

The Minister added: “I hope through the development of the ‘ENVISION’ project it will give the local community an opportunity to experience, enjoy, care for and protect our heritage for many years to come.”

The Carntogher Community Association was awarded £44,000 funding by Local Action Group SWARD, under a funding stream designed to create opportunities to preserve and upgrade the north of Ireland’s rural heritage and to use the natural and built environment as the basis for sustainable economic growth in rural areas.

Niall Ó Cathain, ENVISION’s project chairperson commented: “This project is very much about involving the Carntogher community. The area encompassing Carntogher mountain to the shores of Lough Neagh has evolved over the millennia; this project will emphasise how our decisions and actions can help enrich our heritage and landscape for future generations.

Cllr Trevor Wilson, SWARD JCC Chair stated: “On Behalf of SWARD, I would like to congratulate and commend all those involved in bringing this innovative project to fruition. It is a great example of the use of modern technology to preserve and promote rural heritage in the Cluster area, for the benefit of the local community both now and in the future.”

The project is a collaboration between Carntogher Community Association and The Friends of Ballynahone Bog, and is based at An Carn, Tirkane, Maghera. The project is kindly supported by SWARD, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Ulster Wildlife Trust in association with Magherafelt District Council.

For more information and to get involved / be kept informed, contact:
Pól Mac Cana, An Carn, Tír Chiana, Machaire Rátha BT46 5NH; 028 7954 9978 pol.maccana@ancarn.org

1. The allocation to the SWARD cluster (Cookstown, Magherafelt, Fermanagh and Dungannon council areas) was £20,522,227 to deliver Axis 3 ‘Quality of Life’ Measures of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. For further information please check their website.
2. This component of the RDP contains the following measures:
   
   Measure 3.1 - Diversification into non-agricultural activities – Farm Diversification
   Measure 3.2 - Business creation and development
   Measure 3.3 - Encouragement of tourism activities
   Measure 3.4 - Basic services for the economy and rural population
   Measure 3.5 - Village renewal and development
   Measure 3.6 - Conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage
3. Local councils came together in clusters to deliver the Axis 3 ‘quality of life’ measures of the Programme on a sub-regional basis, and seven clusters were formed. Each cluster works with a Local Action Group ensuring bottom-up delivery with local people responsible for local decisions.
4. The Carntogher Community Association was awarded the funding by SWARD under Axis 3 - Measure 3.6 “Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage”. The measure aims to “create opportunities to preserve and upgrade the north of Ireland’s rural heritage and to use the natural and built environment as the basis for sustainable economic growth in rural areas.”
5. All media queries should be directed to the DARD Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or email pressoffice.group@dardni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.

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